Cailin Counihan

Abnormal Psychology

Instructor Best

Assignment 9

Distress and functional impairment caused by a paraphilic disorder can be characterized

by many different things depending on the person and the disorder. If you suffer from

Frotteuristic Disorder you might find it difficult to be a functioning member of society without

feeling the overwhelming urge to force yourself at someone around you. You will probably have

poor or nonexistent relationships because you don’t long for consensual interaction. Those with

pedophilia are shunned by society and morality and are forced to hide their urges or face raping

an innocent child. Both of these options cause distress in one way or another and the latter can

result in criminal charges. Some less harmful disorders such as fetishistic disorders can cause

social discomfort and feelings of shame or embarrassment. They might feel like a freak or that

something is wrong with them.

If I had AUD I would be the first one to know it. I know exactly what it would look like.

I would be drinking every day, almost all day regardless of responsibilities. Eventually my

tolerance would get so high that I would be able to go to work after a few beers and feel fine. I

would drink and drink and then lash out at my family once the depressant running through my

veins gets too much. I would feel defensive and try to hide my drinking, saying its “only seltzer”.
I would work harder at trying to hide my drinking than I would trying to stop it. Because people

with AUD refuse to accept that they have a problem. That’s why Alcoholics Anonymous was

invented. It’s a hard thing to own up to and an even harder thing to stop. Therefore, the body

suppresses any knowledge of it denies, denies, denies. My genetics leave me very predisposed to

alcohol abuse. However, I am lucky in that my life experiences with AUD have caused me to

develop a strong distaste for alcohol. I’ve seen the damage it does and wouldn’t risk it on my

children or spouse for any drink in the world.