Psychosexual Counselling

The story of the Macho personality

June 28, 2016 by Albert

Though humans are characterized as being particularly vain species, there are other superficial creatures. The peacock, for example, wows ladies with its enormous and extravagant tail. The multicolored plumage of the peacock offers a classical example of sexual selection as females swoon for the most ostentatious. But the bigger and more extravagant is only better up to a point: if the ornament becomes too large and colorful, it may become too heavy to carry. Or it may attract new predators. Or even both. As the saying goes, the pride comes before the fall as an advantage becomes the handicap. The masculine persona adopted by peacocks determines the speed of the evolutionary wheel for this bird: being the most masculine could help you prosper or flounder. That does not stop peacocks from perpetuating the cycle because in its long history, masculinity works to its advantage. Unsurprisingly, the story of the macho personality in peacocks manifests itself in the human story.

The Spanish term Machismo is used to describe this excessive masculinity that subscribes to the belief that males enjoy superiority over females. There have been many layers of meaning attached to chauvinism and macho personalities based on context and culture. For those who are quick to dismiss gender inequality as being a figment of sociological pressures, they are ignorant to the reality that gender roles are often universal and timeless.

Humans are apart of the biosphere and not above it. Therefore, evolutionary biologists believe that like peacocks use their tails to attract mates, people seek to spread a maximum number of their genes to the next generation. Physiologically speaking, men and women differ in many respects: for all intents and purposes, men can impregnate an unlimited number of sex partners throughout his life, while females (more…)

The Masters and Johnson dual therapy method

June 28, 2016 by Albert

Until the latter part of the 20th century, etiquette and public morality in the United States limited the discussion of sexuality. When Alfred Kinsey released his notorious studies on the frequency of then-taboo sexual practices in his subjects, his ideas were viewed by critics as a social revolution. This promotion of sexual deviancy e.g. masturbation, promiscuity, or homosexuality would undermine institutions, such as family and order, which had provided civilization with a solid foundation for millennia. But Pandora’s Box was now open, and this climate of increased openness towards the nature of human sexual responses and the diagnosis of sexual dysfunctions bred a generation of inquiring researchers. Amongst the most prominent was the research team of William Masters and Virginia E. Johnson. And among their most enduring contributions is their methodology of sex therapy developed to treat psychosexual and sexual dysfunctions and disorders.

In the earlier part of the century, there was a conflict occurring between two of the most predominant approaches to treating sexual dysfunctions. Cognitive-behavioral psychologists believe any poor sexual drive or capacity is learned, and that the solution to this is for these habits to be unlearned. By contrast, psychoanalysts viewed sexual dysfunctions to be under the umbrella of psychosexual disorders. That is, dysfunctions are cultivated and originate in the mind of an emotionally unhealthy individual. The problems were often deep-rooted, such as childhood abuse, and thus the best therapy was to discuss these origins and confront them. However, the problem with (more…)

The troubles and origins of our societal scopophilia

June 28, 2016 by Albert

Though the term ‘Scopophilia’ may carry dubious connotations (even if we do not know what it means), this day and age has created a civilization of scopophiliacs. Scopophilia literally means “a love of watching.” The term entered our lexicon through a translation of the Freudian psychoanalytic word Schaulust. That word does not necessarily signify a peeping Tom caricature that portrays a face pressed against a window holding up binoculars to get a good gander at their neighbors. Scopophilia comes in many forms: Movie-making and movie-viewing is one avenue of scopophilia. Social networking websites that have allowed one to publicize the private is another cultural arena. Importantly, when he was describing this Schaulust, Sigmund Freud distinguished between two forms that scopophiliacs enjoy: the active form of watching known as “voyeurism” and the more passive form of “exhibitionism.” Though our voyeuristic endeavors can transcend sex, Freudian interpretation asserts that our scopophilia is rooted in an expression of sexuality.

In Sigmund Freud’s Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, he argues that scopophilia drives our libido from childhood. In his outlined process of healthy psychosexual development, Freud suggests between the ages of two and four, healthy reconciliation of the anal stage requires a combination of self-mastery and our impulse of scopophilia. This psychosexual theory concludes that our voyeurism contributes to the formation and development of our ego. Consequently, it is impossible to discern the sexual aspects of (more…)

Sufferers of Satyriasis

June 28, 2016 by Albert

Classical Greek mythology is abundant with colorful imagery, but perhaps no character is more absurd than the satyr. The best way to describe the physical appearance of satyrs is as being half man, half goat. More conspicuous than being half goat however is that vase-paintings from the period are consistent in illustrating the satyrsí perpetual erections. Their lives are defined by the tireless pursuit for decadent pleasures. From the framework of a Freudian interpretation of the mind, they represent the ultimate triumph of the lustful Id over the restraint Superego. As lovers of wine and women, artists chose to depict satyrs as hedonists. But, they were more than just randy and unabashedly sexual creatures. Poetry describes them as being shy and cowardly creatures too ñ perhaps a self-acknowledgement that their sexual endeavors were an extreme for the civilization they roamed. Suddenly, elements of the Greek myth begin to reflect psychological disorder behaviors evident in human males.

The story of satyrs explains the etymology for the disorder, Satyriasis. At its most basic, Satyriasis is the excessive and uncontrollable sexual compulsions and behavior in males. This hypersexuality affects a large number of males and females (who are called nymphomaniacs): a simple internet search will reveal many help and support websites for this sexual obsession. Satyriasis is considered to be an illness that prevents an individual from living a life free from their passions. One prominent example is popularly referred to former British Conservative minister, Viscount Lambton who, after being caught in the sack with prostitutes, confessed that (more…)