What Makes Necrophilia a Mental Disorder?

The term necrophilia comes from the Greek words Philos (attraction to/love) and nekros (dead body) and refers to the sexual attraction to a dead body.

Necrophilia is a paraphilia in which the perpetrator derives sexual pleasure from having sexual relations with the dead.  All the forms like sadism, cannibalism, vampirism, necrophagia (eating the flesh of the dead), necropedophilia ( a specific kind of sexual attraction to the corpses of children), and necrozoophilia ( a particular sexual attraction to the corpses of or killing of animals – also known as necrobestia) are all examples of necrophilism.

Diagnostic Features of Specific Paraphilic Disorders

Most paraphilic disorders are psychological, and people who suffer from paraphilia have difficulty creating more normalized sexual connections. When non-sexual things are combined with a pleasurable activity, paraphilic diseases can result in a conditioned response to become sexually attractive (masturbation).

Sexually stimulating fantasies, impulses, or persistent, intense behaviors, occur over at least six months and cause considerable discomfort or interfere with major areas of functioning are classified as paraphilias.

Types of Paraphilias

Voyeurism is the act of viewing an unsuspecting/non-consenting person who is naked, undressed or engaged in sexual activity.

Exhibitionism: The act of showing one’s private parts to an unsuspecting person.

Frotteurism: Frotteurism is the act of touching or stroking a non-consenting person without their consent.

Masochism: Being humiliated, beaten, chained, or otherwise suffering is a form of sexual masochism.

Sadism sexual: causing another person’s bodily or mental pain.

Sexual conduct with a prepubescent kid is referred to as pedophilia (usually 13 years old or younger)

Difference Between Genuine Necrophilia from Pseudonecrophilia

Dr. Jonathan P. Rosman and Dr. Phillip J. Resnick differentiated true necrophilia from pseudo-necrophilia in their 1989 paper, ‘Sexual Attraction to Corpses: A Psychiatric Review,’ published in the American Academy of Psychiatry Bulletin the Law 17.

The authors examine 122 examples of necrophilic behaviors or thoughts (88 from the literature and 34 unpublished cases). True necrophilia is divided into three categories: necrophilic homicide, “ordinary” necrophilia, and necrophilic fantasy.

Necrophilia does not appear to be associated with insanity, mental impairment, or sadism. Possessing an unresisting and unrejecting companion is the most typical reason for necrophilia.

Necrophiles usually pick jobs that require them to interact with corpses. Despite having occupational access to corpses, some necrophiles committed homicide.

Diagnosis and Understanding of Olfaction’s Consequences

Necrophilia isn’t linked to any particular mental ailment or disorder. Some necrophiles, however, were previously diagnosed with Conduct Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder. Because these diseases are characterized by reduced compassion and antisocial conduct, necrophiles with this diagnostic history are more likely to commit homicide before committing necrophilic activities. There has also been speculation that necrophiliacs suffer from depression and schizophrenia in the form of anthropophagy and vampirism.

How is Necrophilia Defended?

A necrophile is out of touch with reality when explaining the motivation for such an act. The line between reality and delusion is razor-thin. A necrophile seeks out relationships in which the patient is unlikely to be rejected. A corpse is incapable of fighting back, resisting, or rejecting. They believe they are not harming the corpse since it lacks a soul.

What Makes One a Necrophilia Figure?

To further what makes someone a necrophile, we state that a massive multi-dimensional trauma most likely caused the disorder. We need to think about and analyze; we need to consider whether these people have been mistreated and what other factors are at play.

This requires time and patience, and the same was true for therapy, which was heavily dependent on the person’s desire.

It’s senseless to kill a necrophile since you can’t stop a mentally ill person by punishing him. First and foremost, these folks require treatment.

What is the Treatment for Paraphilia?

Because of the serious effects of pedophilia on victims and the engagement of pedophilic sex offenders with the legal system, research on the treatment of paraphilias concentrates on pedophilia. These studies have found that treatment works best when the pedophiliac is motivated and dedicated to changing their conduct and when psychotherapy and medication are used together.

1- Behavior Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is commonly used to treat pedophilia and other paraphilias. The goal of pedophilia psychotherapy is to assist the pedophilia victim in understanding and overcoming rationalizations regarding their conduct and teach the pedophilia victim how to create empathy for the victim and regulate sexual desires.

2- Medications

In pedophiles, medications that inhibit testosterone production limit the frequency or intensity of sexual desire. Testosterone suppression might take 3-10 months to lower sexual desire. The results of studies on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treating pedophilia and other paraphilias differ.

Conclusion

People with mental illness who receive individual or group therapy find strength and healing. There are several therapy choices to choose from. If you notice anything strange in your behavior in response to everyday events, talk to your local psychologist.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Q. 1- What causes someone to have necrophilia?

Possessing an unresisting and unrejecting companion is the most typical reason for necrophilia. Necrophiles frequently pick jobs that require them to interact with corpses. Despite having occupational access to corpses, some necrophiles committed homicide.

Q. 2- What is necrophilia psychology?

It is the sexual interest in or sexual contact with dead bodies. In some cases, they kill the victim themselves, but they frequently gain access to corpses via funeral parlors, mortuaries, morgues, or graves. 

Q. 3- What is necrophilia fantasy?

Male (and occasionally female) stories about viewing or having heterosexual or same-sex intercourse with a corpse as a means of achieving sexual excitement. Such fantasies are sometimes acted out with prostitutes who satisfy necrophilic clients by simulating lifelessness.