Paraphilic Disorders

Sexuality and sexual medicine are important and often understudied aspects of medicine and psychiatry. Often, patients and physicians avoid conversations regarding sex. A paraphilic disorder is diagnosed when a paraphilia, defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) as “any intense and persistent sexual interest other than sexual interest in genital stimulation or preparatory fondling with phenotypically normal, physically mature, consenting human partners”, results in distress or impairment to the individual, personal harm, or risk of harm, to others. This review covers the definition, diagnostic criteria, epidemiology, etiology, phenomenology, diagnostic work-up, treatment modalities, guidelines, and prognosis of paraphilias including voyeurism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, sexual masochism disorder, sexual sadism disorder, pedophilic disorder, and transvestic disorder. The table and figure list paraphilic disorders listed in the DSM-5 and paraphilias in the Other specified paraphilic disorders section of the DSM-5. This review contains 1 figure, 1 table, and 15 references. Key Words: DSM-5, exhibitionism, fetish, frotteurism, paraphilia, paraphilic disorder, pedophilic disorder, sexual masochism disorder, sexual sadism disorder, transvestic disorder, voyeurism