SEXUALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
Introduction:
Sexuality is not about who you have sex with, or how often you have it.
Sexuality is about your sexual feelings, thoughts, attractions and behaviours towards other people. You can find other people physically, sexually or emotionally attractive, and all those things are a part of your sexuality.
Sexuality is diverse and personal, and it is an important part of who you are. Discovering your sexuality can be a very liberating, exciting and positive experience.
Some people experience discrimination due to their sexuality. If someone gives you a hard time about your sexuality, its good to talk to someone about it.
Different types of sexuality
Sometimes, it can take time to figure out the sexuality that fits you best. And your sexuality can change over time. It can be confusing; so dont worry if you are unsure.
You might be drawn to men or to women, to both or to neither. There is no right or wrong its about whats right for you. And while there are common terms to describe different types of sexuality, you dont have to adopt a label to describe yourself.
Heterosexual and homosexual
Most people are attracted to the opposite sex boys who like girls, and women who like men, for example. These people are heterosexual, or straight.
Some people are attracted to the same sex. These people are homosexual. Around 10 per cent of young Australians experience same-sex attraction, most during puberty.
Lesbian is the common term for people who identify as women and are same-sex attracted. Gay is the most common term for people who identify as men and are same-sex attracted, although women identifying as lesbian also sometimes use this word.
The Better Health Channel has more information on lesbian sexuality and gay male sexuality.
Bisexual
Sexuality can be more complicated than being straight or gay. Some people are attracted to both men and women, and are known as bisexual.
Bisexual does not mean the attraction is evenly weighted a person may have stronger feelings for one gender than another. And this can vary depending on who they meet.
There are different kinds of bisexuality. Some people who are attracted to men and women still consider themselves to be mainly straight or gay. Or they might have sexual feelings towards both genders but only have intercourse with one.
Other people see sexual attraction as more grey than black and white. These people find everyday labels too rigid. Some prefer to identify as queer. And others use the term pan, or pansexual, to show they are attracted to different kinds of people no matter what their gender, identity or expression.
There are many differences between individuals, so bisexuality is a general term only. You can read more about it at the Better Health Channels page on bisexuality.
Asexual
A person who identifies as asexual (ace for short) is someone who does not experience, or experiences very little, sexual attraction. Asexuality is not a choice, like abstinence (where someone chooses not to have sex with anyone, whether they are attracted to them or not). Asexuality is a sexual orientation, like homosexuality or heterosexuality. Some people may strongly identify with being asexual, except for a few infrequent experiences of sexual attraction (grey-asexuality). Some people feel sexual attraction only after they develop a strong emotional bond with someone (this is known as demisexuality). Other people experience asexuality in a range of other ways.
Discrimination based on sexuality
Equality and freedom from discrimination are fundamental human rights that belong to all people.
In most states in Australia, including Victoria, it is against the law to discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or lawful sexual activity. However, discrimination can still occur.
If you think you have been discriminated against or victimised because of your sexuality (or a range of other reasons) contact the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. For information on the legal obligations of employers regarding discrimination based on sexual identity, see the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission webpage on equal opportunity practice guidelines.
MENTAL HEALTH
Concepts in mental health
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development.
Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.
Mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities as well as other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment in functioning, or risk of self-harm. People with mental health conditions are more likely to experience lower levels of mental well-being, but this is not always or necessarily the case.
Determinants of mental health
Throughout our lives, multiple individual, social and structural determinants may combine to protect or undermine our mental health and shift our position on the mental health continuum.
Individual psychological and biological factors such as emotional skills, substance use and genetics can make people more vulnerable to mental health problems.
Exposure to unfavourable social, economic, geopolitical and environmental circumstances including poverty, violence, inequality and environmental deprivation also increases peoples risk of experiencing mental health conditions.
Risks can manifest themselves at all stages of life, but those that occur during developmentally sensitive periods, especially early childhood, are particularly detrimental. For example, harsh parenting and physical punishment is known to undermine child health and bullying is a leading risk factor for mental health conditions.
Protective factors similarly occur throughout our lives and serve to strengthen resilience. They include our individual social and emotional skills and attributes as well as positive social interactions, quality education, decent work, safe neighbourhoods and community cohesion, among others.
Mental health risks and protective factors can be found in society at different scales. Local threats heighten risk for individuals, families and communities. Global threats heighten risk for whole populations and include economic downturns, disease outbreaks, humanitarian emergencies and forced displacement and the growing climate crisis.
Each single risk and protective factor has only limited predictive strength. Most people do not develop a mental health condition despite exposure to a risk factor and many people with no known risk factor still develop a mental health condition. Nonetheless, the interacting determinants of mental health serve to enhance or undermine mental health.
Mental health promotion and prevention
Promotion and prevention interventions work by identifying the individual, social and structural determinants of mental health, and then intervening to reduce risks, build resilience and establish supportive environments for mental health. Interventions can be designed for individuals, specific groups or whole populations.
Reshaping the determinants of mental health often requires action beyond the health sector and so promotion and prevention programmes should involve the education, labour, justice, transport, environment, housing, and welfare sectors. The health sector can contribute significantly by embedding promotion and prevention efforts within health services; and by advocating, initiating and, where appropriate, facilitating multisectoral collaboration and coordination.
Suicide prevention is a global priority and included in the Sustainable Development Goals. Much progress can be achieved by limiting access to means, responsible media reporting, social and emotional learning for adolescents and early intervention. Banning highly hazardous pesticides is a particularly inexpensive and costeffective intervention for reducing suicide rates.
Promoting child and adolescent mental health is another priority and can be achieved by policies and laws that promote and protect mental health, supporting caregivers to provide nurturing care, implementing school-based programmes and improving the quality of community and online environments. School-based social and emotional learning programmes are among the most effective promotion strategies for countries at all income levels.
Promoting and protecting mental health at work is a growing area of interest and can be supported through legislation and regulation, organizational strategies, manager training and interventions for workers.
Mental health care and treatment
In the context of national efforts to strengthen mental health, it is vital to not only protect and promote the mental well-being of all, but also to address the needs of people with mental health conditions.
This should be done through community-based mental health care, which is more accessible and acceptable than institutional care, helps prevent human rights violations and delivers better recovery outcomes for people with mental health conditions. Community-based mental health care should be provided through a network of interrelated services that comprise:
Mental health services that are integrated in general health care, typically in general hospitals and through task-sharing with non-specialist care providers in primary health care;
community mental health services that may involve community mental health centers and teams, psychosocial rehabilitation, peer support services and supported living services; and services that deliver mental health care in social services and non-health settings, such as child protection, school health services, and prisons.
The vast care gap for common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety means countries must also find innovative ways to diversify and scale up care for these conditions, for example through non-specialist psychological counselling or digital self-help.
Key facts:
Affordable, effective and feasible strategies exist to promote, protect and restore mental health.
The need for action on mental health is indisputable and urgent.
Mental health has intrinsic and instrumental value and is integral to our well-being.
Mental health is determined by a complex interplay of individual, social and structural stresses and vulnerabilities.
Your mental health your psychological, emotional, and social well-being has an impact on every aspect of your life. Positive mental health essentially allows you to effectively deal with lifes everyday challenges.
LGBTIQ+ people have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, homelessness, self-harming and suicidal thoughts, compared with the general population. This is particularly true of young LGBTIQ+ people who are coming to terms with their sexuality and experiencing victimisation and bullying at school.
Some of the stressful experiences that can affect the mental health of an LGBTIQ+ person are:
feeling different from other people
being bullied (verbally or physically)
feeling pressure to deny or change their sexuality.
feeling worried about coming out, and then being rejected or isolated
feeling unsupported or misunderstood.
These pressures are on top of all the other stuff people have to deal with in life such as managing school, finding a job, forming relationships and making sense of your identity and place in the world.
Helping someone struggling with their sexuality and mental health
If you are worried that someone you know has a mental health problem, look out for changes in their mood, behaviour, relationships, appetite, sleep patterns, coping and thinking. If these changes last more than a couple of weeks, talk to them about getting help. A good place to start is their doctor. If you are struggling with your own sexuality: Get support if youre finding it hard to cope. Try talking to someone you trust a friend, relative, doctor or counselor. Dont hang around someone if they are abusive to you.
Remember, there is no rush to figure out your sexuality. Take your time. And dont feel pressured to put a label on it.
SEXUALITY COUNSELING
Sexuality Counseling: Sexuality counseling is a specialized area of counseling that can be practiced by a variety of professionals. These professionals may include marriage and family therapists, school counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or social workers. It is an important aspect of mental health care to provide support and assistance in decision-making for individuals struggling with sexual identity issues.
The purpose of sexuality counseling is similar to any other form of therapy. Individuals seeking help from a counselor are most often struggling with identity formation, depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues. In sexuality counseling, it is common for an individual to struggle with sexual orientation and/or gender identity-related conflicts. Sexuality counseling can also be used as a preventative measure by instilling healthy sexual choices and behaviors in individuals before they reach adulthood.
What Does Sexuality Counseling Help With?
Sexual difficulty can be subjective and difficult to talk about, and for this reason, a professional sex therapist should be specifically consulted if:
You have experienced sexual difficulties in the past and wish to resolve them
If you are experiencing difficulties that currently limit your life or cause you significant distress.
You are looking for specific information about sexuality or desire. Often there are questions about physical aspects of intercourse/sex, but sometimes individuals simply want more information on what is normal.
An individual who is seeking sexuality counseling may be struggling with issues such as:
Sexual Desire
Concerns about sexual desire are common among individuals coming for sexuality counseling. Often, it is the individual who lacks feelings of sexual attraction that seeks out therapy. Other times, an individual may feel that they have experienced a drastic change in their ability to be sexually attracted to others after suffering from a sexual assault or similar trauma.
Arousal Difficulties
An individual struggling with arousal difficulties may feel that they are not sexually aroused, or only able to be sexually aroused in a single sexual orientation. It is common for individuals who have been victims of sexual assault to feel this way, as their arousal becomes associated with trauma. Individuals who do not experience any form of arousal might also seek out sexuality counseling, either due to other health concerns or simply because they want to enjoy a sex life despite their lack of arousal.
Relationship Issues
Issues with sexuality within relationships can stem from direct issues within the relationship. This can be in the form of communication problems, feelings of neglect, or even abuse. Or it could be that there is a lack of intimacy within the relationship; generally, in close relationships (i.e. not necessarily sexual ones) you can often find that individuals feel like they are struggling to meet each others expectations and therefore end up feeling distant from one another which can lead to issues with sexuality e.g. unwillingness to make love because you dont feel emotionally connected; doing so would feel like cheating on someone else (when in reality this isnt the case).
Sexuality Counseling Approaches
Sexuality counseling may help individuals or couples with physical sexual problems, mental disorders, relationship issues, gender identity disorder.
There are 3 different types of sexuality counseling approaches:
Sexuality Education Approach: provides the client with knowledge about their body parts associated with sexuality including technics to improve relationships
Behavioral Approach: helps eliminate certain negative behaviors through techniques such as systematic desensitization or masturbatory reconditioning
Cognitive-Behavioral Approach: focuses on irrational thoughts that influence behavior and then provide positive cognitions in place of these to achieve behavioral changes.
Goal of Sexuality Counseling
The goal of sexuality counseling is either to resolve or to improve a sexual problem. It may be part of the treatment for an individual who is experiencing depression, anxiety, poor self-esteem, relationship difficulties.
It can also help those individuals who would like to explore their sexuality and make sense of their sexual identity as well as encourage others who dont want to pursue relationships or intercourse because they are no longer interested in it.
Sexuality counseling provides people with information on safe sex practices and contraception choices to avoid sexually transmitted infections (STI). It may also provide bereavement counseling to those involved in a romantic relationship that has recently ended or that was previously unresolved. In some cases, the professional might refer the client to a specialist such as a social worker if there seem to be problems between the client and their partner.
Sexuality counseling involves the awareness of ones own values, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, attitudes about sex and sexuality which are personal to each individual. It also includes awareness of interpersonal relationships in general while considering sexual issues.
Some Issues Addressed via Sexuality Counseling
These are some of the issues that sexuality counseling tries to address with individuals or couples when these are causing problems in their sexual lives.
Some of these are:
Sexual Desire: this has been defined as a state when people experience sexual pleasure, with or without orgasm.
Inhibited Sexual Desire: this is a difficulty in feeling passion for making love and thus in engaging in sex. It affects both men and women. In men, they may have problems reaching orgasm or ejaculating while women may lack vaginal lubrication which is necessary for pleasurable intercourse.
Male Erectile Disorder: erectile dysfunction (ED) results from physical or psychological issues that cause impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED). This disorder can include the inability to get an erection during sexual activity even though the individual has a desire to do so.
Benefits of Sexuality Counseling
There are some benefits of sexuality counseling.
Helps To Resolve Problems
One of the most important benefits of sexuality counseling is that it helps to resolve problems. This is one reason why professionals are used, because they may be able to provide more insight into how to go about resolving these issues. They can offer advice on what the person should do in order to better help them deal with their problem and can sometimes point out solutions they may not have thought about before.
Increases Confidence
Sexuality counseling also helps people gain more confidence. It may be difficult for some people who feel they are unable to form relationships or follow through sexually, but this type of counseling gives them the chance to discuss their issues with someone who understands and does not judge them. There are no judgments passed when they get a good relationship and the person is able to get good feedback on how they can improve and what they should do in order to be successful.
Increases Self-Esteem
Another thing that may happen when a person goes through sexuality counseling is that their self-esteem may increase. They will feel better about themselves. It is because they are able to discuss their problems and at the end of it there is no judgment. They will also offer encouragement and advice on how people can overcome these things, giving them more confidence in themselves as well. The counselors try to make sure the individual leaves feeling positive about themselves and their abilities to deal with other areas in life outside of sex too.
Helps To Gain More Knowledge
This is true especially if both of the partners are new to the counseling. They may have some general knowledge about sex but experiencing it is an altogether different thing. Through sexuality counseling, they can learn more about each others needs and desires while still having fun exploring these things.
Helps To Enhance Your Sex Life
If you want to enhance your intimacy and your sexual relationship, then sexuality counseling is the type of therapy that can help. Intimacy involves many different elements including communication, touch, physical closeness and overall comfort with another person.
Helps You Resolve Issues
Sexuality counseling can be helpful in resolving problems or issues that may be getting in the way of intimacy or sexual relations. The specific issue could be conflict over who makes love more often; it could involve concerns about moving forward sexually after an affair; it could also deal with past trauma around sex; whatever the problem may be, counselors can help people resolve these types of difficulties.
Side-Effects of Sexuality Counseling
These are some side effects of sexuality counseling. Some of these are:
There are many different ways that sexuality counseling can go wrong. Counselors might promote sex-negative attitudes and behaviors that interfere with healthy sexual development. They might try to impose gender stereotypes onto their clients and frame non-traditional gender identities as mental illness. They might pathologize ordinary sexual variations, treating them as signs of psychological disturbance rather than diversity.
Counselors also have a propensity for imposing their own religious or political beliefs on clients: Many therapists who conduct conversion therapy are Christian counselors who believe homosexuality is a sin and bisexuality doesnt exist.
There is an unfortunate lack of consensus regarding what does and does not constitute ethical sexuality counseling . Ive identified three strands of tension that play out in different scenarios:
This tension can play out in different ways, depending on how much the counselor knows about specific aspects of sexuality. For instance, if a counselor has no knowledge whatsoever of sexual anatomy or sex-related illnesses, they might try to convince their clients that non-reproductive sexual activities are unhealthy even though there is ample evidence that many forms of sex play are physically safe.
This tension arises when counselors hold specific beliefs about sexuality that conflict with the ethical codes governing sexuality counseling . Some psychologists promote erroneous ideas like autogynephilia and arousal nonconcordance, while others refuse to acknowledge identities like transsexuality and bisexuality . This tension also surfaces when counselors make assumptions about their clients identities or preferences without first them for input.
MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING:
Mental health counseling is helpful for mental health disorders and distress. Learn how it works and the benefits of clinical mental health counseling.
Mental health counseling, or psychotherapy, is something many people wonder about. It's a concept that, until one begins, seems hard to fully grasp. It's not uncommon for people to associate counseling with the proverbial couch, with the client lying on this piece of furniture and spilling their guts while a counselor, who may or may not look like Sigmund Freud, furiously takes detailed notes on a pad of paper. This process is called psychoanalysis and is rarely practiced in the twenty-first century (but mental health counselors typically do take some notes to increase understanding). If this picture is outdated, how does clinical mental health counseling really work?
How Mental Health Counseling Works
Mental health counseling is a formal, purposeful partnership between a client and a mental health professional. It's sometimes referred to as clinical mental health counseling; not because it's cold and dispassionate but because it is based on sound research and uses techniques proven to be effective.
Counseling is a process of varying lengths during which a mental health counselor and a client work together to explore problems and develop the skills and mindset needed to transcend challenges and live a life of emotional health. The length of the counseling process varies depending on the individual and the mental health disorder or distress. It can continue anywhere from a few weekly sessions to months or, sometimes, years of occasional sessions.
People seek counseling for many different things. Counseling is for mental illness as well as for specific life stresses, such as a toxic workplace with a bullying boss. Counseling happens individually, in one-on-one sessions with a counselor. Additionally, people can engage in couples therapy, family therapy, or group therapy.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Approaches
Mental health counselors choose from a plethora of approaches when helping someone. The particular approach used depends on both the counselor's professional preference as well as the nature and characteristics of an individual client.
Each approach has a particular focus. Mental health counseling methods can emphasize a person's background, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, or a combination of these elements. Within each category are specific theoretical techniques. Below is a list of the most common approaches, or theories. The list is meant as a starting point for exploration. If there are some methods that resonate with you, you can inquire about the theoretical approach when you are searching for a counselor.
Theories that emphasize background are:
* psychoanalysis (Freud and the couch)
* Jungian analytical psychology
* individual (or Adlerian) psychology
Emotion-based theories include:
* person-centered (Rogerian) psychology
* existential psychology
* gestalt therapy
Among theories that focus on thoughts are:
* cognitive therapy
* rational-emotive behavioral therapy (REBT)
Approaches emphasizing behaviors involve:
* cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
* dialectical-behavior therapy (DBT)
* acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
* solution-focused brief therapy
A growing counseling approach that falls into the categories of thoughts, feelings, and behavior as well as stands strongly on its own is positive psychology.
Most counselors don't practice one single approach but instead weave together principles of many to best fit individual clients. Approaches most likely to be used on their own include CBT, DBT, ACT, and solution-focused brief therapy.
Benefits of Mental Health Counseling
Counseling indeed helps many people; approximately 80 percent of people in counseling reap benefits (Seligman, 2006). When people engage in mental health counseling, they often gain:
personal empowerment
hope
the overcoming of demoralization caused by social stigma
acceptance of life
personal insight
life skills
wellness
prevention of future mental health distress
Mental health counseling improves and even saves lives. Seeking counseling is a sign of courage and strength because it's an important step in taking charge of mental health and creating the life that you deserve, a life worth living.
Summary
Sexuality is diverse, and there are many different types. It can take time to figure out the sexuality that fits you best. And your sexuality can change over time.
Coming to terms with your sexuality can be a very liberating, exciting and positive experience.
Sexuality is an important part of who you are. There is no right or wrong, its about whats right for you.
Some people have a hard time accepting others who are different to themselves. If someone gives you a hard time about your sexuality, its good to talk to someone about it. You dont need to deal with it by yourself.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sexuality counseling is something that has proven to be effective in treating many problems. This is especially those having to do with relationships, but there are some side effects. It may not cause all of these effects but it can cause at least one or two for certain people. If you want to take sexuality counseling then it would be best to speak with a doctor about your options.
REFERENCE:
Peterson, T. (2017, October 23). Mental Health Counseling: How it Works, Benefits, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2023, July 8 from https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/mental-illness-overview/mental-health-counseling-how-it-works-benefits
King, Bruce M. (2009). Human sexuality Today (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Vango Books. ISBN 978-0128645116
Sexual orientation, homosexuality and bisexuality. American psychological Association. (www.apa.org)
