PSYCHOTHERAPY HOMOSEXUALS WHICH REJECT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION: THE MODERN ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM

Two kinds of therapy of ego-dystonic homosexuals are discussed: gay-affirmative psychotherapy, which is based on the conception that homosexuality is a norm, and conversion psychotherapy, which is aimed to change the sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. According to ICD-10 and DSM-IV, homosexuality is a norm. This fact results in the conclusion that conversion therapy is inadmissible. The author, as well as some known sexologists and psychologists of Ukraine, Russia and the United States of America, believes that homosexuality should be regarded as a sexual preference disorder (paraphilia) and can be corrected (with the patients' consent, who wish to change their own sexual orientation) with help of conversion psychotherapy. (The Journal of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology. - 2010. - № 1-2 (24-25). - P. 131-141)