
Sexuality and sexual disorders of patients with psychoses are frequently neglected and under-investigated. The main purpose of the present study is to discuss the subjective experience of sexuality in patients with psychosis within the general psychodynamic and phenomenological understandings of psychotic states. The authors, both psychotherapists, dealing with patients with psychoses, reflected experiences from their clinical work with the help of the conceptual frameworks of psychodynamic and phenomenological psychiatry. Willingness and need of patients to talk about sexuality, non-specificity of frequencies and variety of sexual disorders in psychotic patients, difficulties in establishment of a stable (sexual) identity and the question of homosexuality, absence of sexual activities with others and feelings of guilt and inadequacy, masturbation with its functions, impulsive sexual acts or lack of sexual self-control, erotic delusions and erotic transference were the main findings, dominating the sexual sphere of these patients. All these manifestations of sexuality in patients with psychosis can be seen - as exposed in discussion - as consequences of a basic self-disorder (phenomenological perspective) or of difficulties in regulating closeness and distance (psychodynamic perspective). Reasons of avoidance of treatment of sexuality by the therapists of psychotic patients are discussed as well. Implications for dealing with sexuality issues in psychotherapy of patients with psychoses were drawn from the above findings in the last part of the article.
Male, psychodynamic psychiatry, Sexual Behavior, Gender Identity, Homosexuality, homosexuality, Delusions, Psychoanalytic Interpretation, Psychoanalytic Therapy, self-disorder, Psychotic Disorders, erotic delusions, Psychoanalytic Theory, Guilt, Humans, Transference, Psychology, phenomenology, Female, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological, Countertransference, Sexuality
Male, psychodynamic psychiatry, Sexual Behavior, Gender Identity, Homosexuality, homosexuality, Delusions, Psychoanalytic Interpretation, Psychoanalytic Therapy, self-disorder, Psychotic Disorders, erotic delusions, Psychoanalytic Theory, Guilt, Humans, Transference, Psychology, phenomenology, Female, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological, Countertransference, Sexuality
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 3 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
