Interest in the pharmacotherapeutic treatment of paraphilias is growing. Two classes of drugs have been tested: drugs that interfere with the normal production and action of androgens and psychotropic medications, in particular, anti‐depressants. We present a review of the supposed modes of action, the usual dosages, and the effectiveness of these drugs. Although the empirical validation of pharmacological interventions shows many methodological shortcomings, we conclude that pharmacological strategies as part of a “complete” psychotherapeutic programme can make a limited, yet relevant contribution to the treatment of paraphilias. More specifically, and provided that there is informed consent, antiandrogens should seriously be considered in the case of paraphilias, which are characterized by intense and frequent sexual desire and sexual arousal predisposing someone strongly to paraphilic behavior. Psychopharmacological interventions, also on the condition of informed consent, can be considered in the case of paraphilias, which are associated with obsessive‐compulsive or depressive disorders. Nonetheless, methodologically well‐designed studies remain a prerequisite for a definitive assessment of pharmacotherapy for paraphilias.
Hormonal and psychopharmacological interventions in the treatment of paraphilias: An update
Reprints and Corporate Permissions
Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?
To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:
Academic Permissions
Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?
Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:
If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.
Related Research Data
Related research
People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.
Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.
Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.