Gender Dysphoria: An Overview

Introduction:

Gender dysphoria is defined as a marked discordance between the experienced or exhibited sexuality and the one they were born that way. People experiencing this upheaval may be culturally stigmatized since they cannot match their gender expression with typical, inflexible societal binary male or standard female description. This can lead to problems with family, peers, and friends, interpersonal conflicts, social rejection, depression and anxiety symptoms, alcohol dependence, a negative sense of well-being and low confidence, and a higher likelihood of self-harm and suicide.

What Are the Possible Symptoms of Gender Dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria can produce a significant mismatch between the inner gender identity and the assigned gender for at least six months.

At least two of the following demonstrate the difference:

• Gender identity differs from genitals or secondary sex features, including breast size, voice, and facial hair. A distinction between gender identification and expected secondary sex traits in young adolescents.

• A strong desire to get rid of these genitals or secondary sex features or to prevent secondary sex characteristics from developing.

• Preferences for roles that are both male and female.

• Toys, games, and other items usually associated with their biological gender are strongly rejected.

• Putting on clothes that are closely correlated with the opposite gender.

• A strong desire to have genitalia of opposite gender and secondary sex traits.

• A headstrong desire to be treated as someone of the opposite gender.

• A strong belief that you have the sensations and responses of a different gender.

• Gender dysphoria can cause severe distress, affecting the ability to function in social environments, at home or college, and other areas of life.

• An individual is at ease only in the particular gender of their preferred gender identity, which may include non-binary.

Does Being a Transgender the Same as Gender Dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria is a feeling or sense of hating the gender identity of someone, whereas transgender is a sexual orientation. Gender dysphoria can affect transgender people at any time in their life. However, some transgender persons, with or without medical help, are at ease with their bodies over time. Although almost every transgender and sexually diverse individual experiences a sense of gender dysphoria, these terms are not interchangeable.

What Is the Most Prevalent Age for Gender Dysphoria?

There is no age limit. Gender dysphoria can begin in childhood and last through adolescence and maturity. You may also go through times when you are no longer gender dysphoric. Gender dysphoria can occur at any age, during puberty and later in life.

Is There a Specific Cause for Gender Dysphoria?

Although the exact origins of gender dysphoria are unknown, various factors may play a role. Such as environmental variables, genetics, and hormonal impacts during prenatal development may all seem to have an effect.

Reasons that could cause gender dysphoria include -

• Having a disease that impacts sex hormones from birth.

• Prenatal exposure to hormone-disrupting substances, such as phthalates, causes incorrect neuron development in some gender-related neurons.

• Having a mental illness, such as schizophrenia.

• Having an autistic spectrum condition (ASD).

• Having a close family member with gender dysphoria having a history of childhood abuse or neglect.

• While the exact specific mechanisms are unknown, there are numerous theories. The gender assigned to a child at birth significantly impacts how they are reared and how others interact with them. For example, phrases such as men or boys do not cry, pink is a girly color, and blue is only for boys make them feel like a mismatch between their gender and their ascribed sex as they get older. This mismatch might cause feelings of gender dysphoria in certain people.

Is Gender Dysphoria Something That Can Be Treated?

Gender dysphoria is treated differently depending on the age, sexual identity, and orientation of the patient. Psychological counseling, support for gender expression, hormone medication, and surgery may be used to treat a person diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Physical changes, as desired, can be brought about by medical treatments such as hormonal therapy, pelvic surgery, electrolysis or laser treatment, breast augmentation, or other reconstructive procedures. Gender dysphoria treatment tries to assist people in living their lives in their chosen sexual identity or as non-binary. The following are used as treatment modalities -

• Hormone Therapy - Some young people who meet strict requirements and have long-term indicators of gender dysphoria may be referred to a hormone specialist, such as an endocrinologist, to see if they can take hormone blockers once they reach puberty. This is on top of the psychological assistance.

• Cross-sex Hormones and Puberty Blockers - The puberty blockers halt physical changes, such as secondary sex characteristics and facial hair growth. Although, the long-term implications of hormone or puberty blockers in children with gender dysphoria are unknown.

• Surgical Transition - Some people may want surgery to change body parts connected with their biological sex permanently. The type of surgery is determined by the existing state of sexual identification and the desired condition.

  • Surgical Transition for Transgender Men or General Transition From a Female to a Male Includes the Following Surgeries -

    • Bilateral mastectomy (removal of both breasts) with chest reconstruction.

    • Nipple repositioning, tattoo, and dermal implant.

    • Phalloplasty (surgical creation of a penis).

    • Scrotoplasty (scrotum reconstruction and testicular implants).

    • Sperm implants.

    • Hysterectomy (excision of the womb).

    • Salpingo-oophorectomy (surgical excision of both the ovaries and fallopian tubes).

  • Surgical Transition for Transgender Women or General Transition From a Male to a Female Includes the Following Surgeries -

    • Orchiectomy (removal of the testes).

    • Penectomy (surgical removal of the penis).

    • Vaginoplasty (construction of a vaginal canal).

    • Vulvoplasty (construction of vaginal lips).

    • Clitoroplasty (building of a clitoris).

    • Breast implants.

Conclusion:

Gender dysphoria can significantly impact life, including daily activities. People with gender dysphoria may struggle because they are pressured to behave according to their sex at birth or fear being bullied or teased.

Anxiety, melancholy, self-harm, anorexia, substance abuse, and other issues are all possibilities. People with gender dysphoria frequently face discrimination, which causes stress. In addition, due to a shortage of competent care providers and a fear of stigma, accessing health and mental health treatments can be challenging.