#Abstract
The pedophilic disorder is a behavioral disorder that is characterized by a young or older adult’s sexual inclination towards children. The condition is considered to be a disorder if it lasts for at least six months. The person with such a condition has strong urges, fantasies, or even harassing behavior towards children or young teens. The victims could be children alone, or children as well as adults. The pedophilic disorder could originate from childhood trauma or other issues within their families.
This article discusses pedophilic disorder, factors that could have contributed to its development, its mental aspect, and how meditation and spiritual knowledge can help individuals with this disorder.
#Introduction to Pedophilic Disorder
The pedophilic disorder is a mental – sexual – behavioral disorder where unnatural urges are felt by an individual regarding sexual acts.
Such people are known as pedophiles and their behavior may or may not be obvious and known to people around them. Pedophilic disorder indicates a sick mind that couldn’t accept individuals as non-sexual objects.
Such people also tend to have communication disorders i.e. their own relationships with their family may not be healthy and fulfilling because of a preset and stubborn point of view in all matters and towards all people (which is essentially sexual).
#Pedophilia and Pedophilic Disorder
Pedophilia is a sexual inclination towards children and young teens. A pedophilic person doesn’t compulsorily molest or harass the child they are interested in. They may, however, confess that they wish to commit sexual acts with children, and not being able to do this gives them mental unrest and anxiety.
In such circumstances, the condition is considered a disorder of the paraphilia kind, where very intense sexual imaginations are made by an individual, about those who might be unwilling to do so in real life.
#Understanding the causes and factors
Complex disorders like pedophilic disorder arise from and affect more than one level of one’s personality. The pedophilic disorder is complex because it originates from unacknowledged events that may have happened during their childhood.
Although such events are not clearly remembered by the individuals, certain impressions are created in the subconscious of the person which later gives rise to behavioral disorders.
The development of pedophilic disorder can be contributed to by the following kinds of events during one’s childhood:
- Poor relationship between both parents.
- Loss of a parent and arrival of a new stepparent of an adverse nature.
- Stepsisters or stepbrothers get more attention and love.
- Neglect of communication and cognitive requirements during infant development.
- Improper education regarding sexual behaviors.
- Inappropriate sexual behavior of other people around a child.
- Justified marriages of young girls with adult or old men in society.
- Child / teen prostitution.
- Pedophilia and pedophilic disorder are more common in communities where sex is taboo.
The mental aspect of the disorder
An individual’s behavior is an indicator of their mental health. Any of the two could be causing or aggravating the other. It can be observed that a void created by the absence of a loving and caring guardian during one’s childhood can result in the development of pedophilia.
Likewise, being honest, caring, and in a romantic relationship with a morally and spiritually mature person can cure pedophilia because it not only fills the empty space in a person’s mind but also automatically teaches them the difference between sex and any sexual relationship.
Meditation and Spiritual Knowledge can help
Meditation strengthens one’s mind by eradicating all possible causes of the development of disorders, insecurities, malignant behavioral patterns, and all thoughts giving rise to such disorders. Moving into spirituality makes one able to give up lust and accept love. Spirituality emphasizes brahmacharya i.e. right conduct in sexual matters. It doesn’t necessarily mean abstinence but conveys the importance of balanced conduct as appropriate for one’s age. In Indian spiritualism the life of a person has been divided into four main segments or quarters:
- The first quarter is known as Brahmacharya. It is followed during childhood, teenager and early adulthood i.e. until one gets married. The major activity to be ideally done by an individual is dharma i.e. learning and adapting moral values so that they are deeply rooted in one’s mind and behavior.
- The second quarter is known as Gruhastha. It is followed in early to mid-adulthood, while one is still in their childbearing age. The major activity to be done by an individual is Kama i.e. sexual fulfillment.
- The third quarter is known as Sannyasa. It is followed in late adulthood when one’s most desires should have been fulfilled including romance, food, entertainment, and family / social activities
- The major activity done during this time is Artha i.e. arrangement of just enough money and resources so that their children can be well educated and brought up into sensible adults whose material desires can also be fulfilled modestly even if not extravagantly.
- The fourth or the last quarter is known as Vanaprastha. It is the last stage of life where one doesn’t have to take care of their children and since they would have grown up into responsible young adults by now. The major activity to be done during this phase of life is the achievement of Moksha i.e. liberation from worldly affairs.
Moksha or liberation achieve by different enlightened people in different ways and they are followed by different groups of people as per their liking and suitability. It is achievable by meditation.
Behavioral disorders have found to root deeper than they appear. Sometimes, the ignorance of behavioral malignancy can lead to behavioral disorders.
Therefore etiquette should be inculcated in every child’s upbringing. It is often observed that in families where the elders meditate, the children do not generally have behavioral or communicative disorders. Therefore spirituality can provide long-term benefits in the development of moral values within a family through many generations.
Families make up the society, hence spiritual knowledge and acceptance of individuals can eliminate or at least minimize the occurrence of pedophilic disorders in society.
Dr. Vikram Chauhan (MD-Ayurveda) is an expert Ayurvedic Doctor based in Chandigarh, India, and doing his practice in Mohali, India. He is spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda -An ancient healing treatment, not only in India but also abroad. He is the CEO and Founder of Planet Ayurveda Products, Planet Ayurveda Clinic, and Krishna Herbal Company. For more info visit our Website: https://www.planetayurveda.com