While the desired sexual stimulant for the paraphilia sufferer depends on the specific paraphilia, the characteristics of the illness are often very similar. Specifically, people with a paraphilia tend to become aroused by the stimulant to the exclusion or near exclusion of more common sources of sexual arousal, like an attractive person of similar age. The intensity of the attraction can be overwhelming enough to cause distress. The unusual or forbidden nature of a paraphilia often causes symptoms of guilt and fear of punishment.Symptoms of paraphilia can include preoccupation to the point of obsessiveness that may intrude on the person's attempts to think about other things or engage in more conventional sexual activity with an age-appropriate partner. Paraphilia sufferers may experience depression or anxiety that is temporarily relieved by engaging in paraphilic behavior, thus leading to an addictive cycle.