Do you think that Pedophilia (sp?) is a disease? Has it been categorized as an official disease?

I was the victim of a pedophiles attacks on children, but unlike so many others I've been able to move past that point in my lif. My attacker has since died, but every now and then little memories of what happened to me still pop up. My mother thinks that pedophiles prey on children intentionally but my sister was trying to explain to me that pedophilia (sp?) is a disease. I could never fathom how/why she would say it. But I was thinking about it. I don't know for sure if I agree with her but I don't know if a person who would prey on a child could be mentally sound. I'd love to know other people's thoughts on this subject.

Answers:
According to the Diagnositic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, pedophilia is a mental illness. It has been listed since the book was originally written and they are currently on the verson IV-revised. There is no cure except for castration of a male, to reduce the urge of having sexual activities with children.

You are correct to say that they are not mentally sound. There are some pedophiles that are institutionalized instead of just being jailed.

I don't know if it should be classified as a disease, but I do know it is not curable. Pedophiles are sexually aroused by children, period.
they are sick for sure--not sure of some sort of "official" status. very sorry to hear about being a victim.
It's mental illness. It's accepted treatment seems to be incarceration. Huh?
I think pedophilia is a result of a mental disease. It's incurable as well. The only thing a pedophile can do is seek psychiatric treatment and stay away from children. They will never lose the desire, as sick as that may be. It turns my stomach thinking about it. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

I think something happens to these people during their own childhood that leads them to this repulsive act/thought process.
I don't think it's "officially" classified as a disease, but it could certainly be thought of that way. It's definitely incurable, though (except cutting off their balls tends to work pretty well). And it also doesn't mean it's not their fault. Lots of people have inappropriate desires (sexual or otherwise) that they DON'T act on. Having thoughts of having sex with young children may be beyond their control, but acting on them certainly is not. So maybe the thoughts are a disease, but the action is still a crime.

Interestingly, a lot of people who abuse children where abused themselves in childhood. In that case, it's presumably because the abuse screwed them up, so I guess that's kind of disease-like.
Definitely pedophiles do have psychological disorders but that's not enough to classify their perversion as a disease.

Whoever made that hypothesis is only making a loophole in the legal system for perverts and sickos to get away scott free.

Pedophiles are no different from rapists. At least rape victims have a fighting chance, children don't.

What's next? Rape is a chemical imbalance in a person and should be classified as a medical condition? Sodomizers should be pitied for anally raping weaker inmates in prison because it's a hormonal imbalance?

Reality check please.
I myself was also a victim years ago.It is not a disease,there is no excuse! in fact they are very cleaver and mentally sound enough to know how to cover up what they do,manipulate children,and convince others to defend them and justify their actions by claiming they are "not well" Once you excuse them many more will think they can get away with it.
It is classified as a mental disorder in DSM IV. Pedophilia could mean having thoughts and wishes of being with children that are distressing to the individual, and in this instance would require treatment. In an old version of the same manual, homosexuality was classified as a disorder, but no longer is.
i don't think it is a disease. It is a lustful fixation on children and is abnormal but not a disease. It is sin.
Its not a disease it is an obsession
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