Psy/265 Sexuality at Different Life Stages

SEXUALITY AT DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES

Introduction
Many conversations have formed and developed from the topic of sexuality by many different types of individuals. The truth being ones sexuality is not truly developed until that individual is completely mature. This means we never truly find complete satisfaction within our sexuality. There are many experiences in life that can alter ones sexual development and behavior such as upbringing, religion, or ones culture. In this paper I will discuss three scenarios, all of them experiencing their own unique phase of life dealing with different stages of sexuality. I am pretending to be a therapist, and I am listing to each or the patient’s perspectives and stories. Hopefully by doing so I will be able to come up with a conclusion to why they are faced with what they are facing. I also would like to help each individual form a healthy wise decision, as well as ways to overcome the obstacle that are currently presented in their lives by expressing their sexuality. Each problem every individual in every situation is dealing with a sexual problem that is why discussing their sexuality will help me in aiding their problems.

Scenario 1
Therapist Analyze
Anna, an adolescent girl, is very much in love with her boyfriend who is three years older than she. He is putting a lot of pressure on her to have sex. At the same time, she is anxious about her parents’ attitude towards her boyfriend. Her mother constantly warns her about dating an older boy and assumes that he intends to take advantage of her.

Therapist Answers
Anna in the stage of life that you are facing I know you are presented with a giant amount of feelings. Not only are you facing pressures from you boyfriend by everyone around you as well are making life complicated for you to handle. At your age you are beginning to develop and form into a young woman maybe not mentally but physically you are. This is happening because of the increase of hormones that are beginning to flow throughout your body. The hormones that are being produced are called Estrogen. Estrogen is the main cause for many of the changes your body is experiencing, such as breast enhancement, also an increase in your butt and hips size. These experiences are occurring because of the movement of hormones in your body, they might also make you not capable to make rational decisions. You have to listen to me clearly do not let this experience you are going through alter your decision on sex. I believe how she described her boyfriend that she is not ready for sex, but her boyfriend is pressuring her into it that is why she is considering sex. She needs to not have clouded judgment from her boyfriend and to think about the consequences that might arise from having sex. I would have her think about how she feels on the matter at hand, and form and acknowledge her own beliefs that she had created for herself. She has to come up with a rational decision of what she wants based on her morals and her education on sexual activities. I would ask her these types of questions are you ready, are you able to tell your parents, are you ready for your parents to maybe find out without you telling them, can you handle the consequences that might occur from your actions, what will your parents think, and what will your friends think. I would have her talk things out with her boyfriend, so she can express her feeling on the subject. If her boyfriend loves her like he states he does then he will respect the decision she chooses, and wait till she is ready or until they are married whatever comes first. If he is selfish and unreasonable about her feelings and choice still trying to pressure her into sex I would recommend finding a new boyfriend one that can respect her. I would want her to think about every possible situation that could arise from STD's, pregnancy, and getting kicked out her parents’ house from engaging in sexual activity. She has to be smart and think of every possible situation thoroughly, to come up with accurate life solutions that are 100 percent sure of what she wants out of life. Scenario 2
Therapist Analyze
Tom and Susan are an elderly couple. Tom has been retired for several years, and Susan is more recently retired. She has shown a renewed interest in sexual activities. Tom has not reciprocated Susan's interest as he is anxious about his sexual ability at his age.

Therapist Answers
Tom has created some worries in his life, such as anxiety dealing with his sexual performance and the lack of it over the years. This anxiety hole was create when his wife also became retired, and she intended to kick up there sexual life from dull and boring to steamy and exciting. Susan's new found desire for sexual activity began when she was retired probable because of all the extra time she now has on her hands. During her career she used up most of her daily energy on work this caused her every day to have a lack of interest for sexual desires. Tom though been retired and had plenty of free time to do more things, and relax thus he had more energy to make his sexual desires a lot higher than his wives. Now that his wife is also retired her sexual desires are rapidly increasing, and Tom is afraid she will out preform him and he cannot handle what she intends to bring with this new passion for sex. As couples become older so do their minds and bodies along with them. Tom being retired might have went through some changes at a rapid pace, and feels he is no longer in his prime like when he was working. This has created he to feel anxiety, and possible ashamed of his sexual performance. Maybe Tom is one of the many men that suffer from erectile dysfunction or other sexual dysfunctions that might occur from being older. If this occurred I recommend going to his physician for medication to solve his problem. It is normal for men of his age to talk to their physician's about problems like that, so I would tell him not to worry and be scared to approach his physician about it he will not judge you. I will explain to him he is talking to me about it so it is not too much different we both are bond to patient confidentiality. After doing this it will help him keep up with his wife Susan because woman tend to have enhanced sex drives when they become older. I also would have both of them describe to one another what they like sexual, for this will help them achieve a goal of being able to pleasure one another. I believe communication is the best thing in their life at their age, and this should solve many of their problems that are being faced due to sex. If Tom is having any problems with his sexual performance due to age then this would make his wife better understanding of his problems. Communicating with one another will let the couple now each other wants and needs and how to fulfill the others desires.

Scenario 3
Therapist Analyze
Bill has been paralyzed from the waist down since he was a child. He is involved in a romantic relationship and wishes to be intimate with his partner but is unsure how to express his interest. Bill becomes very nervous and uncomfortable when talking about this subject.

Therapist Answers
Bill has many issues and problems related to expressing his feelings, emotions, and sexual desires to his partner because of his disability. Even though Bill is in a relationship with someone who does not think of his as disabled he still becomes very nervous, and feels helpless to describe his sexual wants to her. I feel he can communicate effectively with his partner, but this is something new to him, so he does not know how to approach her about it. His partner does love him, and I feel when he becomes comfortable and expresses his sexual wants she will be accepting of them. Once this obstacle is overcome and Bill expresses his sexual wants the couple must find a solution on how to achieve his sexual desire. This will be challenging for he is paralyzed from the waist down my recommendation to him is to talk to his physician about what they are trying to accomplish, and maybe there is some type of medication or physical therapy to help you get there. That is just depending on how severely paralyzed he is from the waist down, maybe he will not need to take such extreme actions.