Fetishistic Transvestism in a Patient with Mental Retardation and Psychosis

Abstract

Fetishistic transvestism is a disorder of sexual preference associated with fantasies and sexual urges to dress in opposite gender clothing as a means of arousal and as an adjunct to masturbation and coitus. The disorder has been reported in people with learning disabilities. The disorder has been reported in a young male with dull normal intelligence. Transvestism though has been described in schizophrenia and psychosis and fetishism has been described in the course of simple schizophrenia, there are no reports of fetishistic transvestism in a patient with mental retardation and psychosis. A case of fetishistic transvestism in a patient with mental retardation and psychosis with treatment and relevant review of literature is reported.

Transvestism as a Symptom: A Case Series

“…Sexually deviant behaviour has been associated with higher[ 5 ] or lower intelligence. [ 6 ] Here, case 1 and 2 had onset at later age and also had lower IQ. Lower intelligence may be the cause of delayed onset of symptoms in adolescence or early adulthood.…”

Transvestism Recognized in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Report of Two Cases

“…We considered that his symptoms could be attributable to (a) his mother's overprotectiveness and excessive interference due to his intellectual developmental disorder and EDS, (b) conflict with his older brother when he was in the manic phase, and (c) maladaptation in the job environment and failures in the establishment of human relationships. While patients with intellectual developmental disorder may exhibit the so-called pseudo-transvestism used as a means to fantasize women during masturbation [18], cross-dressing was the objective per se for this patient. Additionally, because he was more interested in looking at pictures of himself wearing female underwear than in changing his gender, his behavior could have been obsessive/compulsive to some degree in the sense that he was overwhelmingly driven to wear female clothes; by doing so, he considered that he could escape into a fantasy world where he could cope with his desire.…”