Psychology 350 Unit Four Notes Process that Leads to Sexual Arousal 1 A stimulus triggers activity in your hypothalamus 2 The hypothalamus releases a hormone that stimulates activity in your 3 Pituitary glad releases hormone that stimulates activity in the males testes pituitary glad and females ovaries 4 The testes release testosterone and the ovaries release progesterone and those hormones lead to your sexual arousal 5 Part of the process involves changes in blood flow Blood flow is increased to the males penis and the females clitoris erectile tissues 6 There is a feedback loop such that the release of testosterone and progesterone also turns off the hypothalamus thus turning off the sexual arousal This means that you must be continually stimulated to maintain your arousal Sexual Dysfunctions o Desire Disorder Symptoms No interest in sex Psychological Explanations and Treatments Stress The influence of stress on testosterone The effects of reducing stress Physiological Explanations and Treatments Low levels of hormones due to disease aging genetics or drugs Testosterone replacement therapy but problems for women o Arousal Disorder Symptoms The individual desires sex but cannot achieve or maintain a sufficient level of sexual arousal Examples Males inability to maintain erections ED Females inability to maintain sufficient lubrication or swelling of the genital area Psychological Causes and Treatments Anxiety sometimes about problems with arousal Distraction often from worry about arousal and the turn off Sympathetic anxiety vs parasympathetic sex arousal Treatment is focused on attempts to reduce anxiety and focus mechanism attention Physiological Causes and Treatments The process that leads to physiological arousal the filling of erectile tissues Atherosclerosis and problems in the hypothalamus spinal cord and connecting nerve pathways Medications such as SSRI s Treatments medication Viagra Cialis or Levitra or a prosthetic device Rigid penile implants Penile pumps balloons Vacuum o Orgasmic Disorder Explanations and Treatments of Orgasmic Disorders in Women Failure to achieve orgasm Insufficient stimulation of the clitoris Education 1 Teach the woman about her body and stimulation 2 The woman and her partner must learn what to do for her to achieve sufficient stimulation Explanations and Treatments of Orgasmic Disorders in Men Premature ejaculation Currently no good explanation The start stop technique o Paraphilias Abnormal means of gaining and achieving sexual arousal These are very common but they are not diagnosed as disorders unless they cause stress or disrupt an individuals to function socially or occupationally Types of Paraphilias Exhibitionism Fetishism Individual flashes people and then runs away getting excitement from running away Getting sexual arousal from an object usually a piece of female clothing for men something with a womans scent on it by smelling it holding it etc while masturbating Individual who cross dresses and has an orgasm while dressed in opposite genders clothes Transvestic Fetishism Frotteurism Pedophilia Sexual relationships with an underage individual usually young children Sexual Masochism Individual gets sexual pleasure from being hurt Sexual Sadism Voyeurism Individual gets sexual pleasure from hurting someone else Looking at naked people when not permitted peeping tom Autoerotic Asphyxiation Gets pleasure arousal when an individual strangles themselves or Often times individuals accidentally hang themselves when trying suffocates themselves to get pleasure Adult Baby Syndrome Adults get sexual arousal from dressing like babies Classical conditioning and arousal transfer fear exercise Inhibits the release of hormones from the pituitary gland thus reducing sexual desire Explanations and Treatments Psychodynamic Approach Conflicts over sexuality Learning Approach Stimulus paired with arousal Physiological Approaches Excessively high sex drive NO Treatment with Depo provera Used for males with pedophilia o Gender Identity Disorder Symptoms Persistent cross sex identification Discomfort with actual sex Preference vs Imperative Homosexuality Some individuals with this disorder are homosexual some are not Is this a disorder Controversial Not considered a disorder often anymore Cross Sex identity across cultures Explanations The Psychological Approach Gender identity is learned in childhood The case of the little boy who was raised as a girl The Physiological Approach Gender identity is due to cross sex hormone exposure during prenatal development Coping and Medical Treatments Hormone treatment Sex reassignment surgery o Eating Disorders Anorexia and Bulimia A distinction between true eating disorders and strategic eating disorders Issues associated with eating disorders History Gender Age Sociocultural factors Strategic versus real disorders Relieve depression and improve self concept Treatments Psychodynamic Learning Cognitive Medication Rewards for proper eating o Sexual Dysfunctions and Disorderes Substance Related Disorders o Topic I Overview of Drugs and Disorders Factors that influence the effects of drugs Dose dependent effects Tolerance and cross tolerance Interaction effects individually Individual differences Ex alcohol and valium creates a stronger effect than they would Drugs have different effects on different people Expectations Withdrawal effects What an individual experiences when they stop taking the drug Individuals become grumpy irritable etc when they don t have the drug Unpleasant feeling so they take more to get rid of the symptoms Types of Psychoactive Drugs Depressants drugs that reduce arousal and increase pleasure Stimulants drugs that increase arousal and increase pleasure Opiates narcotics drugs that decrease arousal and dull experiences Hallucinogens drugs that alter sensory experience Drug Related Disorder Types of drugs and their effects Depressants Stimulants Narcotics opiates Hallucinogens Why we take drugs Self medication Pleasure production Why we become dependent addicted When drug use becomes dependence and abuse Treatment and prevention o Treatment of Substance drug Abuse Naltrexone Blocks receptors in the pleasure center Blocks receptors for heroin so reduces rush and stops withdrawal Methadone symptoms Antabuse Patches Causes nausea when alcohol is consumed Provide maintenance levels of nicotine Zyban Wellbutrin Stimulates the release of dopamine in the pleasure center AA Alcoholics Anonymous