posted 03-07-2006 08:33 AM            

I could use some perspective/insight.

A potential client called and asked about testing on proving whether a slight emission his wife found in his underwear came from sexual arousal or from physical strain lifting car batteries or a bowel movement.

Background: client is a recovering sex addict (stated pornography) who says he has been sexually sober since 08/2002. Stated that because of his past addictions, he and his wife rarely have sexual activity. He recently started taking paxil which diminishes his sex drive.

He states that he has nocturnal emissions and she knows that, but that he also has occasional small emissions during the daytime from strenous activity as listed above and sometimes 'doesn't even know it'.

His wife is just as suspicious/fearful of whether he is becoming aroused in his new work environment inside a movie theatre (not sure if he is working for the theatre or contracted to do some work there, didn't get those details yet) as she she is suspicious as to whether or not he is telling the truth about whether the emission is from non-sexual activity.

Questions:

1. I've never heard of having daytime emissions from non-sexual physical strain. Working with the sexually addicted is new to me, so I don't know if what he is saying is possible or just a rationalization?

2. If this client came to you, what other background info would you gather?

3. If you gave this test, what do you feel would be good relevants and controls?

Thanks in advance for your help. I have my own ideas, but I'm somewhat out of my understanding here and may just pass this test on, still I want some perspective.

------------------
Ralph Hilliard
PolygraphPlace Owner & Operator
http://www.polygraphplace.com

posted 03-07-2006 12:08 PM            

If he is a sex addict or porn addict a theater is not the best employment for this man. If he is on probation or parole I would consult his PO.

As for relevant questions, remember you can't test on intent...so you need to stay with what he has acutally done.

Since ..., HY looked at sexually explicit material?

On (date), DY stimulate yourself to ejaculation?

On (date) DY ejaculate... from stimulating yourself? ...by seeing a woman....standing by a vibrating machine???

HY masturabted at work?

Controls would be easy. Between ...and.... DY lie to your wife? Therapist? HY done anything deviant? HY done anything most guys wouldn't? HY considered cheating on your wife?

Maybe the guy should go to the proctologist and urologist and get poked and prodded to determine if a polygraph actually needs to be administered? ha

posted 03-07-2006 12:29 PM            

I don't do self-refered tests, including tests referred by a spouse or partner without the involvement of a referring professional. We've all seen those polygraph reports that read "On (such and such) date I administered a polygraph examination to you..." It makes no sense to investigate a subject on behalf of himself. I imagine those clients as waving our reports around during some abusive argument, or something like that.

OK, so if there is a professional referral, it would be helpful to get any further information about any concurrent mental health/diagnostic issues - especially those involving compulsivity.

Also, who prescribed the Paxil? A general practicioner, psychiatrist, physician's assistant, or nurse-practicioner? This may or may not be important, but people sometimes get meds from less-qualified professionals and they are not always the optimal solution. Paxil is one that a number of professionals seem to prescribe liberally. I'm not concerned about this if someone is stable (if its working), but when someone is struggling with self-manangement and progress, then it makes sense to get a consulation with a psychiatrist who can effectively incorporate information from a clinical treatment provider when formulating a medication plan. Some professionals will give patients whatever they ask for, short of schedule II drugs, rather than deal with pesky or unsatisfied persons.

I don't know about emissions from strenuous activity, and that sounds somewhat suspicious to me. What would a physician (urologist) say about that? Does anyone know a urologist for a courtesy consultation?

What is his prior polygraph history? Who did that work? And what was done with any unresolved test results?

So, assuming he's on the right meds. I would be interested in any additional information about his sexual arousal and interest. Has he done a plethysmograph or Abel Assessment? I think those kinds of tests might be informative of his degree of excessive or uninhibited arousal.

For test questions I would be more interested in behavioral self-control: sexual contact with persons other than his wife, masturbation habits (how much, how often, to what kind of thoughts or fantasies, where, use of non-human stimuli pictures/objects), and sexualized or objectifying jokes or conversations. Or, whatever concerns his treatment provider would express as additive to the clinical/diagnostic assessment or profile, and additive to treatment planning efforts.

[edited distasteful joke.]

Or you could just tell him to eat more fiber.

------------------
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room."
--(Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

posted 03-07-2006 12:31 PM            

quote:

---

Maybe the guy should go to the proctologist and urologist and get poked and prodded to determine if a polygraph actually needs to be administered? ha

Good luck.

---

laugh.

*snaps rubber glove*

this will only take a moment...

or,

this won't hurt a bit...

------------------
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room."
--(Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

posted 03-08-2006 07:37 AM            

The above web site discusses a possible explanation, but Spermiatorrhoea generally pops up on alternative medicine sites the term doesn't seem to appear on any mainstream medical websites. So pardon me if I'm a bit skeptical
TEXT EXCERPT
Spermatorrhoea medically means an involuntary escape or ejaculation or drooling of semen without any sexual event/erection/orgasm. Hiding it often leads to complications. Sufferers may be aware or unaware of spermatorrhoea, according to its presentation. Usually, sufferers are unaware of wet dreams (night emissions) which occur during sleep and loss of semen in urine (seminuria/spermaturia), whereas the discharge of semen, while straining (while passing stool or at any other time) may be noted immediately.

posted 03-08-2006 10:43 AM            

seriously now,

Thanks for finding that. I'm not sure what you have to google to get to that, but it may explain something.

Does the website indicate how this condition is diagnosed, other than self-report?

One person I consulted suggested your guy may have spent too much time with a penis enlargement pump - apparently known to sometimes result in loss of orgasm and semen leakage.

Once again, a bit more than we wanted to know.

So, the questions pertaining to behavioral self-control might also include the use of non-human objects for masturbation or sexual behavior.

------------------
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room."
--(Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

posted 03-09-2006 02:05 PM         

I beleive "race tracks" is the wrong term. Could you have meant "skid marks"?