| Sexual maturation disorder | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-10 | F66.0 |
Sexual maturation disorder is a disorder of anxiety or depression related to an uncertainty about one's gender identity or sexual orientation. The World Health Organization lists sexual maturation disorder in the ICD-10, under "Psychological and behavioural disorders associated with sexual development and orientation".[1]
Sexual orientation, by itself, is not a disorder and is not classified under this heading.[2] It differs from ego-dystonic sexual orientation where the sexual orientation or gender identity is repressed or denied.[3]
Causes
Sexual maturation disorder is often seen in adolescents who are uncertain about their sexual orientation.[4][5] There is a push for young people to identify as LGBT, but many are pausing indefinitely before identifying their sexual orientation.[6] Anxiety about the implications of homosexuality in the patient's lives may contribute to the anxiety.[4] A person who is uncertain about their sexual orientation or gender identity is sometimes referred to as questioning. Questioning by itself is not considered a disorder, unless it is accompanied by significant distress to the individual or disturbances in their relationships.[7]
Another common cause of sexual maturation disorder is that the sexual orientation changes after a relatively stable period of time, often within a long-term relationship.[5] This may happen in a mixed-orientation marriage where one spouse is unaware of same-sex attractions until after marriage, when they became sexually active.[8] One study indicated that women were less likely than men to be aware of same-sex attractions before marriage, and more likely to divorce because of conflicts surrounding the changing of their sexual orientation after a stable heterosexual orientation.[9] It may also happen in a same-sex relationship, especially in women, when one of the partners develops an attraction for the opposite sex.[4]
See also
References
- ^ F66.0
- ^ ICD-10: See part F66.
- ^ Gender Identity Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence
- ^ a b c Comprehensive Textbook of Sexual Medicine
- ^ a b F66.0
- ^ A new generation of issues for LGBT clients
- ^ A Short Text Book of Psychiatry by Niraj Ahuja
- ^ Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
- ^ Bisexual women in marriages.
 |
This psychology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 |
This article about lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender topics is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
