Unwanted erections in obsessive-compulsive disorder
Article Abstract:
Intrusive sexual thoughts which are experienced as distressing are fairly common among obsessive-compulsive patients. Two cases are reported in which unwanted erections associated with obsessive ideation are described. In the first, a 43-year-old married man who had been treated for obsessive-compulsive disorder with cognitive-behavior therapy found that he was having unwanted erections when he was with his 18-month-old daughter. Erections occurred with unwanted sexual thoughts and images which he resisted. He was frightened that the erections meant that he might assault his daughter. He felt guilty, and believed that he should be able to prevent the erections from occurring. It was explained to him that autonomic responses such as blushing or erections cannot always be controlled and often occur in anxiety-producing situations. He was relieved by this concept, and his unwanted erections ceased. In the second case, a 38-year-old man came to the emergency room complaining of 'evil thoughts' about sexual and violent assaults on young children. He was anxious that he might act out his thoughts, which were experienced as alien and upsetting. In both cases, patients had normal sexual fantasies and relationships with women. Neither patient had any criminal history, and neither had ever engaged in actual sexual activity with children. It is posited that obsessional thoughts and sexual arousal may occur together quite frequently, but be reported infrequently because patients feel guilty and fear being misunderstood. It is suggested that careful explanations about the nature of intrusive erections may be crucial for obsessive-compulsive patients. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: British Journal of Psychiatry
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0007-1250
Year: 1990
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Reduction of food intake by manipulation of central serotonin: current experimental results
Article Abstract:
There are approximately 30 different chemical substances which transmit messages between brain cells (neurons). Each of these neurotransmitters has a specific effect. The neurotransmitter serotonin (also called 5-HT), unlike amphetamine anorectics (agents which decrease appetite), does not have a stimulatory effect and lacks the potential for abuse. D-fenfluramine is a drug that enhances serotonin transmission by releasing serotonin and then blocking its uptake at receptor sites. When uptake is blocked, more active serotonin is free to circulate in the brain. A chemical breakdown product of D-fenfluramine is D-norfenfluramine, which is extremely active in reducing food intake. D-fenfluramine was the first drug of its class used to treat obesity. With other indirect serotonin anorectics (e.g., fluoxetine) that do not release serotonin, but function by blocking its uptake, the mechanisms inhibiting food intake are less clear. Fluoxetine is now available for clinical use and is primarily prescribed as an antidepressant. While traditional antidepressants tend to increase appetite and cause weight gain, fluoxetine has the opposite effect; it has been shown to relieve symptoms of bulimia, an eating disorder characterized by binging and purging. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: British Journal of Psychiatry
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0007-1250
Year: 1989
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