What is it?

There are many sexual and gender identity disorders, here are some:
- Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is characterized by lack or absence of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity. In order to be diagnosed as a disorder, it must not be a cause of another mental disorder, a drug or a different medical condition. There are several subtypes of the disorder; general lack of sexual desire, situational (for current partner), or lifelong. The disorder must cause distress
and interpersonal difficulty. Possible causes include hormonal imbalance and intimacy difficulty.
-Psychosexual dysfunction can occur to both men and women when they are not aroused or satisfied during sexual intercourse. Reasons for psychosexual dysfunction may include depression, anxiety, prior abuse, stress, guilty feelings, hormone changes, problems at home or work, conflicts with the partner, pain during sexual intercouse, vaginismus, self esteem issues and much more.
-Paraphilias are recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors that involve children, nonhuman objects, or other non-consenting adults, or the suffering of oneself or one’s partner.
-Pedophilia is a sexual orientation toward children, especially those who are younger than the age of 13. Pedophilic disorder is far more common among men than women.
-Another paraphilia is exhibitionistic disorder, which is a disorder in which the person exposes his genitals to another person, usually people they have never met. Most exhibiotionist are men, and typically begin in late adolescence or early adulthood. Risk factors includes antisocial personality disorder, alcohol abuse, emotional abuse during childhood, and an interest in pedophilia.
-Gender dysphoria, formerly gender identity disorder, is a discomfort or distress occurring in people whose gender identity differes from their sex and physical charachteristics. Those who may feel that way are transgenders and gender-nonconforming people.
-Dyspareunia is when sexual intercourse are painful, either before, after or during it. It is much more common in women and it might be due to physical or emotional factors. Psychogenic dyspareunia means the reason for recurring pain in sexual intercourse is psychological, and may include stress, fear, guilt, shame, self-image issues, relationship problems, or history of sexual abuse or rape.
-Fetishism is a term describing sexual urge for non-living objects, usually things you could wear or touch. This fetish may replace the person’s sexual activity with another partner, or it could be integrated in sexual activity. It is much more common in men. It could be lifelong, or it could come and go in periods.
-Sexual sadism disorder is a disorder in which the person experiences sexual excitement from fantasies, behavior or urges related to causing physical or psychological harm to another during sexual activity. It should be accompanied by significant personal distress, impairment or harm to self or others.
-Sexual masochism disorder is a disorder in which the person experiences sexual excitement from being humiliated, beaten, bound or abused. It should be accompanied by significant personal distress, impairment or harm to self or others.









415 Alikes with Sexual and gender identity disorders

Learn from others
who are experiencing
Sexual and gender identity disorders.

Additional names

This group contains additional names:
- Transvestic Fetishism
- Male Orgasmic Disorder
- Psychogenic Dyspareunia
- Gender Identity Disorder in Adolescents or Adults
- Female Orgasmic Disorder
- Psychosexual Disorder
- Hypersexuality
- Hyposexuality
- Fetishism
- Sexual Masochism

Signs & symptoms

-Symptoms of HSDD include no or little interest in sexual activity, no or few sexual thoughts, no or few attempts to initiate sexual activity or respond to partner’s initiation, or no or little pleasure or excitement from sexual experiences.
-Sexual dysfunction symptoms may vary for men and women but it may include erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation or not being to ejaculate at all, not baing able to reach orgasm, lack of arousal, decreased interest in sex, dry vagina, pain during sex.
-Symptoms of exhibistionistic disorder include recurrent behavior resulting in extreme sexual arousal when showing genitals to strangers.
-Gender dysphoria symptoms may include a marked difference between one’s inner gender identity and primary or secondary sex charachteristics, or anticipated secondary sex characteristics in young adolescents. A strong desire to get rid of primary or secondary sex charachteristics, a desire to be of the other gender, or to be treated as the other gender. These feelings cause significant distress or impairment in daily function.
-Dyspareunia symptoms may include pain in the vagina, urethra or bladder during penetration or after intercourse. Pain can also appear with tampon use. Other sensations in the genital area may include burning, itching and stabbing pain.
-Symptoms of fetishism include items that are used for sexual gratification and arousal.
-Symptoms of sexual sadism disorder may include an intense and recurrent sexual arousal from the physical or psychological suffering of another person, as manifested by fantasies, urges or behaviors. It could be infliction of pain or engaging in rough sex.
-Symptoms of sexual masochism disorder may include sex behaviors like binding, sticking with pins, eletric shock, mutilation, physical restraint, blindfloding, spanking, whipping, beating are more.





Diagnosis

-HSDD diagnosis, according to the DSM-5 is characterized by persistently or recurrently dificient (or absent) sexual or erotic thoguhts or fantasies and desire for sexual activity. Other diagnostic criteria, as mentioned above, must be met. Symptoms must persist at least 6 months, cause clinically significant distress and not to be better explained by other conditions.
-Diagnosis of psychosexual dysfunction is done by listening to the patient's symptoms and medical history. Physical examination and further evaluation may be done mainly to rule out other causes.
-Pedophilia is diagnosed by convesations with a mental health proffesionalist, who finds that the attraction towards children is causing the person guilt, anxiety, alienation, or difficulty in pursuiting other personal goals, or else if their urges cause them to approach children in real life.
-Exhibistionistic disorder symptoms last at least for 6 months of the behavior to be diagnosed. The symptoms must cause the person distress and disrupt his everyday life. Also, the disorder is not better explained by other disorders.
-Gender dysphoria is diagnosed in a conversation with mental health professionals, if the person meets the criteria of the DSM-5 manual of mental disorders.
-Dysparaunia is diagnosed firstly by taking complete medical and sexual history. Then, a pelvic examination will be done in order to rule out physical symptoms that may be causing pain. An ultrasound, culture test, urine test, and an allergy test may be done.
-According to the DSM-5, diagnosis of fetishism is assigned to those who experience sexual arousal from objects, for at least 6 months. It must result in anxiety and to disrupt one’s everyday life.
-Sexual sadism disorder is diagnosed when the sexually sadistic focus exists for 6 months and causes significant distress.
-Sexual masochism disorder is diagnosed when the sexually masochistic focus exists for 6 months and causes significant distress.







Treatment

-Treatment of HSDD is by personal or couple’s therapy. The medication approved for HSDD is Filbanserin and bremelanotide for premenopausal women. Some say that antidepressants like bupropion may help. Testosterone replacement may be good for the short term.
-Treatment depends on the reason found, it may include medications to treat any hormonal imbalance, depression, or anxiety. Psychotherapy may also help.
-Treatment for pedophilia does not focuses on changing ones feelings, but on managing them and learning not to act on them. Someitmes medication are used to reduce sex drive.
-Treatment of exhibistionistic disorder involves psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective, as well as group therapy.
-Treatment of gender dysphoria is individualized, and might or might not include change in gender expressions or body modifications. Medical therapy may include hormone therapy and surgery. Psychotherapy and group therapy may be of great help.
-Treatment for psychogenic dyspareunia is therapy, which may include desensitization therapy or sex therapy, in which vaginal relaxation tecniques are being taught.
-Treatment of fetishistic disorder may include psychotherapy, drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or a combination of both.
-Treatment of sexual sadism disorder may include psychotherapy, sometimes combined with medication such as antidepressants or antiandrogens.
-Treatment of sexual masochism disorder may include psychotherapy, sometimes combined with medication.





☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.

Learn more about our editorial process for content accuracy.

Alike Wisdom

Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Find people who are
experiencing a similar
medical reality

100% Free
100%
Free