Definition

1. Noun:
   • A condition characterized by abnormal or atypical sexual interests or behaviors: Paraphilia refers to intense and persistent sexual interests, urges, or behaviors that are considered outside societal norms. These typically involve non-human objects, suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner, or children or other non-consenting persons.

Usage

• The term is primarily used in clinical, psychological, and forensic contexts to describe and classify specific patterns of sexual arousal.
• It is a formal, diagnostic term. In everyday conversation, describing specific behaviors is more common than using this umbrella term.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The psychologist specialized in treating paraphilias.
  • Exhibitionism is classified as a paraphilia.
  • The study focused on the neurological correlates of certain paraphilias.

Advanced Usage

• Clinical Diagnosis: In diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5, specific paraphilic disorders are distinguished from paraphilias. A is the atypical interest itself, while a is diagnosed when that interest causes distress or impairment to the individual or poses a risk of harm to others.
  • He has a paraphilia involving specific objects, but it does not cause him distress, so he does not meet the criteria for a paraphilic disorder.

Variants and Related Words

• Paraphilic (adj): Relating to or characteristic of a paraphilia.
  • The research paper discussed paraphilic fantasies.
• Paraphiliac (n): A person who has a paraphilia. (Note: This term is less common in modern clinical language, which often prefers person-first phrasing like "a person with a paraphilia").

Synonyms

• Sexual deviation: An older, less specific term with similar meaning.
• Atypical sexual interest: A more descriptive, neutral synonym.

Antonyms

• Normophilia: A term (used primarily in academic/clinical settings) for sexual interests and behaviors that fall within societal norms.

Noun

1. abnormal sexual activity