Gender dysphoria is a complicated personal issue whereby individuals feel a discrepancy between their gender identity and the assigned gender at birth. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes this condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a cause of significant distress or impairment of cognitive functioning.
Although gender dysphoria is not a mental disorder, a vast majority of young adolescents and adults suffer mental health problems because of it.
What Is Gender Dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria is the subconscious distress that results when an individual’s gender identity, how they view themselves, deviates from the sex assigned at birth.
It is crucial to note that gender dysphoria is not the same thing as being transgender. Just as many transgender individuals may not have experienced gender dysphoria, not all people with gender dysphoria identify as transgender.
Gender incongruence, on the other hand, is manifested by a strong desire to change the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics.
Gender Identity and Assigned Gender
Gender identity refers to our internalized sense of who we are and how we describe ourselves, whether male or female. This binary designation is not always the case for all, as some feel the inner gender identity differs from the biological sexual identity.
For example, some people may have male genitalia and facial hair, but they would not feel masculine or identify as male and vice versa.
Assigned gender at birth indicates the expressed gender based on medical factors, including genitals and chromosomes.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The DSM provides a standardized diagnostic system for mental health professionals and is a helpful tool for understanding and diagnosing mental health conditions. The criteria for gender dysphoria is sometimes beneficial in treating other specified gender dysphoria symptoms where an individual doesn’t portray typical symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Gender Dysphoria
Everyone’s experience with gender dysphoria is unique, but there are some underlying experiences, which include:
1. Emotional Distress
Persistent feelings of incongruence between one’s gender identity and assigned sexual orientation cause immense emotional distress for not conforming to the mold of assigned gender.
The mental health difficulties as a result of desiring to transition to the other gender are rampant in young adolescents and adults wishing to undergo gender-affirming treatment.
2. Physical Dysphoria
Physical dysphoria often manifests as a strong desire to undertake medical treatments, such as hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery, to align their primary and secondary sex characteristics.
Individuals with the female sex assigned at birth could want to have the physical sex characteristics of the other gender and yearn for recognition with the other gender pronouns. They would then prefer to wear only typical masculine clothing as the opposite gender.
3. Social Dysphoria
Social dysphoria refers to distress caused by societal expectations that don’t align with an individual’s gender identity. It can include:
- Misgendering: Being addressed with pronouns or terms associated with their assigned sex rather than their gender identity.
Understanding the Causes of Gender Dysphoria
While the reasons why people experience gender dysphoria are not entirely understood, the World Health Organization bulletin shows that a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors may play a role.
Biological Factors
Although hard to believe, genetic factors and hormonal treatment influences during antenatal development could contribute to gender dysphoria in children. Hormones responsible for triggering the development of biological sexual orientation may not work correctly on the brain and genitalia, causing a rift in sexual development.
Excess hormones in the mother’s body during pregnancy can sometimes cause gender dysphoria in the child. These extra hormones can lead to feelings of confusion about one’s gender identity.
Psychological Factors
An individual’s internal sense of self, shaped by early life experiences and self-awareness, can influence their gender identity disorder. These feelings manifest as a firm conviction their physical body should have an alternative gender to the one assigned at birth.
Social and Cultural Factors
Societal norms and expectations, particularly rigid gender roles and stigmatization, can amplify feelings of dysphoria.
Impacts of Gender Dysphoria
A study by the World Professional Association (considered the gold standard for gender-affirming care) proved that gender dysphoria does indeed affect an individual’s mental health and social well-being.
1.) Mental Health Challenges
- Suicide and Self-Harm: Transgender and gender-diverse individuals who suffer from untreated gender identity crises are more prone to suicidal thoughts and self-harming behaviors.
- Anxiety and Depression: The anguish of feeling out of sync with one’s assigned gender and societal expectations triggers severe depression and anxiety.
2.) Social Isolation
Gender-diverse youth and transgender people face relationship difficulties due to the fear of rejection from their peers or people they are sexually attracted to. Misunderstandings are a common occurrence that frequently leads to strained relationships with family and friends.
3.) Discrimination and Stigma
Many people with gender dysphoria have a difficult time accessing good health care, employment, and even education because of pervasive societal biases.
Support for Gender Dysphoria
Since gender dysphoria is different for every individual, a mental health professional tailors the support care package according to each person’s needs; therefore, medical professionals provide psychological, medical, or social support.
1. ) Psychological Support
Psychological distress is the emotional discomfort young adults experience when their loved ones have trouble relating to their internalized gender expression identity, and it is very easy to treat.
Therapy
- Talking to a therapist experienced in transgender health and gender identity issues goes a long way to help people struggling with multiple gender identities develop healthy coping mechanisms.
- Dialectical behavioral therapy helps individuals with gender dysphoria accept the reality of their situations and view life more positively.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is beneficial in addressing clinically significant distress that goes hand-in-hand with gender dysphoria diagnosis.
Support Groups
- Relating to other people struggling with gender dysphoria provides a sense of belonging and freedom to be oneself due to shared experiences. All mental health care facilities offer peer support groups for transgender people and those diagnosed with unspecified gender dysphoria.
- The diversion from one’s assigned gender may force an individual to seek drugs and other substance abuse to cope. Seeking intervention from institutions like Massachusetts Drug Rehab is highly advised.
2. ) Medical Intervention
Medical intervention is the advanced step people with gender dysphoria take when talking it out doesn’t erase typical feelings of being in the wrong body.
Hormonal and Surgical Treatments
- Hormone therapy, commonly referred to as Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT), is the most widely used method to alter anticipated secondary sex characteristics.
- Transgender women take estrogen hormone to induce breast formation, get rid of facial hair, and have a feminine body shape. Gender-affirming hormone therapy is a lifetime commitment to maintain the other gender identity.
- Medical professionals have to conduct a behavioral evaluation to check whether a hormonal and surgical treatment is a viable option.
Understanding is the Key to Compassion
Gender dysphoria is a tricky experience that calls for compassion and understanding. By availing health services, sexual health education, and advocating for equality, we can create an inclusive society for everybody.
If you are dealing with gender identity disorder with no idea where to start, there is always the option to seek professional help. You don’t have to wait until the clinically significant distress develops into a severe mental disorder.