Psychology

The presence or absence of mental disorder is not easy to determine as compared physical diseases which are easy to diagnose. Normal and abnormal behavior is judged differently among the society, individuals, and even mental health professionals. The society bases their judgment on whether the behavior exhibited by an individual is accepted in the present social order. Mental health professionals focus on personality uniqueness and also a personal distress. There are various types of psychological disorders which include psychosomatic and somatoform disorders, schizophrenia, panic disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, sexual disorders among many other types. This paper examines sexual disorder in great details by giving a general description of the disorder, how it is diagnosed and treated and the current trends.
Sexual disorders
    Normal sexual behavior differs with conditions, individual, and even the culture where one belongs to, though there are sexual standards across the globe despite the culture where one belongs to. Among these standards are showing interest in sex, sexual attractiveness based on some physical features and health, and sexual relationships being concealed. There are only three types of sexual disorders which are documented and they include paraphilias, sexual dysfunctions, and gender identity disorders (Morris  Maisto, 2005).
    Sexual dysfunction is defined as the failure or impairment of the normal physical responses of sexual role. In males, it can manifest as erectile dysfunction which is the failure to attain and maintain full erection while in women, it presents as female sexual arousal disorder. Female sexual arousal disorder means failure to become sexually thrilled or to attain orgasm. These problems are quite common among people, however they are only considered as a problem when they happen quite often disrupting enjoyment of sexual relationships. Studies have shown that prevalence rate of erectile dysfunction is quite high even in men who are considered healthy. Treatment of the condition by use of Viagra has proved successful despite the cause of the disorder. This medication is also used in men with spinal cord injury to enable them resume normal sex life. The effectiveness of Viagra depends on the prior sexual arousal.
    Sexual desire disorders may mean lack of interest in sex or even strong disgust for sex. Women are reported to experience low sexual desires as compared to men and this contributes to about 40 of sexual dysfunctions. The degree and etiology of these disorders in both sexes is not easy to evaluate since some individuals just have low enthusiasm for sexual act and show satisfaction to the low interest they exhibit. Other people fail to report lack of interest in sexual act but show physiological signs of blocked crave. The above factors have led to the conclusion that the disorders may be caused by physical abnormalities.
    Individuals who feel neutral about sex or experience distaste to sex are thought to have had earlier painful experiences or even unsatisfying relationships. Some individuals are also reported to have sexual interest and maintain excitement but fail to reach orgasm which is regarded as peaking of sexual enjoyment and discharge of sexual tension. Male orgasmic disorder which is the failure to ejaculate even when one if fully aroused is uncommon, however it is rising since men like to practice the delay of orgasm. This disorder can also be linked to psychological factors like painful experiences and certain drugs like anti depressants. The problem is more prevalent in females than males. Another disorder in males is premature ejaculation which is defined as the failure of the man to hold orgasm for a period which is recommended. Vaginismus is a disorder experienced by women. It involves involuntary muscle contractions which occur in the outer part of the vagina during sexual arousal and it makes sexual act difficult.
    Paraphilias results from use of non human sex objects or situations to obtain sexual arousal. The repeated use of these objects so as to achieve sexual arousal is considered as a disorder which is referred to as fetishism. The majority of people with fetishism are male and the disorder starts at adolescent. Voyeurism is another sexual abnormality which is associated with watching other people have sex or looking at people who are naked. Other sexual disorders include exhibitionism which is exposure of ones genital organs in the public so as to achieve sexual excitement. Frotteurism is a way of attaining sexual arousal by rubbing ones genitals against a person who is not aware in a public place, and transvestic fetishism which involves putting on clothes of a person of opposite sex so as to achieve sexual excitement.
    Another example of paraphilias is pedophilia which involves repeated, strong sexual excitement, sexual desires, or even sexual behaviors involving sexual act with a young child who has not attained puberty. People who are involved in such behaviors are most of the times close relatives of the child abused. Pedophiles are unable to adjust to sexual responsibility of an adult man and only show sexual desire in children which they abuse. Turning to children may be due to stress which they experience in adult relations where they do not feel satisfied.
    Gender identity disorder is a type of sexual disorder where one desires to become a member of the opposite sex e.g. a man wanting to become a woman. Such people wear clothing which belongs to the opposite sex and even their actions depict that of the opposite sex. The condition starts at childhood where the children involved do not feel comfortable with their sex. Most of the children with this disorder changes in adulthood and accept their gender while some continue into adulthood.  Adults who have this disorder can undergo sexual reassignment surgery which is coupled with hormonal therapy. People who have been operated on have low level of nervousness and dejection. Though the possible causes of gender identity disorders are not known, there is a suggestion that biological factors contribute to their occurrence.