Psychology of sex - Total No. of Records in System :: 2032

HOMOSEXUALITYverts by hypnotism, aided by visits to the brothel, andbelieved that he had been successful. But an appearance osuccess when success ismerely shown by the ability toeffect intercourse with the opposite sex, is admitted to bepossible, with much good will on the patient's part; it byno means follows that the ideals and impulses have beenreally and permanently turned into a new or even desirablechannel; the result may merely be, as one such patientexpressed it, that masturbation per vaginam has beenachieved.The psycho-analytic method of Freud has also been employedtherapeutically in these cases, and for this methodalso some success has been claimed. There is now, however,a tendency among psycho-analysts to recognize thatwhen the state of inversion is fixed (whether or not it isregarded as innate) it is useless to apply psycho-analysisin the expectation of a change of sexual direction. I haveknown many homosexual persons who have subjectedthemselves to psycho-analysis. Some stopped the treatmentat the outset; some considered that there had been little orno effect of any kind; some found distinct benefit, mainly,and self-however, through the increased self-knowledgerealization thus obtained rather than by any change in thedirection of the sexual impulse; I do not know of anycases in which a complete and permanent transformationof homosexuality into heterosexuality was achieved. Moll'sassociational therapy may perhaps be said to constitute athird psycho-therapeutical method calling for notice inthis connection, though it represents no new departure inmanner of application. It is, however, sound in theoryand practicable, and consists in finding a bridge by whichinto asso-the subject's perverted desires may be broughtciation with normal ends. Thus, if the subjectis attractedto boys he may be led to cultivate an attraction for boyish[247]