Posted: December 30th, 2021

Paraphilia is a psychiatric disorder that is characterized by sexual arousal to unusual

Essay
Name
Institution

Q1

Paraphilia is a psychiatric disorder that is characterized by sexual arousal to unusual situations, fantasies, objects, and/or targets (for example, corpses, children, animals). However, it is important to note that some sexual activities that appear atypical to another individual or a healthcare provider do not comprise a paraphilic disorder just because they are atypical. Paraphilic individuals may portray interests but not fall under the criteria for a paraphilic disorder. The unconventional patterns of sexual arousal in paraphilias are perceived to be pathologic conditions in cases where they are intense and persistent and lead to considerable distress in occupational, social, or other vital functioning areas or they injure or have the probability of injuring others (Schug & Fradella, 2014).
I do not believe that sexual predators, suffering from pedophilia, can be rehabilitated. Categorized as a paraphilia, researchers are yet to find an effective treatment for pedophiles. For this reason, the treatment goal is to stop a person from satisfying the pedophile urges-either by reducing sexual urges when one is around children or augmenting the ability to control that urge. However, neither is as efficient for decreasing harm as averting access to children, or offering close supervision. There are many instances where pedophiles have undergone treatment in form of therapy, but have still gone ahead to reoffend. Pedophilia is an inherent feature that is highly resistance to change. This may explain why rehabilitation may not work. Despite the intense work done by psychologists and other mental healthcare providers, nobody has ever been able to rehabilitate a pedophile and take their arousals away. And regardless of the many types of treatments that have been tried for years, nothing has been shown to have the ability to convert these individuals from pedophiles to non-pedophiles.

Q2

The personality disorder in focus is narcissistic personality disorder. This is a mental disorder where individuals have an excessive sense of how important they are and a profound need for extreme attention and approval; these people also have wobbly relationships, and lack compassion for others. However, behind this mask of excessive confidence lies a self-esteem that is delicate and susceptible to the tiniest criticism. As such, individuals with this mental condition may be generally not happy and get disappointed when they are denied approval or the special favors they think they deserve (Schug & Fradella, 2014).
In my opinion, borderline personality disorder is the most debilitating to an individual. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects the way a person thinks and feels about him/herself and others, causing problems functioning in daily life. It encompasses trouble managing behavior and emotions, self-esteem issues, and a pattern of unsteady relationships (Schug & Fradella, 2014). I think that this personality disorder is the most debilitating because it can distort processes of thinking, which then contribute to symptoms like emotional instability, relationship problems and impulsive behavior. The distorted thinking processes make an individual with this kind of disorder to likely experience paranoia. This can be a debilitating symptom that makes a BPD patient to feel constantly threatened even by family, friends, and colleagues.
BPD can also be debilitating because it is associated with white-or-black thinking. This means that the person with the disorder is unable to maintain an organized set of beliefs about themselves and others. Therefore, the patient is prone to slip from one side to the opposite side of their thinking. For instance, they may one day believe that their partner is the most loving individual, and the next thing that they are hateful. This can injure their prospect of holding lasting interpersonal relationships.
Reference
Schug, R. A., & Fradella, H. F. (2014). Mental illness and crime. SAGE Publications.

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