Are Uncontrollable Sexual Urges a disorder?
- Disorders are a disturbance to normalcy.
- Frotteuristic Disorder is one of the many paraphilic disorders that hinder one’s capacity to contain impulsivity.
- Treatment is ambiguous.
Defining the Disorder
Disorder is a disturbance to the normal systemic functioning. Frotteuristic Disorder is one among the many paraphilic disorders that hinder one’s capacity to contain one’s impulsivity. Frotteuristic Disorder is the derivation of intense sexual arousal one derives from touching or rubbing their genitalia against someone else’s without their consent. Or simply put, rubbing their genitalia against a non-consenting person. The line between a disorder and a conscious effort is the intensity and uncontrollability of the impulse. A paraphilia is distinguished from a paraphilic disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-5). As George Brown describes, a paraphilia is sexual arousal or fantasies involving inanimate objects or non-consenting adults, and a paraphilic disorder is when this causes distress, “problems functioning in the person with the paraphilia.” Frotteuristic Disorder has serious impacts and consequences. Raising awareness about such disorders takes centre stage.
Criteria for the evaluation of Frotteuristic disorder
The DSM-5 lays down certain criteria that need to be met for the diagnosis of the frotteuristic disorder. It is classified under the time and the action of the individual. For instance, if the individual has acted on these sexual urges for over six months against a non-consenting person. As a result, it has caused clinical impairment and distress to the non-consenting person in “social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning” as mentioned under DSM-5.
It appears that the frotteurs, as people with this disorder are called, appear excited at the risk of getting caught in public spaces. The victims are generally women, although there are cases where females have non-consensually touched males. Any adult engaging in this behaviour is considered to be committing a crime. The non-consensual nature jeopardises the non-consenting person’s mental health and social functioning.
Holding the Horses
Several multi-modal approaches have been recommended, including psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, psychoanalysis, relaxation therapy, and biofeedback. The use of medications to suppress their sexual desires, by suppressing testosterone and serotonergic antidepressants, is also advised.
The reason it is being understudied is credited to the lack of reporting of such cases. The limited research suggests that this behavior has mostly been limited to young males between 15 and 25 years. Self-diagnosis is rare. For the most part, the court orders the assessments, evaluations, and treatments.
There could be many reasons for the sexual arousal by an individual; it could be an accidental one, childhood trauma, or the inability of an individual to be affectionate in a sexual relationship. People with froutteuristic disorder have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. This makes it difficult for them to get diagnosed and seek treatment.
Many times, there is a stigma attached to people seeking recovery from froutteuristic disorder because of being seen in the light where they are caught for sexual assault. In most cases, they have been mandated either by the court or by their concerned family members to seek treatment.
End note
It is a complicated condition, and medical treatment is always advised. Seeking help is always the first step towards healing and accepting oneself. If you feel this is about you or anyone around you, help yourself or them to seek a trusted practitioner for their evaluation. Awareness leads to understanding oneself better, and this blog has been written for the same purpose.
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