Tag Archives: Unusual Paraphilias

Unusual Psychosexual Syndromes

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Course excerpt from Unusual Psychosexual Syndromes, Part 1: Koro, Autoerotic Asphyxia, and Necrophilia

Unusual Psychosexual SyndromesHuman behavior is fascinating, complex, and multi-determined. What someone does in any given instance is caused by an active combination of factors that are psychological, learned, biological, genetic, environmental, and occasionally instinctual. Our understanding of human behaviors is greater than our ability to predict them. Even so, that understanding is far from complete and the extant theoretical explanations are sometimes contradictory and nonscientific.

In general terms, human behavior can be classified as positive, negative, or neutral. A broader classification is to label a target behavior as normal or abnormal. The matter gets more confused when issues of legal and illegal behavior arise, wherein an illegal behavior may not be abnormal and an abnormal behavior may be quite legal.

We now have the latest iteration of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (2013) which serves as the official classification system in the U.S. and many other countries. Mental health disciplines and health insurance companies accept this guidebook as the “bible” of the field.

This course will address three unusual psychosexual syndromes which typically receive scant or no attention in the latest DSM or most abnormal psychology textbooks. The three syndromes presented here are koro, autoerotic asphyxia, and necrophilia. These disorders of course, are relatively infrequent in occurrence, yet they are fascinating illustrations of the extreme forms that human sexual behavior can take.

Clinicians need to be familiar with the entire spectrum of disordered behavior that may potentially be presented by their clients and patients. We will focus primarily on the symptoms and descriptions of the syndromes and assume that therapists and counselors will determine the best treatments to invoke, as based on their own theoretical perspectives and training.

Click here to learn more.

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Unusual Psychosexual Syndromes, Part 1: Koro, Autoerotic Asphyxia, and NecrophiliaUnusual Psychosexual Syndromes, Part 1: Koro, Autoerotic Asphyxia, and Necrophilia is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that presents three of the most unusual human sexual behavior disorders. Each syndrome is a relatively rare, yet extraordinarily intriguing pattern of behavior. These men and women have fashioned highly unorthodox means of gratifying their basic needs for love and attention. These syndromes are typically ignored or receive only mere mentions in most abnormal psychology textbooks. Yet, these individuals could very well appear in mental health professionals’ practices as inpatients or outpatients. They all have clear forensic implications as well. Each syndrome is presented with a full description of its typical symptoms, relevant case histories, brief theoretical descriptions from the psychodynamic and behavioral perspectives, and the recommended treatments according to the best available current knowledge. Course #30-74 | 2014 | 35 pages | 20 posttest questions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. After enrolling, click on My Account and scroll down to My Active Courses. From here you’ll see links to download/print the course materials and take the CE test (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document). Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more.

About the Author:

Louis R. Franzini, PhD, received his B.S. degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, his M.A. degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Toledo, and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. He then completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Behavior Modification at the State University of New York at Stony Brook (now Stony Brook University). Following the postdoctoral program Dr. Franzini joined the Psychology Department at San Diego State University, where he spent his entire academic career. He retired as Emeritus Professor of Psychology. His international academic experience included appointments as Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the Universite Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-le-Neuve, Belgium and Senior Fellow in the School of Accountancy and Business, Human Resource and Quality Management Division at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Dr. Franzini is licensed as a psychologist in Florida and in California.

CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590);  the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

Related Online CE Courses:

Unusual Psychosexual Syndromes, Part 2: Erotomania & Frottage is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE) course that is part 2 in a series presenting five of the most unusual human sexual behavior disorders. Each syndrome is a relatively rare, yet extraordinarily intriguing pattern of behavior. These men and women have fashioned highly unorthodox means of gratifying their basic needs for love and attention. These syndromes are typically ignored or receive only mere mentions in most abnormal psychology textbooks. Yet, these individuals could very well appear in mental health professionals’ practices as inpatients or outpatients. They all have clear forensic implications as well. Erotomania and frottage are presented with a full description of typical symptoms, relevant case histories, brief theoretical descriptions from the psychodynamic and behavioral perspectives, and the recommended treatments according to the best available current knowledge. Course #20-93 | 2014 | 22 pages | 25 posttest questions

Unusual Paraphilias is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE) course that will describe a variety of paraphilias and specific fetishes that you may encounter in your practice. A paraphilia involves stimulating sexual arousal in someone by an object or fantasy that for most people is commonplace and not sexually related, either directly or symbolically. What you will learn in this course is that there is a clear continuum of unusualness for paraphilias. There are some familiar ones and there are also very many paraphilias reported in the clinical literature which are indeed extremely unusual. This course will include discussions of the eight standard Paraphilic Disorders included in the DSM-5: 1) Voyeuristic Disorder, 2) Exhibitionistic Disorder, 3) Frotteuristic Disorder, 4) Sexual Masochism Disorder, 5) Sexual Sadism Disorder, 6) Pedophilic Disorder, 7) Fetishistic Disorder, and 8) Transvestic Disorders, as well as a number of additional paraphilias and specific fetishes, which are generally quite rare. Course #10-85 | 2015 | 15 pages | 6 posttest questions

Really Bizarre Sexual Behaviors is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that reviews a variety of infrequent and atypical sexual practices. The range of extant human behavior is truly extraordinary. But, the range of sexual behaviors is exponentially more so. Some are so infrequent and atypical that we call them “bizarre.” Such sexual practices may be described by some laypersons as “sick” or “abnormal.” Even some health care professionals may label such behaviors as “paraphilic” or “psychopathological” or a major behavior or personality disorder or as simply symptomatic of very serious emotional disturbances. This course is intended to familiarize clinicians with a variety of “really bizarre sexual behaviors” that they might at least occasionally encounter in their practices. Our discussion is limited to behaviors and fantasies occurring with a human partner of either sex who consents to participation without coercion. No animals or children are involved as sexual objects or partners. It is useful to be aware of what some people like to do sexually and the language typically used in the informal sexual underground. There is no need to engage in such practices personally or even to “experiment” with them to become sufficiently knowledgeable.  It is also important to know where to go to learn more. Finally, this course will suggest criteria on how to make the decision on whether to treat such behaviors. Society claims an interest in an individual’s intimate practices and may sometimes invoke the criminal justice system to enforce those interests. Thus, there are ethical implications about court mandated treatment programs for behaviors that are consensual and not harmful to anyone. Course #30-88 | 2016 | 41 pages | 26 posttest questions

Gender Identity and Transgenderism is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that reviews issues in the formation of gender identity and the possible resultant condition of transgenderism, formerly transsexuality. After viewing oneself as a human being, the most important aspect of our self-concept is that we are a male person or a female person. That is the very essence of our humanness and the most basic sense of who we are. To experience a conflict between our physical body and our concept of maleness or femaleness is the most fundamental existential distress imaginable. This course will discuss the ongoing distinction between sex and gender, causes and prevalence of transgenderism, harassment of transgender children, DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, theories of gender development, conversion therapy, modern medical and socio-psychological treatment of transgender patients, passing, and postsurgical relationships and therapy. Certain prominent transgenderists are discussed, and several autobiographies are referenced to further our understanding of the complex transgender life experiences. Finally, some examples of positive changes are presented, which increase the knowledge base for the professionals who see transgender patients in their practices, along with other nascent societal changes, which, in turn, can improve these patient’s lives. Course #30-91 | 2016 | 41 pages | 20 posttest questions

Genetic Link between Creativity and Mental Illness

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By Agata Blaszczak-Boxe

Genetic Link Between Creativity And Mental IllnessThere may be an overlap between the genetic components of creativity and those of some psychiatric disorders, according to a new study.

In the study, researchers looked at genetic material from more than 86,000 people in Iceland and identified genetic variants that were linked with an increased risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The investigators then looked for these variants in a group of more than 1,000 people who were members of national societies of artists, including visual artists, writers, actors, dancers and musicians in Iceland.

The study revealed that the people in these artistic societies were 17 percent more likely to carry those variants linked with the mental health conditions than were people in the general population, who were not members of these societies.

“The results of this study should not have come as a surprise, because to be creative, you have to think differently from the crowd,” study author Kari Stefansson, the founder and CEO of deCODE, a genomic analysis company, said in a statement. “And we had previously shown that carriers of genetic factors that predispose to schizophrenia do so.” [5 Controversial Mental Health Treatments]

The investigators also looked at the link between creativity and psychiatric disorders using a different data set, from four studies previously conducted in the Netherlands and Sweden, which involved about 35,000 people. This group included people who worked in the fields of visual arts, music, dance, writing and theater, as well as those who worked in other professions. This study showed that the people who worked in the creative professions were almost 25 percent more likely to carry the genetic variants related to the psychiatric disorders than were people who worked in other occupations.

In a previous study, published in 2013 in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, researchers found that when they compared all people working in creative professions with people working in other professions, the creative people were not more likely than people in other professions to be diagnosed with psychiatric disorders overall. However, the creative professionals were at an increased risk of having bipolar disorder, and in addition, people who were writers were more likely to be diagnosed with psychiatric disorders in general.

Previous research has also shown that family members of people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are overrepresented in creative professions, the researchers said.

The new study “is partially confirming long-held beliefs about commonalities between creativity and psychosis,” said Dr. Alan Manevitz, a clinical psychiatrist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, who was not involved in the study.

However, “the authors don’t necessarily define what kind of creativity they are talking about,” Manevitz told Live Science. There is a difference between people who may identify themselves as being creative, and people who actually work in creative professions, he said.

It is not clear whether the genetic link found in the study may apply to people who feel they are creative, or only to those who actually produce high-quality creative work, he said.

“Creative thinking occurs in rational, conscious frames of mind, not altered or transformed states,” Manevitz said. Therefore, having a full-fledged psychosis, in which a person’s rationality is altered, does not contribute to creativity.

However, if someone had a family member who had a serious psychiatric disorder, the genetic variants that this person carries may translate into a “diluted” form of a mental illness, that could in fact be conducive to creativity, if the traits are mild enough that they do not interfere with the person’s ability think rationally, Manevitz said.

The study was published on June 8, 2015 in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/09/creativity-mental-illness_n_7544374.html?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003

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Professional Development Resources offers a wide variety of online continuing education courses for mental health and allied health professionals. Over 100 courses are available, including:

  • Unusual Paraphilias is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that describes a number of paraphilias and specific fetishes.
  • Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that discusses bipolar disorder in children and teens, including signs and symptoms, differences between child/adolescent and adult BPD, diagnostic types, medications for BPD, and other therapies.
  • The Inherited-Insanity Illusion is a 3-hour online CEU course that critically evaluates the research alleging the inherited, genetically-determined causes of mental disorders, behavioral disorders, substance abuse and intelligence.
  • A Dissociative Identity Disorder Casebook is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that details the diagnosis, treatment, and case management of Multiple Personality Disorder, more recently known as Dissociative Identity Disorder.
  • Understanding the Biology of Mental Disorders is a 3-hour online CEU course that reviews how the brain and body affect each other, and how medical illness can cause depression, anxiety, psychosis, and cognitive impairment.

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Professional Development Resources is approved to offer continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; and by theTexas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners.

Unusual Paraphilias – Online CE Course

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Louis R. Franzini, PhD

Unusual Paraphilias is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that describes a number of paraphilias and specific fetishes.

Unusual ParaphiliasAt first glance, the title “Unusual Paraphilias” may sound redundant. Yes, a paraphilia involves stimulating sexual arousal in someone by an object or fantasy that for most people is commonplace and not sexually related, either directly or symbolically. That is not true for paraphiles. What you will learn in this course is that there is a clear continuum of unusualness for paraphilias. There are some familiar ones and there are also very many paraphilias reported in the clinical literature which are indeed extremely unusual.

There is a pejorative connotation to nearly all of the sexual interest patterns to be described here. Noted sexologist John Money coined the term “paraphilia” to avoid the negative attitudes many people held regarding these unusual and often distasteful forms of human sexual behavior. His was a thoughtful effort, but many people still register disgust and disdain when they learn of the actual paraphilic interests and practices. Nevertheless, it remains our noble mission to understand these individuals, to protect anyone who might become victimized by their actions, and to educate students and professionals in the healthcare professions who offer treatment for paraphiles.

Let’s first examine the more familiar paraphilias, as presented in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) (2013). In general terms, the recurring and intense sexual arousal in the paraphilic disorder has been occurring for at least 6 months and could be manifested in thoughts, fantasies, urges, and/or overt behaviors. A second general requirement is that the presence of any of these desires or behaviors results in significant emotional distress and/or impairments in their social or occupational functioning. When diagnosing any of the paraphilic disorders, the clinician can specify if its expression is limited because the person lives in a restricted environment, such as a prison or hospital. Any of the disorders can be categorized as “in full remission,” if the person has experienced no impairment in important areas of functioning, when living in an uncontrolled environment for at least 5 years.

Technically, the mere sexual arousal is sufficient for a diagnosis, even if the person has not actually acted on those urges. The urges themselves could cause significant distress or impairments in functioning and become diagnosable even without an expression of overt behaviors. In addition, many of the paraphilias can lead to legal difficulties for the individual, and in some cases, constitute crimes by definition. Some paraphilias involve non-consenting others (adults and children), but other paraphilias include consenting adult partners. Obviously, there can be philosophical disputes about whether treatment should be offered or required for someone whose impulses and their expression may not be harmful to anyone else or even themselves.

Click here to learn more.

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) and mark your answers on while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); theFlorida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

 

Unusual Paraphilias – New Online CE Course

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By: Louis R. Franzini, PhD

Unusual Paraphilias is a new 1-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that describes a number of paraphilias and specific fetishes, which are generally quite rare but still fascinating…

Unusual ParaphiliasA paraphilia involves stimulating sexual arousal in someone by an object or fantasy that for most people is commonplace and not sexually related, either directly or symbolically. What you will learn in this course is that there is a clear continuum of unusualness for paraphilias. There are some familiar ones and there are also very many paraphilias reported in the clinical literature which are indeed extremely unusual. This course will include discussions of the eight standard Paraphilic Disorders included in the DSM-5: 1) Voyeuristic Disorder, 2) Exhibitionistic Disorder, 3) Frotteuristic Disorder, 4) Sexual Masochism Disorder, 5) Sexual Sadism Disorder, 6) Pedophilic Disorder, 7) Fetishistic Disorder, and 8) Transvestic Disorders, as well as a number of additional paraphilias and specific fetishes, which are generally quite rare. Course #10-85 | 2015 | 15 pages | 6 posttest questions

Click here to enroll!

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) and mark your answers on while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Louis R. Franzini, PhD, received his B.S. degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, his M.A. degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Toledo, and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. He then completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Behavior Modification at the State University of New York at Stony Brook (now Stony Brook University). Following the postdoctoral program Dr. Franzini joined the Psychology Department at San Diego State University, where he spent his entire academic career. He retired as Emeritus Professor of Psychology. His international academic experience included appointments as Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the Universite Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-le-Neuve, Belgium and Senior Fellow in the School of Accountancy and Business, Human Resource and Quality Management Division at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Dr. Franzini is licensed as a psychologist in Florida and in California.

CE INFORMATION:

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Florida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

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