Gender dysphoria: Definition, symptoms, and support

According to a 2020 articleTrusted Source , gender dysphoria is a condition that can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. Genderdysphoria:Whatdoesitmean?MedicallyreviewedbyFrancisKuehnle,MSN,RN-BC—WrittenbyJayneLeonardonAugust19,2020DefinitionDiagnosisSymptomsReasonsHelpInchildrenSocialstigmaSupportOutlookApersonwithgenderdysphoriamayexperienceconflictwiththeirsexassignedatbirthandtheirgenderidentity.Itisnotthesameasbeingtransgenderorgender-nonconforming.AccordingtotheAmericanPsychiatricAssociation’s(APA)DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders(DSM-5),genderdysphoriaisaconditionwherepeoplestrugglewiththeirassigned(birth)genderidentity.Apersonmayfeeluncomfortablewiththeirbodyorwiththegenderrolessocietyassumestheywillplay.Somepeoplemayexperiencethesefeelingslong-term,whileforothers,theyaretemporary.Accordingtoa2020article,genderdysphoriaisaconditionthatcanhaveasignificantimpactonaperson’squalityoflife.Thosewithgenderdysphoriaaremorelikelytoexperiencedepression,suicidalideation,andsubstancemisusethanthegeneralpopulation.Thisarticleexplainswhatgenderdysphoriameans,whysomepeopleexperienceit,anddiscussesmanagementtechniques.Learnmoreaboutthedifferencebetweensexandgenderhere.DefinitionShareonPinterestChildren,aswellasadults,mayexperiencegenderdysphoria.Imagecredit:AmandaHarris/AdobeStockAccordingtotheAPA,genderdysphoriaisaconditioninwhichindividualsfeeluncomfortablewiththeirphysicalsexandassignedgender.Theymaywanttoexpressoraffirmthemselvesaccordingtothegenderorgenderswithwhichtheyidentifyorliveby,alsoknownasexperiencedgender.Theymayaffirmtheiridentitybychangingtheirbehavior,howtheydress,styletheirhair,orwhichtoystheyplaywithaschildren.Overtime,somepeoplemaystopexperiencingthesefeelingsofgenderdysphoriaaltogether.Otherssociallytransitionbychangingtheirnamesandpronouns,andsomeindividualsmedicallytransitiontothegenderwithwhichtheyidentify.However,thisdoesnotmeanthateverytransgenderpersonhasexperiencedgenderdysphoria.Transgenderisanidentity,andgenderdysphoriaisacondition.Peoplewhoaregender-nonconformingcanalsoexperiencegenderdysphoria.Gender-nonconformityisalsonotacondition;itisagenderexpressionthatdoesnotfitthenormsandstereotypicalbehaviorsofaperson’sassignedgender.Peoplewhoidentifyinthefollowingwaysmayalsoexperiencegenderdysphoria:Cisgender:Thosewhosegenderidentitymatchestheirphysicalsex.Nonbinary:Peoplewhomayidentifyashavingnogenderorhavingtwoormoregenders.Genderfluid:Peoplewhoidentifyasdifferentgendersatdifferenttimes.Accordingtoonesource,genderdysphoriaalsohasnodirectrelationshipwithaperson’ssexualorientation.Straight,gay,lesbian,orbisexualpeoplecanexperiencegenderdysphoria.DiagnosisAccordingtotheDSM-5,genderdysphoriaaffects0.005–0.014%ofadultsbornmaleand0.002–0.003%ofadultsbornfemale.Toreceiveagenderdysphoriadiagnosis,apersonmustexperiencesignificantdistressorproblemsfunctioningintheireverydaylivesduetothedifferencesbetweentheirassignedandexperiencedgender.TheAPAstatethatapersonmustexperiencethesefeelingsforatleast6months.Aspecialistwillusedifferentcriteriatodiagnosechildrenthantheywillforolderpeople.SymptomsAccordingtotheAPA,adolescentsandadultswithgenderdysphoriamightexperience:anotabledifferencebetweenthegendertheyidentifywithandtheirphysicalsexastrongdesiretolivewithinanothergenderroleortobetreatedasanothergenderastrongdesiretochangetheirassignedsexcharacteristicsSymptomsinchildrenInchildren,genderdysphoriamaycause:astrongdesiretobeanothergenderadislikeoftheirsexualanatomyastrongpreferencetowearclothesofadifferentgenderastrongdesiretoplayanothergenderinfantasyplay,ortohavetoysorgamesthathavestereotypicalassociationswithanothergenderrejectionoftoysandactivitiesthathavetypicalassociationswiththeirassignedgenderastrongdesirefortheirsexcharacteristicstobethoseofanothergenderApersonmaybegintodevelopthesefeelingsinchildhood,andtheymaycontinueintoadulthood.Sometimes,apersonmaynotexperiencetheseuntilpubertyorlater,andtheymayalsocomeandgo.Somepeoplemaystopexperiencingthesefeelingsaltogether.ReasonsforgenderdysphoriaTheexactreasonswhyapersonexperiencesgenderdysphoriaremainunclear.Itmayresultfromacomplexmixoffactors,includingbiological,psychological,andsocialfactors.Potentialreasonsforgenderdysphoriainclude:beingbornwithaconditionthataffectsthesexhormonesfetalexposuretochemicalsthatdisrupthormones,suchasphthalatesfaultydevelopmentofsomeneuronsrelatedtogenderhavingapsychiatriccondition,suchasschizophreniahavingautismspectrumdisorder(ASD)ahistoryofchildhoodabuseorneglecthavingaclosefamilymemberwithgenderdysphoriaHowever,itisdifficulttoattributegenderdysphoriatoanyspecificcause.HelpandmanagementAccordingtoa2020article,specialistscanhelpapersonwithgenderdysmorphiatoexploretheirfeelingsandeasedistress.Somepeoplewilldecidethattheywanttotransitiontoanothergender,somewillcontinuetoaffirmtheiridentityinotherways,andsomewillstopexperiencinggenderdysphoria.Thereisnoone-size-fits-allapproachtohelpingpeoplewithgenderdysphoria.Whatworksforonepersonmaynotworkforanother.Optionsinclude:TherapyTherapycangiveindividualsaspacetoexploretheirfeelingsandemotions.Forsomepeople,itmayresolvetheirgenderdysphoria.Forothers,itmayconfirmthattheywishtoliveinanothergenderrole.Therapycanalsohelppeoplemanageissuesthatariseatschool,work,orinrelationships.Itcanreducefeelingsofdepressionandanxietyandboostself-esteem.Therapycantakeplaceindividuallyorasacoupleorfamily.Peersupportgroupsarealsoavailableandcanhelpthosewithgenderdysphoriaconnectwithotherswhohavesimilarfeelingsandexperiences.ChangesingenderexpressionSomepeoplemaydecidethattheywouldliketolivepart-timeorfull-timeinanothergenderrole.Thismayincludeusinganameandpronounstypicallyassociatedwiththatgender.Otherwaysthatapersoncanchangetheirgenderexpressioninclude:attendingvoicetherapytodevelopdifferentvocalcharacteristicsremovinghairorhavinghairtransplantstuckingorpackinggenitalsbindingorpaddingbreastsapplyingmakeupandhairstylingMedicaloptionsSomepeoplemaywanttotakefurtherstepstohelpthemliveinanothergenderrole.Thesestepsmayinclude:hormonetherapytohelpdevelopdifferentfeatures,suchasfacialhairsurgerytoaddorremovebreastsortomakechangestothegenitalsLearnaboutgenderreassignmentsurgeryhere.Self-careandmanagementPeoplewithgenderdysphoriaareathigherriskofothermentalhealthissues,sotheymustpracticegoodself-careandlookaftertheirphysicalandmentalhealth.Thefollowingtipsmighthelp:eatingabalanceddiet,getenoughsleep,andexerciseregularlypracticingstress-managementtechniques,suchasyogaandmeditation,wherepossibleconnectingwithothersupportivepeople,suchasfamily,friends,orotherpeoplewhoexperiencegenderdysphoriaseeingamentalhealthprofessional,ifnecessaryGenderdysphoriainchildrenChildrencanshowsignsofgenderdysphoriabetweentheagesof2–4,althoughmanymaynotexpressfeelingsandbehaviorsuntilmuchlater.Somechildrenmaybegintorejecttheirbiologicalsexwhentheygothroughpuberty.AccordingtoanarticleinPLOSONE,someparentsreportthattheonsetofgenderdysphoriaappearedsuddenlyduringpuberty.Othersindicatedthatitdevelopedinsituationswhereothermembersofthechild’speergroupidentifiedasbeinggenderdysphoricortransgender.However,manychildrendisplaygender-nonconformingbehavior,anditdoesnotnecessarilymeanthattheyhavegenderdysphoria.Also,manychildrenwhomeetthecriteriaforgenderdysphoriadonotcontinuetodosoastheygrowup.Accordingtosomeresearch,only10-20%ofchildrenwithgenderdysphoriawillcontinuetoexperienceitinadolescence.TheAPAnotethatchildrenwithmoreintensesymptomsandlevelsofdistressandhavemorepersistentandconsistentsymptomsmaybemorelikelytobecometransgenderadults.A2018articleinBioMedResearchInternational,suggeststhatchildrenexperiencinggenderdysphoriamightbenefitfrompsychologicaltherapyandsupport.TheAPAexplainthatthistypicallyinvolvesamulti-disciplinaryteam,comprisingapediatrician,apsychiatrist,andapediatricendocrinologistwhospecializesinhormonesinchildren.SocialstigmaTheAPAstatethatpeoplewithgenderdysphoriaoftenexperiencehighlevelsofstigmatization,discrimination,andvictimization.Thesocialstigmacanincreaseaperson’sriskofdevelopinganothermentalhealthdisorderandharmtheirself-esteem.Childrenmayexperiencebullyingorpeerpressureatschool,andtheyaremorelikelytodevelopanxietyanddepression.SupportingpeoplewithgenderdysphoriaItisessentialthatpeoplewithgenderdysphoriagetsupportfromlovedones.Whenspeakingwithsomeonewithgenderdysphoria,keepthefollowinginmind:Listentoandvalidatetheperson’sexperienceandhowgenderdysphoriaaffectsthem.Acknowledgetheirdistressandpain.Donottrivializetheperson’sexperiencesoremotions.Askhowyoucanhelp.Askthemwhattheyneedandwhatwouldmakethingseasier.Encouragethemtoseekhelp,especiallyiftheydisplaysymptomsofmentalhealthissues,suicidality,orsubstancemisuse.Usetheirpreferredpronouns.Somepeoplemayprefergender-neutralpronouns,suchas“them”and“they.”Otherspreferpeopletorefertothemasanothergender(whetherthatishe,him,she,orher).Peoplewithgenderdysphoriawhohavethesupportoflovedonesmaybelesslikelytoexperiencedepression,anxiety,andotheradverseeffects.Waystosupportapersonwithgenderdysphoriainclude:offeringtoaccompanythemtoappointmentsseekingimmediatehelpifseriousself-harmorsuicidalideationorattemptsoccurtakingchildrenwithgenderdysphoriatoseetheirdoctororachildpsychologistforsupportOutlookTheoutlookforthosewithgenderdysphoriadependsonmanyfactors,includingtheseverityofsymptomsandtheavailabilityofsupport.Manychildrenwithgenderdysphoriawillnolongerexperienceitbythetimetheyreachadolescence.Othersmayexperienceitintoadulthood.Treatmentandmanagementtechniquesmayreducepotentialcomplicationsofgenderdysphoria,suchasdepressionandsuicidalideation.However,evenaftersomepeoplewithgenderdysphoriahavetransitioned,theymaystillexperiencesuicidalideationandotherdifficultiesduetothesocialstigmaassociatedwiththetransition.LastmedicallyreviewedonAugust19,2020MentalHealthPsychology/PsychiatryMedicallyreviewedbyFrancisKuehnle,MSN,RN-BC—WrittenbyJayneLeonardonAugust19,2020LatestnewsModeratealcoholconsumption‘shouldnotberecommendedforhealthreasons’COVID-19:Dovaccinesprotectbetterthaninfection-inducedimmunity?Cleaneating:Whatdoestheresearchsay?AchangeindietmayreduceriskoflethalprostatecancerRegularlyconsumingfishmayprotectbrainhealthRelatedCoverageSexandgender:Whatisthedifference?MedicallyreviewedbyEmeliaArqui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