epublishing store: Intro

Sexual Health eBook Volume1
Chapter 14

Mental Health, Mental Illness, & Sexuality, Kelly J. Ace

Theorists and clinicians have long linked psychological and sexual functioning (see, e.g., Ellis, 1938). The interaction of these important aspects of human existence are both dynamic and convoluted: Normative sexual expression has often been viewed as an indicator of mental health. Conversely, nonnormative sexual impulses and behavior (“sexual deviance”) have often been considered evidence of mental illness. Mental illness often has profound and negative effects on sexuality, sexual expression, and relationships. Sexual concerns can contribute to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression (U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services [USDHHS], 2001). They can also have a negative impact on overall quality of life (Planned Parenthood Federation of America & Society for the Scientific Study of Sex, 2003).

This chapter highlights a number of ways in which sexuality and psychological functioning affect each other. The section “Sexual Disorders: Mental Illness orLack of Mental Heath?” discusses psychosexual sexual disorders, as well as some of the controversies that surround them. The section “Sexuality-Related Concerns and Serious Mental Illness” provides an overview of several special sexuality-related concerns that many people face because of their serious mental illness.

Sexual Health eBook Volume1 Chapter 14 $20 http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/netcart.asp?MerchantID=104436&ProductID=3537136

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