Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation is the direction of your sexuality. The term "sexual identity" is sometimes used as a synonym for sexual orientation; however, they are technically different in that sexual identity refers to your view regarding yourself, and sexual orientation refers to the object(s) of your sexual fantasies and behavior.

One way to understand sexual orientation is to view it as a continuum from exclusive heterosexual behavior to exclusive homosexual behavior with various forms of bisexuality between the two extremes.

Persons with a homosexual orientation are sometimes referred to as "gay" or as "lesbian" where "gay" refers to males with a sexual orientation towards men and "lesbian" refers to females with a sexual orientation towards women.

"Bisexual" refers to a person who is attracted sexually to both men and women.  A person with a bisexual sexual orientation may be more attracted to one sex than the other or attracted equally to both.  For some people, bisexuality can be viewed as a period of brief experimentation while for others it is a lifelong sexual orientation. 

The classification called "gender identity disorder" refers to a person who strongly identifies with the opposite sex, sometimes to the degree that they believe that they are, in fact, a member of the other sex who was wrongly labeled at birth or as a person who is trapped in the wrong-sexed body.  A person with a gender identity disorder will often cross-dress and will be seen by others as a member of the sex that their dress and actions portray. Gender identity disorder, more widely known under such terms as transsexuality, transgender, or cross-dressing, is different from transvestism or transvestite fetishism where cross-dressing occurs for sexual pleasure but the transvestite does not identify with, or want to be, the opposite sex.

LGBT or GLBT is an abbreviation used to collectively refer to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender persons. 

The term asexual is used to describe a person with no sexual interest or sexual attraction. Typically, the terms celibacy and sexual abstinence are used for persons who may have a sex drive but who are not sexually active.

While there are many theories about the cause of one's sexual orientation, most professionals concur that sexual orientation appears to be the result of the interplay of environmental, cognitive, biological, neurological, and genetic factors.   The current view among most psychologists is that sexual orientation is not a conscious choice that can be easily changes.

in today's world, mental health professionals agree that homosexuality is not an illness and homosexuality itself is not associated with mental disorders or emotional or social problems. However, many gay, lesbian, and bisexual people seek professional assistance to help with "the coming out process" and with adjustment issues.  Generally, "coming out" can be seen as a two part process.  The the first part involves the self-knowledge and self-acceptance that one is sexually attracted to, and prefers, the same sex.  The second part of "coming out" involves one's decision to tell others. Coming out can sometimes lead to a life crisis which can create or aggravate emotional problems. 

Among psychologists and other mental health professions the consensus is that sexual orientation is typically shaped at an early age and is not voluntarily changeable.  In 1987 homosexuality was removed as a diagnostic category by the American Psychiatric Association, and is no longer regarded as a mental illness or as needing treatment.  However, many gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals and couples  face many personal, interpersonal, and social problems for which they seek help.  Their need to seek assistance is consistent with research findings that depression and anxiety, as well as substance abuse appear to affect gays at a higher rate than in the general population and that gay and lesbian adolescents and young adults show a higher than average risk of suicide.

Although many gays and lesbians live successful lives, some seek to change their sexual orientation through therapy, and some therapists undertake so-called conversion therapy where the therapist and client work to change the client's sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. The results of such conversion therapy do not appear to be positive and I professionally do not engage is this type of treatment.

I have found the most successful types of treatment include Reality Therapy, cognitive therapy, and traditional psychotherapy.

Therapy for a person with gender identity disorder may include sex reassignment therapy, hormonal therapy and “transgender transition services” (medical treatments and procedures that alter primary and secondary sexual characteristics).  Typically, transgender transition services include psychological, medical, speech, and surgical specialists.  While sex-change surgery is not a common type of treatment, studies have shown positive results for many transsexuals who have had this type of treatment.

For more information about sexual orientation and other sexual issues, please click on the linked websites listed below.

For more information about sexual identity disorder and other sexual issues, please click on the linked websites listed below.

"If you really want help dealing with your feelings and emotions, changing your behavior, and improving your life, I will be happy to help you.  I am available almost any time and any place.  You can call me directly and there is no cost or obligation for the initial telephone consultation.  Or you can reach me by email.  I look forward to the possibility of helping you to improve your life."   Dr. Vince Berger