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Mental Health Issues Influencing Sexual Violence In Adults

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Sexual violence is widespread worldwide and is associated with deep-rooted mental health issues. This article aims to address the link between them.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Raveendran S R

Published At October 27, 2022
Reviewed AtMay 24, 2023

Introduction:

The magnitude of sexual violence is mind-boggling. Rape in marriage or relationships; rape by strangers or associates; unwelcome sexual attempts or sexual assault, including at work and school; gang rapes; sexual slavery; sexual violence. According to research, sexual assault has been linked to a variety of mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, melancholy, psychosis, and substance misuse issues. Developing a sense of unworthiness and a negative self, being a recluse mentally and physically, and being a juvenile victim of sexual abuse are all prevalent traits of sexually violent people. This is exacerbated by mental illness. Similarly, the victims suffer from mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

What Is Sexual Violence?

Any sexual touch or action that occurs without your consent is sexual violence. Rape, sexual abuse, and sexual assault are some of the other names for sexual violence. Rape, child abuse, adultery, inappropriate touching, attempted rape, sex trafficking, sexual harassment, and unwanted sexual contact are all examples of sexual violence. Sexual assault is usually motivated by power and control rather than the desire for sex or love.

What Does It Mean to Have a Mental Health Issue or Disorder?

Mental disease, often known as mental illness, encompasses a broad spectrum of disorders that impact your emotions, thoughts, and behavior. Depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors are all examples of mental illness.

Sexual violence is a behavioral crime, not a sexual offense in and of itself. It is a heinous act committed in the most heinous manner possible. The need to use violence to obtain permission is a substitute for the offender's incapacity. Sexual assault is neither a crime of passion nor an impulsive act. On the contrary, it is a deliberate act in which the offender selects the victim, tracks them down, and painstakingly plans the attack.

People with mental illnesses are aggressive, which breeds a lot of fury against the targets, who are frequently referred to with contempt and abuse, virtually dehumanizing them as basic objects of desire. In addition, it causes individuals to have an obsessive sadistic need to act out their sexual fantasies, which are usually violent and bloody; this distinguishes them from regular people. Normal people may have fantastic thoughts about heinous sexual encounters, but only the mentally ill aggressive individual works relentlessly to make them a reality.

What Exactly Does Harm OCD Imply?

Harm OCD is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The disorder is defined by violent, intrusive thoughts of committing violence against another person and measures used to deal with these thoughts.

How Can a Harm OCD Influence Sexual Violence?

Most of us have unwelcome violent ideas about hurting ourselves or others on occasion. We might, for example, daydream about harming the person who hurt us emotionally. Although we do not like to admit it, roughly 85 percent of people have random damaging ideas, but they are brief and do not interfere with our daily lives. Unpleasant thoughts about hurting someone may be more difficult to reject for those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, these ideas can become so intrusive that they take over a person's life. When this transpires, the person is suffering from Harm OCD.

Having these dark thoughts causes people to engage in compulsions and routines in order to relieve the distress they are experiencing as a result of their thinking. After completing the ritual, they feel less worried, but the intrusive idea returns, creating unending loops of doubt and worry. Thereby, urging them to get involved in sexual violence for real.

People with PTSD have a higher prevalence of risk factors related to highly violent crimes, substance abuse, and co-occurring psychiatric problems. PTSD, on the other hand, is usually no longer associated with an elevated risk of violence if alcohol use and the severity of rage are managed. As a result, findings of the link between PTSD and violence should be viewed with caution if they are based on analyses that do not account for risk factors other than PTSD.

What Causes Aggression and Violence as a Result of Anxiety?

At its most fundamental level, anxiety-related aggression is not "common." Researchers have shown that cortisol, the stress hormone, may block an aggressive response. Since worry generates stress, it is reasonable to assume that those who suffer from anxiety are more cautious. However, just because something is not common does not mean it does not occur. Anxiety can lead to aggressiveness, which in turn influences sexual violence for a variety of causes, including flight response, social rejection, and so on.

How Does Mental Illness Increase the Proclivity for Being Aggressive or Sexually Violent?

  • Substance Use and Sexual Violence - Substance use is one common finding among people suffering from mental illness. Alcohol or drugs will not cause a person who has no desire or intention of doing sexually delinquent or criminal behaviors to do so. A person with sexually deviant or criminal attitudes and tendencies, on the other hand, may use alcohol and drugs intentionally to carry out and conceal their actions:

    • Drugs and alcohol reduce people's barriers to doing something they believe is wrong.

    • Victims are more vulnerable when they are under alcohol or narcotics.

    • Many criminals realize that the community is more likely to focus on the victim's use of alcohol (underage or legal age) or usage of illicit narcotics, or to blame the offender's behavior on the substances, therefore they use alcohol and drugs as a "social insurance policy."

  • Antisocial Personality Disorder - The different personality disorders and features that constrain the offender's mind are detailed in a groundbreaking article published in the American Journal of Forensic Psychology. Schizophrenic, masochistic, self-defeating, and passive-aggressive features were detected in a large number of them. Borderline, sociopathic, and psychopathy disorders afflicted the vast majority of them. Sex offenders had a higher quotient of personality disorders associated with emotional and social discomfort, including depressive, avoidant, and schizoid, when compared to other groups.

Conclusion:

Victims of sexual assault are always traumatized and humiliated. However, the reasons for sexual violence differ. Any individual can be a sexual assaulter. This phrase is not designed to make everyone afraid of everyone else; rather, it simply emphasizes that a single sort of person does not commit such acts. These people come from various backgrounds, have various social statuses, and, of course, have various personalities and mentalities. However, studies demonstrate that offenders suffer from mental illness, which causes them to exhibit traits like lack of empathy, narcissism, and toxic masculinity. Sexual assault is more about dominating others than sexual fulfillment or sexual interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.

What Is a Mental Health Issue?

 
A wide variety of mental health conditions or disorders that influence an individual's emotions, thinking, and behavior—are referred to as mental health issues. Depression disorders, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and compulsive behaviors are a few examples of mental issues.

2.

What Are Common Mental Health Issues?

Common health issues include
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- Eating disorders.
- Addictive disorders.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Schizophrenia.

3.

Is Stress a Mental Health Issue?

Stress is generally not considered a health issue because it is a normal response of the body. The sensation of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure is known as stress. The body releases certain hormones when exposed to stressful conditions. However, excessive stress can have an impact on an individual’s mental health condition. Moreover, stress can act as a precursor for mental health issues or worsen already existing mental health issues.

4.

How Do I Know if I Have Mental Health Issues?

You are likely to have some kind of mental health issue if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Feeling sad and hopeless.
- Lack of concentration and being confused.
- Lack of interest in things and activities that you used to enjoy otherwise.
- Fears and phobias.
- Excessive worries and overthinking.
- Withdrawing from family and friends and spending more time alone. 
- Extreme mood swings.
- Being constantly low in energy.
Moreover, it is best to consult a psychiatrist or therapist if you think you have mental health conditions.

5.

How Can You Help Someone With Mental Health Issues?

There exist multiple approaches to assisting individuals with mental issues.
- Talking to them about their mental health status and how they feel.
- Reassurance and providing a feeling of belonging and safety.
- Not being inconsiderate and ignorant about sensitive issues.
- Avoid confrontations and judgemental behavior.
- Asking them what would help them and who would they like to contact.
- Taking them or advising them to visit a therapist, psychiatrist, or other mental health experts.

6.

Is Anxiety a Mental Illness?

Yes, anxiety is a type of mental health issue. Anxiety can be described as an unpleasant inner state characterized by turmoil and a sense of apprehension regarding anticipated events. Various forms of anxiety disorders exist, encompassing generalized anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety, panic disorder, and phobia-related disorders (anxiety arising from fear).

7.

What Anxiety Feels Like?

Anxiety is often explained as a feeling of nervousness, restlessness, and tension. An individual suffering from anxiety may feel increased heart rate, excessive sweating, shakiness, panic, etc. However, different people may have different types of symptoms associated with anxiety.

8.

What Are 5 of the Main Symptoms of OCD?

The five main symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are:
- Fear of germs, contamination, and dirt.
- Doubtfulness and having low tolerance towards uncertainty.
- Preferring things in order and symmetry
- Thoughts about losing control and self-harm.
- Abnormal thoughts involving aggression, sex, etc.

9.

What Is an OCD Person Like?

A person with OCD will have no physical attributes associated with the condition. However, in some cases, the person may have marks of self-harm on their hands and other body parts. A person with OCD will have symptoms like phobia of dirt, doubtfulness, irritability, intolerance, obsessing over symmetry, aggression, etc.

10.

Is OCD an Anxiety Disorder?

OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) is an anxiety disorder in which the person affected by the condition will have obsessive thoughts, aggression, fear of dirt and germs, irritability, doubtfulness, intolerance, etc. OCD is one of the five major types of anxiety disorders.

11.

What Triggers OCD?

The exact cause that triggers obsessive-compulsive disorder in any individual is unknown. However, various factors may play a role in triggering OCD. These factors include:
- Gene mutations.
- Other mental health issues like anxiety, depression, anger issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, etc.
- Several environmental factors like trauma, problematic childhood, sexual abuse, etc., can also trigger OCD and other mental health issues in an individual.

12.

Is OCD a Form of Autism?

Autism or autism spectrum disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) are two different mental health conditions. However, there are several symptoms are associated with both conditions. Therefore, the two conditions are often mistakenly confused to be the same.

13.

Are You Born With OCD or Does It Develop?

There are several causative factors of OCD, one of them being genetics. Studies have shown that one can have OCD if a close relative has OCD, making OCD partly genetic. Even though it's quite uncommon before the age of four or five, OCD frequently manifests in childhood. Symptoms of OCD can emerge at any point in an individual's life, although they typically present themselves during young adulthood or even earlier.

14.

What Are the 4 Types of PTSD?

The four main types of PTSD () are:
- Intrusive memories.
- Avoidance.
- Negative changes in mood and thinking.
- Changes in physical and emotional reactions.

15.

Does Post-traumatic Stress Go Away?

Even without treatment, PTSD does not necessarily continue indefinitely. After a few months, PTSD symptoms can sometimes subside. They occasionally may persist for years or more. The majority of PTSD sufferers will gradually get better, but many will continue to struggle with their issues.

16.

Is PTSD categorized as a mental illness or a disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder occurring due to exposure to severe trauma and is characterized by an inability to recover from that event or experience. The symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, memories of the event, fear, anxiety, depression, increased response to stimuli, etc.
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Dr. Raveendran S R
Dr. Raveendran S R

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