Gender Dysphoria involves the sense of uneasiness in a person due to a mismatch in their gender identity and biological sex. The feeling may lead to depression. People with the condition may identify as gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Paraphilic disorders are intense and sexual urges or behaviors that interfere with significant functioning (APA, 2013). Examples include pedophilic disorder and Voyeuristic disorder. Sexual dysfunction refers to a problem occurring during any phase of responding to sex, which prevents an individual from having satisfaction from sexual activity. Examples include premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. This paper focuses on discussing the assessment and treatment of Gender Dysphoria, Paraphilic Disorder, and Sexual Dysfunction.
Assessment and Treatment of Gender Dysphoria
Gender Dysphoria is characterized by a person’s cognitive dissatisfaction that leads to incongruence between their experienced gender and the gender they belong to. One of the conditions under the category is lesbianism. The diagnosis is made when the condition is experienced for six months and is identified to lead to impairment (APA, 2013). Transvestic behavior has to be ruled out. There should also be a strong desire for the individual to get rid of their sexual characteristics. The individual should show a strong persuasion that they have feelings and responses to another gender. The condition should be associated with a clinically important deficiency in the social, occupational, and other areas of operations.
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In treating the condition, one should undergo counseling from a psychiatrist to enable them to overcome feelings. The treatment mainly focuses on affirming the psychological support, understanding their feelings, and giving the individuals a space to express their emotions. Hormone therapy is also conducted where the hormone blockers are induced into the body to pause adolescence' physical changes (APA, 2013). The treatment is, however, reversible. Individual therapy is significant as it helps individuals understand and explore their feelings while coping with distress. Hormone therapy is also used to make individuals comfortable with their selves. Surgery is further used to alter the body parts related to biological sex.
Paraphilic Disorders
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a paraphilic disorder is a paraphilia that causes distress or harm to others. Paedophyllic disorder is in the category (Gabbard, 2014) . It is characterized by recurring, intensely sexual arousing urges for children below the age of thirteen. Pedophiles are attracted to young boys, girls, or both. Doctors diagnose the condition when the individual has a repeated, intense sexual urge for children under the age of thirteen. The individual should also have the condition for six months or more. Additionally, those involved should feel distressed or unable to function properly in their interactions with other people due to their urge. The person should be above 16 years, and above or five years older than the child they have sexual fantasies with.
The treatment of the condition involves the use of psychotherapy. The cognitive-behavioral models help in successfully treating individuals with the disorder. They take advantage of the person's assertiveness training, prevention of relapse, and teaching lifelong maintenance. It helps in correcting the pedophile’s thoughts that children need to identify with the victim. Medication is also used in line with psychotherapy. They include antiandrogens to lower the sex drive and selective serotonin reuptake blockers to treat the related compulsive sexual disorders (APA, 2013).
Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction is characterized by clinical issues with desire, interest, arousal, orgasm, and penetration. One of the conditions under the category is erectile dysfunction. The condition occurs when a man fails to get or maintain an erection for sexual intercourse (APA, 2013). Diagnosis is made physically where a careful examination of the penis and testicles is conducted. The nerves are also assessed.
Furthermore, a blood sample is taken to the laboratory to check for signs of heart disease or other health conditions. Urinalysis is also conducted to check for underlying health conditions (APA, 2013). Ultrasound is performed by a specialist to check the blood vessels that supply blood to the penis. However, the test is done in combination with an injection to stimulate blood flow, which causes an erection. A psychological examination is also conducted to check for psychological causes of the condition, such as depression.
There are various treatment options depending on the severity of the erectile dysfunction. There are oral medications that include Sildenafil, Viagra, Tadalafil, Vardenafil, and Avanafil (APA, 2013). The medications improve blood flow to the penis to allow the individuals to have an erection. However, sexual stimulation is required to enhance the release of nitric oxide from the penile nerves. Other medications include Alprostadil, a self-injection drug (Sadock, Sadock, & Ruiz, 2014) . A needle is used to inject the medication on the base or the side of the penis. Testosterone may also be replaced where the cause of the dysfunction is identified to be low testosterone levels. Moreover, there are penis pumps and penile implants. Studies also show that exercise that involves medium to vigorous aerobic activity improves the condition (APA, 2013). There is also psychological counseling to ease anxiety and stress.
Conclusion
Lesbianism, which is categorized under the Gender Dysphoria, occurs when an individual feels discomfort due to the gender identity difference with the sex-related characteristics. The pedophilic disorder involves the arousal by children under the age of thirteen. Erectile dysfunction, a type of sexual dysfunction, main features include the man’s penis failing to get or maintain an erection. All the conditions are treated using various medications.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.117131
Gabbard, G. O. (2014). Gabbard’s treatment of psychiatric disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publications. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-23557-000
Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2014). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802389/
