Paraphilic Disorders

Paraphilic disorders are a group of “atypical” sexual behaviors that are defined as mental health disorders by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). An important distinction is made in the most recent version of the DSM between paraphilias and paraphilic disorders. A paraphilia is basically defined as any intense and persistent sexual interest other than sexual interest in mature adults. However, a paraphilic disorder requires, in addition to the ascertainment of a paraphilia, that the individual is distressed by the paraphilia or that the paraphilia impairs functioning, or that if acted on it would harm others. Therefore, the DSM-5 does not consider a paraphilia a disorder unless the individual is distressed or impaired by the paraphilia or, ...

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