Psychosexual Disorders

Introduction

During the last decade effective, short term treatment of the major psychosexual disorders has become a reality. For the general practitioner, who seeks to provide developing standards of patient-care, this may bring new expectations and responsibilities, for which he or she may feel ill equipped by virtue of training. In this paper we will be considering the main categories of dysfunction, in terms of established characteristics and principles of treatment. It is hoped that this outline will provide a source of information to the GP, who may wish to participate in aspects of management, in suitable cases, or refer when special expertise is required. Psychological and relationship aspects of aetiology will be considered first on account of their prominence as causative factors. The discussion will, again, be limited to heterosexual problems in couples. Classification of psychosexual disorders is, broadly speaking, either by function (eg. erectile impotence, premature ejaculation) or by phase (e.g. desire, excitement, orgasm) affected. A simplified representation of the main disorders, with outlines...