Sexual Deviance Essay Example For Students

Sexual Deviance Essay Addiction to sexual activities can be just as destructive as addiction to chemical substances. Addicts may jeopardize their marriage and family relationships, allow their job performance to deteriorate, and endanger themselves and their partner through multiple sexual exposures. Even though they realize the consequences, they cannot control their compulsions without appropriate treatment. The author explains how to spot addicts and coaddicts among your patients. For most people, sex enhances the quality of life. However, about 3% to 6% of Americans have sexual addiction(1). Through their addiction, they may injure themselves physically, experience psychological distress, lose their livelihood, and ruin meaningful relationships. Sexual addiction often coexists with chemical dependency, and untreated sexual addiction contributes to relapse to chemical use. These patients not only endanger themselves but also put their loved ones at risk for AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Physicians can help by learning about this phenomenon, which is gaining increasing attention in behavioral medicine, and then educating these patients and their families. Criteria for sexual addiction The concept of sexual addiction was introduced less than 10 years ago(2). It not only provides an explanation for otherwise irrational behavior but also suggests effective treatment for patients who have not been helped by more traditional therapy.The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, revised third edition (DSMIIIR)(3), lists nine criteria for chemical dependency (table 1). The presence of three establishes the diagnosis. Most of the criteria concern behavior: Two indicate decreased control, one .shows preoccupation with obtaining and using the substance, and three reflect continued use despite negative consequences. These criteria can be used to diagnose other addictions as well. Goodman(4) proposed a set of diagnostic criteria for addictive disorder that may be modified and applied to sexual behavior (table2). Any behavior that is used to produce gratification and escape internal discomfort can be engaged in compulsively and can constitute an addictive disorder. Compulsive gambling(5), spending, and overeating meet these criteria as well. Characteristic findings of any addictive disorder are the following: Compulsivity, that is, loss of the ability to choose freely whether to stop or to continue. Continuation of the behavior despite adverse consequences, such as loss of health, job, marriage, or freedom. Obsession with the activity. All of the patients in the following illustrative case reports exhibited these findings. CASE 1: A 28yearold homosexual man spent evenings cruising local parks, public restrooms, and pornographic bookstores for sexual contacts. This activity consumed several hours a day. His primary outlet was sex with multiple anonymous partners. When he learned that the majority of gay men in his city had tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), he began to worry constantly about his risk of contracting AIDS. Still, he was unable to change his unsafe sexual practices despite repeated promises to himself to do so. CASE 2: A 52yearold married minister had a 10year history of sexual involvement with female parishioners who came to him for counseling. He experienced marital stress because he was often away from home in the evenings counseling rather than spending rime with his family. Overcome by remorse and guilt, he promised to break off with the women. However, he was unable to avoid new involvements. After several women came forward with their stories, the minister was fired, evicted from his churchowned house, and publicly humiliated. He and his wife moved to another state, where she supported them with her teaching income. CASE 3: A 32yearold woman from a rigidly religious family married an alcoholic. After 2 years of marriage, she became involved in what was to be the first of many extramarital affairs. To prevent detection by her husband, she withdrew from him emotionally and neglected the marital relationship. She recognized that she was not spending enough time with her children. Despite feelings of guilt, she did not seek help until she cheated on her new lover. CASE 4: A 50yearold married business executive neglected sales calls when out of town and visited massage parlors and prostitutes, despite knowledge that he was risking HIV infection. He was once an effective salesman, but his work performance suffered because of his sexual pursuits. He took alternative routes on trips in an effort to avoid massage parlors, but he was unable to control his urge to visit these establishments. His wife learned about his sexual activities when he was arrested for soliciting sex from an undercover policewoman posing as a prostitute. At that point, his marriage was in jeopardy, his children and friends shocked, and his job future uncertain. Table 1 Criteria for chemica l dependency 1.Substance often taken in larger amounts or for a longer period than intended (control) 2.Persistent desire for the substance or one or more unsuccessful efforts to reduce or control substance use (control) 3.Much time spent in obtaining the substance, taking it, or recovering from its effects (preoccupation) 4.Frequent intoxication when expected to fulfill major obligations at work, school, or home or recurrent use in physically hazardous situations (negativeconsequences) 5.Abandonment or restriction of important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use (negative consequences) 6.Continued substance use despite a persistent or recurrent social, psychological, or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by use of the substance (negative consequences) 7.Need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve the desired effect, or markedly diminished effect withcontinued use of same amount (tolerance) 8.Presence of character istic withdrawal symptoms (withdrawal) 9 Basic discription of microbiology Essay