Psychiatry and Society

The Erectile Dysfunction-Relationship Cycle Erectile and sexual dysfunction in an ongoing relationship usually reflects difficulties between the partners. Relationship problems  interfere with sexual feelings and cause or worsen erectile dysfunction.  Any experience that hinders the ability to be intimate, that leads to a feeling of inadequacy or distrust, or that develops a sense of being unloving or unlovable may result in erectile dysfunction.  Successive episodes of impotence are reinforcing. The man becomes increasingly anxious about his next sexual encounter. Erectile dysfunction is worsened by anticipatory anxiety about achieving and maintaining an erection interferes.  Sexual dysfunction interferes with pleasure in sexual contact and reduces ability to respond to sexual stimulation. Erectile Dysfunction in the relationship cycle In the early years of the relationship Lack of knowledge - there is a refractory period after sex ...

Cross-dressing is associated with problems in parenting and may be preventable. Recently a male student in Pune was found dead with a wig and female articles of clothing lying about his room. Types of cross-dressing Cross-dressers in society are psychologically indistinguishable from non-cross-dressing men (Brown 1996). Fetishistic transvestism Almost three percent of men and 0.4% of women have had at least one episode of transvestic fetishism (sexual arousal from cross-dressing) (langstrom 2005). However, these 'nuclear' transvestites  are less likely to venture out dressed in public. Transvestism 'Marginal’ transvestites experience non-sexual pleasure from cross-dressing and are more likely to appear in public while cross-dressed. They are probably a separate group and more likely to be homosexual. Transsexualism Cross-dressers could also be transsexuals who desire surgical sex reassignment . Cross-dressing in Asians is one of the earliest signs of transexua...

Last week I gave a talk on Personality and Sexuality. One question that cropped up was - "How do I know if my partner is cheating on me?" By chance the next morning there was a newspaper article attributing uncommitted sex, one-night stands, and acts of infidelity to genetics. Individuals who have frequent sex with multiple partners are psychologically different from those who have frequent sex with single partner (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). This sociosexual difference places individuals in two groups Unrestricted sociosexual types , have a higher number of sexual partners, and one night stands. They have a permissive attitude to casual and uncommitted sex. Restricted sociosexual types , require greater closeness and commitment before sex with their romantic partner.   Genetics plays an important role in sociosexuality Genes evolve to enhance survival of the species. From an evolutionary viewpoint females reproduce with a mate who will invest in ...