Gender Dysphoria

WHAT IS GENDER DYSPHORIA? Gender Dysphoria is the feeling of mental distress that might occur in individuals whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth or sex-related physical traits.  GD people have a strong feeling of mismatch between their gender and their biological sex. A person having all-male physical characteristics; penis, muscular body, mustache, etc, might feel strongly that he is a female, and as such, have an intense desire to be female, dress, talk, and be accepted as one. This can be vice versa for a female. This psychological dissatisfaction of false gender can cause anxiety, severe distress, and depression. People with GD are proud to associate with persons, activities, work, and exercises of the gender they identify with. They can even change their names and prefer people using pronouns relating to their preferred gender identity when referring to them. Some people will go to the extent of changing things in their lives that will more closely align with the gender they identify with. Some may undergo medical transitions like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and gender reassignment surgery. The degree of transition differs, depending on individual desires.  Some people don’t openly admit their identity with their preferred sex, talk less of complaint about their feelings for fear of ridicule, shame, and abandonment. They don’t know who to share their feelings with, particularly the introverts. This emotional torture usually leads people with gender dysphoria to taking rash reactions encompassing alcoholism, drug addiction, and even suicide. Some Transgender Types

1. Gynephiles: Women are attracted sexually to other women.
2. Androphiles: Men sexually attracted to other men.

Cisgender people are those whose gender identity matches their sex assigned to them at birth. They are the opposite of transgender. Factors which may be responsible for gender dysphoria include:

1. Cortical thickness.
2. Phenotypes.
3. Testosterone.

COMPLICATIONS Gender dysphoria can affect many aspects of life negatively, as well as interfere with one’s daily activities.

• Impairment of Academic programs lead to dropping out of school or unemployment
• Substance abuse, eating disorders, and addiction.
• Anxiety, depression, concussion and destroy destiny
• Self sympathy and self-hate
• Self withdrawal from people (including family members and friends)
• Self-harm; suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide.
• Transfer aggression; due to the effects of harmful drugs and depressed emotional state, GD person poses a great danger to those around.
• The mental disposition of a GD person is very high.

DIAGNOSIS To test for this disorder, professionals base their facts on the following facts:

1. Behavioral health evaluation.
2. Domestic And Statistical Manual Of Medical Disorder (DSM): A publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

TREATMENT  Treatment of gender dysphoria is geared towards helping people affected to find relief from the anxiety, distress, and dissatisfaction it causes. It does not necessarily put an end to it, hence gender dysphoria can only be managed and not treated. Some management measures include: Hormone Therapy

• Oncology Hormone Therapy
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
• Androgen Replacement Therapy (ART)
• Transgender Hormone Therapy
• Oral Contraceptive Pills
• Feminizing Hormone Therapy
• Masculinizing Hormone Therapy, among others.

Surgery

• Feminizing surgery                                                                                  
• Masculinizing surgery.     

Other steps include;

• Counseling and guidance for behavioral management.
• Social support from family, friends, and peers.
• Social and community services to deal with workplace issues and minority stress.
• Legal Services such as advanced directives, living wills, or legal documentation.
• Prioritize self-care: Eat well, take plenty of water, do exercises, and relax with activities you enjoy.

A pretreatment medical evaluation is done by a medical consultant, who is an expert in transgender and intersex care before hormonal and surgical treatment is applied. Such evaluation includes:

• Personal and family history
• Physical examination
• Lab tests
• Sex and age-appropriate screening
• Check the extent of tobacco usage, alcohol, and drug abuse
• Screen for HIV and other STDs.
• Immunization status, including HPV
• History of any potentially harmful treatment.

Symptoms

SYMPTOMS OF GENDER DYSPHORIA

Gender Dysphoria usually causes adults as well as adolescents to experience:

1. A marked distinction between their inner gender identity and assigned sex, lingering at least six months, with a strong desire to get rid of the assigned sex and take up the primary and/or secondary characteristics of the other gender; a strong desire to be treated as the other gender; a strong conviction of having typical feelings and reactions of the other gender.
2. Significant discomfort, dissatisfaction, or disability in social, academic, occupational, and/or other areas of activities.
3. Lack of self-confidence.
4. Suspicion of hatred by others, due to the fear of stigma.
5. Mood disorders.
6. Depression or anxiety.
7. Social or academic problems.
8. Often starvation.

GD might be experienced right from birth and proceed to adolescence and early onset of adulthood. Some may have feelings periodically. In some cases, symptoms may seize, and then reoccur around the time of puberty or much later in life. Generally, its operation, duration, reactions, and complications differ from one individual to another.

Causes

CAUSES

In discussing gender dysphoria, it's important to briefly dwell on this topic as it relates to gender identity and transgender people.

The transgender class has a gender identity that doesn't match their assigned sex, which often results in GD. One major cause of transsexuality is brain structure differences in biological and sexual orientation. The exact cause of sexual orientation is clear, however, it is thought that it is caused by a complex interaction of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences. Environmental factors may pose a serious influence.

FAQ

Is gender dysphoria a hormonal imbalance?

GD is not caused by a hormonal imbalance. 

“We've now put to fest the residual belief that transgender experience is a result of a hormone imbalance”, said Dr. Johama Olson, of Children's Hospital, Los Angeles. “It's not”.

What are the symptoms of gender dysphoria?

Diagnosis:

When expressed gender disagrees with the primary and/or secondary characteristics.

When there is a strong to be rid of one's primary and/or secondary characteristics.

When there is a strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender.

What causes transgenderism?

Transgenderism can be caused by:

When the brain structure differences about biology and sexual inclination.

Environmental factors like where people grow up and their experiences.

Does GD run in family?

Gender dysphoria has not been confirmed to be inherited. Though some school of thoughts proposes a pretty small genetic relationship, this has not been scientifically established.

How many new genders are there?

There are many different gender identities, a number not well established. They include: 

• male, 
• female, 
• transgender, 
• non-binary gender, 
• gender neutral, 
• pangender, 
• genderqueer, 
• two-gender, 

three-gender, among others not mentioned here.