Gender Dysphoria is a complex condition in which a person feels an inner conflict between their assigned gender, and the gender they identify with. People with gender dysphoria tend to be uncomfortable with their bodies or their expected gender roles – this often heightens during puberty.

Gender dysphoria affects everyone differently. While some people combat it with transitioning medically, by use of hormone treatments and/or sex-change surgeries, others may feel satisfied by only transitioning socially to those around them. Other people may find ways to express their identified or desired gender through means of cross-dressing or picking up mannerisms associated with the other gender.

Some people confuse gender nonconformity with dysphoria. These aren’t the same! Gender nonconformity is the expression of non-typical gender norms by an individual. There are many – take Youtube sensation Miles Jay, for example – who are comfortable with their assigned genders and display opposite gender norms. An example would be a man – who is comfortable with his male identity – who loves to paint his nails and wear heels.

Signs of Dysphoria

Though cross-gender behavior can begin as early as age two, early symptoms of gender dysphoria typically begin at age 4 and worsen during puberty (or later). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) provides a list of signs that an individual may have gender dysphoria. Those with gender dysphoria have at least two of the following symptoms over a six-month timespan:

In Adults

• Misalignment between experienced gender and given sex characteristics (primary and/or secondary).
• A strong desire to get rid of given sex characteristics
• A strong desire to attain the sex characteristics of another gender
• Strong desires to be and be treated as another gender
• A strong conviction that one has feelings/reactions of another gender (“thinking like a boy/girl”)
• High levels of distress
• Inability to function in relationships, school or home life

In Children

• Misalignment between experienced gender and given sex characteristics (primary and/or secondary).
• A desire to be of the other gender/insisting that they are the other gender
• Strong preference for clothes typical of the opposite gender
• Strong preference for opposite gender roles in make-believe/fantasy play
• Strong preference for toys that are typically used by another gender
• Strong preference for playmates of the other gender
• Rejection of toys/activities typical of one’s assigned gender
• Dislike of one’s own sexual anatomy
• A desire for the physical characteristics that match the child’s experienced gender

Keep in mind that some of these symptoms are common in many children who grow up without dysphoria. It is not strange for a child to play around with gender and cross-dress or play with toys typical of the opposite gender. Many LGBT individuals have memories of doing things like this in their childhoods because cross-gender behavior is a common sign for non-heterosexual attraction later in life. These behaviors must be combined with point one – the misalignment between experienced gender and given sex characteristics – to be considered signs of gender dysphoria.

Effects

Gender dysphoria itself can be horrible to deal with. But it is the deterioration of mental health due to social non-acceptance that makes it deadly.

Those who suffer from gender dysphoria often experience high levels of isolation and victimization by the general public. Many individuals who display signs of gender dysphoria experience negatively affected relationships with friends and family. This behavior toward those who suffer – as well as the trans community as a whole – leads to increased risk for self-harm and suicide.

Many people with gender dysphoria may have coexisting disorders, such as an anxiety disorder, depression or addiction.

Treatment

There is a range of options for treating gender dysphoria. These options include but are not limited to:

• Counseling

  • This is something that is beneficial on its own and in combination with other treatments. Family therapy is recommended for children, while adults can benefit from individual or couples counseling.

• Hormone therapy

  • This involves using male or female-typical hormones to help an individual develop secondary sex characteristics typical of the opposite gender.

• Puberty suppression

  • This type of chemical therapy prevents the onset of puberty in a child in order to prevent their unwanted secondary sex characteristics from developing, as well as to give the individual time to make a decision on transitioning.

• Gender reassignment surgery

  • This is the most physically invasive option. Gender reassignment involves surgically removing male or female-typical sex features and/or constructing and implanting new ones that fall in line with an individual’s desired gender.

It is important to look at each option carefully with a mental health professional because not everyone with gender dysphoria is the same! Some people use one kind of treatment to relieve their dysphoria, while others use a number of them! Sometimes, after time and counseling, some people decide not to transition at all. According to Debrah Soh, a neuroscience researcher from York University in Toronto, 60-90% of gender dysphoric children do not transition after reaching puberty.

We hope this article taught you a little something about gender dysphoria! This was a brief and simple look at a complex subject that affects thousands of people. If you have anything you would like to add to the conversation, send us your thoughts in the comments section down below. Psych2Go would love to hear from you!