Voyeuristic Disorder Symptoms

By Steve Bressert, Ph.D.

~ Less than a minute read

Formerly known as Voyeurism in DSM-IV, this disorder refers to (for over a period
of at least 6 months) having recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies,
sexual urges, or behaviors involving the act of observing an
unsuspecting person who is naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in
sexual activity.

The person being considered for this disorder, in some way, has acted on these
urges towards an nonconsenting person or the sexual fantasies/urges cause
clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other
important areas of functioning.

Note: the person considered for this disorder must be at least of adult age (18
y/o)

Definition
Voyeurism is a psychosexual disorder in which a person derives sexual pleasure and
gratification from looking at the naked bodies and genital organs or observing the sexual
acts of others. The voyeur is usually hidden from view of others. Voyeurism is a form of
paraphilia.

A variant form of voyeurism involves listening to erotic conversations. This is commonly

referred to as telephone sex, although it is usually considered voyeurism primarily in the
instance of listening to unsuspecting persons.

Description
The object of voyeurism is to observe unsuspecting individuals who are naked, in the
process of undressing or engaging in sexual acts. The person being observed is usually
a stranger to the observer. The act of looking or peeping is undertaken for the purpose
of achieving sexual excitement. The observer generally does not seek to have sexual
contact or activity with the person being observed.

If orgasm is sought, it is usually achieved through masturbation. This may occur during
the act of observation or later, relying on the memory of the act that was observed.

Frequently, a voyeur may have a fantasy of engaging in sexual activity with the person
being observed. In reality, this fantasy is rarely consummated.

A number of states have statutes that render voyeurism a crime. Such statutes vary
widely regarding definitions of voyeurism. Most states specifically prohibit anyone from
photographing or videotaping another person, without consent, while observing that
person in the privacy of his home or some other private place.

Causes and symptoms

Causes

There is no scientific consensus concerning the basis for voyeurism. Most experts
attribute the behavior to an initially random or accidental observation of an unsuspecting
person who is naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity.
Successive repetitions of the act tend to reinforce and perpetuate the voyeuristic
behavior.

Symptoms

The act of voyeurism is the observation of an unsuspecting person who is naked, in the
process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity that provides sexual arousal. To be
clinically diagnosed, the symptoms must include the following elements:

recurrent, intense or sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors

fantasies, urges, or behaviors that cause significant distress to an individual or are

disruptive of his or her everyday functioning.
Demographics
Voyeurism is apparently more common in men, but does occasionally occur in women.
However, the prevalence of voyeurism is not known. Contemporary U.S. society is
increasingly voyeuristic (as in the example of "real" television); however diagnosis is
made only when this is a preferred or exclusive means of sexual gratification.

The onset of voyeuristic activity is usually prior to the age of 15 years. There are no
reliable statistics pertaining to the incidence of voyeurism in adulthood.

Diagnosis
According to the mental health professional's handbook, Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders , two criteria are required to make a diagnosis of
voyeurism:

Over a period of at least six months, an individual must experience recurrent, intense,
sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors that involve the act of observing
an unsuspecting person who is naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual
activity.

The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors must cause clinically significant distress or
impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

In order for a condition to be labeled "voyeurism," the fantasies, urges, or behaviors to

watch other persons must cause significant distress in the individual or be disruptive to
his or her everyday functioning.

Treatments
For treatment to be successful, a voyeur must want to modify existing patterns of
behavior. This initial step is difficult for most voyeurs to admit and then take. Most must
be compelled to accept treatment. This may often be the result of a court order.

Behavioral therapy is commonly used to try to treat voyeurism. The voyeur must learn to
control the impulse to watch non-consenting victims, and just as importanly to acquire
more acceptable means of sexual gratification. Outcomes of behavioral therapy are not
known. There are no direct drug treatments for voyeurism.

Voyeurism is a criminal act in many jurisdictions. It is usually classified as a

misdemeanor. As a result, legal penalties are often minor. The possibility of exposure
and embarrassment may deter some voyeurs. It is also not easy to prosecute voyeurs
as intent to watch is difficult to prove. In their defense statements, they usually claim that
the observation was accidental.

Prognosis
Once voyeuristic activity is undertaken, it commonly does not stop. Over time, it may
become the main form of sexual gratification for the voyeur. Its course tends to be
chronic.

The prognosis for eliminating voyeurism is poor because most voyeurs have no desire to
change their pattern of behavior. Since voyeurism involves non-consenting partners and
is against the law in many jurisdictions, the possibility of embarrassment may deter
some individuals.

Prevention
Most experts agree that providing guidance regarding behavior that is culturally
acceptable will prevent the development of a paraphilia such as voyeurism. The origin of
some instances of voyeurism may be accidental observation with subsequent sexual
gratification. There is no way to predict when such an event and association will occur.

Members of society at large can reduce the incidence of voyeurism by drawing curtains,
dropping blinds or closing window curtains. Reducing opportunities for voyeurism may
reduce the practice.

Read more: http://www.minddisorders.com/Py-Z/Voyeurism.html#ixzz4YiKVtIy9

Voyeurism is one of the behaviors in a group of sexual problems called paraphilias. Paraphilias are
associated with sexual arousal in response to stimuli not associated with normal sexual behavior
patterns. Voyeurism is a practice in which an individual derives sexual pleasure from observing other
people.

Understanding Voyeurism

Voyeurism is a practice in which an individual derives sexual pleasure observing other people engaged in
sexual acts, nude, in underwear, or dressed in whatever other way the "voyeur" finds appealing.
Differentiating innocent enjoyment of nudity from behavior that is similar but deviant in other
circumstances can sometimes be difficult.

Voyeuristic practices may take a number of forms but their characteristic feature is that the voyeur does
not directly interact with the object of their voyeurism (often unaware that they are being observed),
instead observing the act from a distance by peeping through an opening or using aids such as
binoculars, mirrors, cameras (including camera phones and video cameras), etc. This stimulus
sometimes becomes part of a masturbation fantasy during or after the observation.

A subset of voyeurs derive sexual pleasure from looking under articles of clothing, an act sometimes
known as an "upskirt". This can be accomplished by camera or simply by a chance viewing up skirts or
shorts. Some voyeurs also derive pleasure by looking down shirts and blouses and viewing breasts,
particularly when a person is bending over. This is commonly referred to as a "downblouse".

Paraphilias and Voyeurism

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the
prevailing resource for diagnostic criteria of paraphilias, describes the essential feature of paraphilias as
recurrent, intense, sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies generally involving nonhuman objects,
the suffering or humiliation of oneself or partner, or children or other non consenting persons.

The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for voyeurism are as follows:

The patient has recurrent and intense sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies involving the act of
observing an unsuspecting person who is naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual
activity. The person must experience significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other
important areas of functioning because of the fantasies, urges, or behaviors. When severe, the act of
peeping constitutes the exclusive form of sexual activity. Onset usually is in persons younger than 15
years, and the disorder tends to be chronic. The wide extent of voyeuristic tendencies in the general
population is evidenced in the common desire to indulge in exploitative activities such as live shows and
pornography (see sexual addiction and pornography addiction).

The DSM-IV-TR list of other paraphilias includes:

Exhibitionism: the recurrent urge or behavior to expose one's genitals to an unsuspecting person.

Fetishism: the use of non-sexual or nonliving objects or part of a person's body to gain sexual
excitement. Partialism refers to fetishes specifically involving nonsexual parts of the body.

Frotteurism: the recurrent urges or behavior of touching or rubbing against a non consenting person.

Masochism: the recurrent urge or behavior of wanting to be humiliated, beaten, bound, or otherwise
made to suffer.

Sadism: the recurrent urge or behavior involving acts in which the pain or humiliation of the victim is
sexually exciting.

Transvestite fetishism: a sexual attraction towards the clothing of the opposite gender.

Chronophilias such as Infantophilia: the sexual attraction to infants, Pedophilia: the sexual attraction to
prepubescent children, Gerontophilia: the sexual attraction to the elderly.

Other paraphilias: includes rarer behaviors such as telephone scatalogia (obscene phone calls),
necrophilia (corpses), partualism (exclusive focus on one part of the body), zoophilia (animals),
coprophilia (feces), klismaphilia (enemas), urophilia (urine).

For additional "paraphilias", visit the page List of Paraphilias.

Causes of Voyeurism

The cause of voyeurism appears to depend on the individual and not on any one common characteristic
factor. Biological theories hold that testosterone, the hormone that influences the sexual drive in both
men and women, increases the susceptibility of males to develop deviant sexual behaviors. Learning
theory studies have shown that emotional abuse in childhood and family dysfunction are both significant
risk factors in the development of voyeurism.

Treatment of Voyeurism

In cases of voyeurism and other paraphilias, where significant potential for negative consequences
poses a concern, the need for long-term therapy and monitoring must be emphasized. For treatment to
be successful, a voyeur must want to modify existing patterns of behavior. This initial step is difficult for
most voyeurs to admit and then take. Treatments for voyeurism typically include cognitive
therapy,psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis, and medication.

Behavioral therapy is commonly used to try to treat voyeurism. The voyeur must learn to control the
impulse to watch non-consenting victims, and just as importantly to acquire more acceptable means of
sexual gratification. Outcomes of behavioral therapy are not known. There are no direct drug treatments
for voyeurism.

Cognitive therapy seeks to change the patient's behavior without analyzing how and why it shows up. It
is based on the idea that fetishism is the result of conditioning or imprinting. The therapy is not able to
change the patient's sexual preference itself but can only suppress the resulting unwanted behavior.

Psychoanalysis tries to spot the traumatic unconscious experience that caused the voyeuristic behavior
in first instance. Bringing this unconscious knowledge to conscience and thus enabling the patient to
work up his trauma rationally and emotionally shall relieve the him from his problems.

Medication treatment involves various forms of drugs that inhibit the production of sex steroids, above all
male testosterone and female estrogen. By cutting the level of sex steroids, sexual desire is diminished.