PO-01-029 Treatment of people with unusual sexual interests

Abstract

Paraphilic thoughts and behaviors are quite widespread in the population. Approximately half of the general population has paraphilic thoughts or interests, but not everyone needs psychotherapeutic help. Studies about paraphilic disorders mostly contain samples with sex offenders. The care-givers need guides on how to place and how to handle expressed atypical sexual interests. With help from case studies the difference between a paraphilic disorder and an unusual sexual interest will be shown and criteria for treatment indications will be developed. Standardized risk assessment and actual treatment approaches will be presented. The focus lies on psychotherapeutic treatment. Psychotherapy is indicated and can be helpful when a patient's paraphilic interests are responsible for mental distress or when they involve another person’s psychological distress, injury, or death. For a reasonable treatment (psychotherapy, medication), a standardized risk assessment and knowledge about different forms of psychotherapy are necessary. For treatment of paraphilic interests or disorder which may endanger the patient or others special knowledge about risk assessment is needed. For patients suffering from paraphilic thoughts and/or behaviors without the risk to harm other people different kinds of treatment (p.e. affirmative psychotherapy, couples therapy) can be helpful.