Question

Lester has intense recurrent fantasies in which he is walking along the beach and woman approaches. As she gets near, he unbuttons his pants and exposes his genitals to her. At that instant, she falls madly in love with him and they make love in the sand. Lester occasionally acts out these fantasies by "flashing" strange women. He is likely to receive a diagnosis of_______.

Answer 1

Lester's actions and fantasies point towards exhibitionistic disorder, which aligns with Freud's theory of unresolved conflicts in the phallic stage leading to adult sexual disorders. Professional psychological help is essential for assessment and treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Lester's behavior, as described in the query, is suggestive of exhibitionistic disorder, where an individual has an intense and recurrent urge to expose genitals to unsuspecting strangers and gains sexual pleasure from the act. In the case presented, Lester not only fantasizes about the act but also occasionally acts on these urges. According to Freud's stages of psychosexual development, particularly the phallic stage, unresolved conflicts can lead to fixations which may manifest as various adult behaviors. In Lester's case, the recurrences qualify for a proper assessment by a mental health professional and receiving a diagnosis of exhibitionistic disorder, possibly with treatment options exploring deep-seated psychological issues.

While Freud's theory is considered controversial and lacks empirical evidence, it does offer a framework for understanding some psychodynamic aspects of sexual disorders. The individual coping with such issues often benefits from professional psychological help to address the underlying problems effectively and decrease the manifestations that may be harmful or illegal.