Allopellia

Magdalena Siembab   ** Allopellia  **

__Definition:__ Allopellia refers to sexual urges, preferences, or fantasies having to do with watching other people perform sexual acts (Allopellia).

__Symptoms:__ This includes interest in watching other people perform sexual acts, investing a lot of time thinking about watching others perform sexual acts, recurring intense sexual fantasies and/or urges regarding others perform sexual acts (Symptoms of Allopellia).

__Similarities:__ Allopellia is a variation of Voyeurism, which is a psychosexual disorder where a person receives pleasure from looking at naked bodies or observing the sexual acts of others. This is a form of paraphilia. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders have two criteria for a diagnosis: Allopellia can be compared to watching a porn video, with the exception of being physically there with the people while they are engaging in sexual activity. The difference between Voyeurism is “if the person watched is the in act of disrobing, or nude” while allopellia is “if the watched persons are complete strangers. (Aggrawal Anil) Peeping toms could also be categorized as allopelliacs. A peeping tom is a person who peeks into windows, or other openings, with the intention of getting a sexual trill from seeing others undress or couples engaging in sexual activity. This is treated as a crime based on sexual deviancy, which varies state by state. The victims can bring a lawsuit for invasion of privacy (Peeping Tom).
 * Over a period of at least six months, an individual must experience recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors that involve the act of observing an unsuspecting person who is naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity (Voyeurism).
 * The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

__Causes of Allopellia could be related to:__
 * Sexual condition
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Mental health condition
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Phobias and philias

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Treatment:__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Treatment is usually not sought after unless the condition becomes problematic for the person in some way and wants to address their condition. Most learn to accept their fetish and manage it in an appropriate manner. This fetish does not usually create any problems, but options for treatment include psychoanalysis, behavior therapy, drug therapy, hypnosis, and cognitive therapy. Treatment often includes learning to control the sexual impulse and find other means of sexual gratification (Treatment).

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Doctors and specialists in Allopellia and related areas include:__
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Psychiatry
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Addiction psychiatry
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Geriatric psychiatry
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Pediatric/Adolescent psychiatry
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Forensic Psychiatry
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Pediatric development behavioral health
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Psychosomatic medicine

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">References: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Aggrawal, Anil. "Forensic and Medico-legal Aspects of ..." //Google Books//. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. <http://books.google.com/books?id=uNkNhPZQprcC>. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"Allopellia." //Wrong Diagnosis//. Health Grades Inc. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/a/allopellia/intro.htm>. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"Causes of Allopellia - WrongDiagnosis.com." //Wrong Diagnosis//. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. <http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/a/allopellia/causes.htm>. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"Doctors and Medical Specialists for Allopellia." //Wrong Diagnosis//. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. <http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/a/allopellia/doctors.htm>. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"Peeping Tom Law & Legal Definition." //Legal Definitions Legal Terms Dictionary//. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. <http://definitions.uslegal.com/p/peeping-tom>. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"Symptoms of Allopellia" //Wrong Diagnosis//. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/a/allopellia/symptoms.htm>. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"Voyeurism." //Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders//. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.minddisorders.com/Py-Z/Voyeurism.html>.