However, if these fantasies cause distress or harm, they may be part of a mental illness. Some people with paraphilic disorders have difficulty controlling their behavior even though they know it is causing harm to themselves or others. Paraphilic disorders are treated with psychotherapy and/or sometimes antipsychotic medications.

What Is Paraphilia?

Paraphilias are intense persistent thoughts and fantasies about non-consenting persons (e.g., children or strangers), activities that involve pain, humiliation, bondage, or other sufferings, or involving objects (e.g., clothing). Although some people have had these feelings since childhood, they often learn to keep them hidden. No one really knows what causes paraphilias, but they may be due to brain differences in how people control urges.

What is the cause of Paraphilia?

• The root cause of Paraphilia and other sexual behavior problems is not known. Most agree that environmental and social factors affect sexual development which can be correlated with the presence of inflammatory disorders
• Paraphilia has several different causes. Some reasons for this sexual disorder may be because of an imbalance in certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are mainly feel-good chemicals, which also regulate mood.
• Most people with paraphilias also have other mental health issues including substance abuse, bipolar disorder, and depression.
• Some medical conditions, like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and dementia can lead to obsessions with certain sexual patterns.
• Changes in connections between certain brain regions may also cause paraphilias. The more a behavior is repeated, the more permanent its underlying neural pathways become — and so does the behavior.

What are the Treatments of Paraphilia?

The Paraphilia Treatment depends on the diagnosis made. If you have an underlying psychiatric condition such as depression or OCD, it is important to treat these first. Symptoms like anxiety, panic attacks, and depression can be treated with a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to change behavior and address the psychodynamics behind the inappropriate sexual behavior or attend a 12-step program for addiction to learn about triggers and how to avoid them. Individual psychotherapy is recommended for all paraphilias, including anti-androgens for males with hypersexuality disorders. SSRIs are used in cases of sexual sadism and other impulse control disorders like compulsive gambling and the best sexologist in Delhi.

 As a general rule, treatment success is enhanced when the patient is fully invested in the recovery progress. The disorder can still be present after treatment has ended. If a relapse should occur, the patient should feel encouraged to consult their therapist or physician for additional support and follow-up.