Gender dysphoria is mental distress caused by mismatch between gender identity and the sex someone was assigned at birth.
Regardless of severity, gender transition is the evidence-based treatment to ease gender dysphoria.
See also: List of transgender-related topics
Diagnostic criteria[]
A marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and natal gender of at least 6 months in duration, as manifested by at least two of the following:
A. A marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and primary and/or secondary sex characteristics (or in young adolescents, the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)
B. A strong desire to be rid of one’s primary and/or secondary sex characteristics because of a marked incongruence with one’s experienced/expressed gender (or in young adolescents, a desire to prevent the development of the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)
C. A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender
D. A strong desire to be of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s designated gender)
E. A strong desire to be treated as the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s designated gender)
F. A strong conviction that one has the typical feelings and reactions of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s designated gender)
The condition is associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Specify if:
A. The condition exists with a disorder of sex development. B. The condition is post-transitional, in that the individual has transitioned to full-time living in the desired gender (with or without legalization of gender change) and has undergone (or is preparing to have) at least one sex-related medical procedure or treatment regimen—namely, regular sex hormone treatment or gender reassignment surgery confirming the desired gender (e.g., penectomy, vaginoplasty in natal males; mastectomy or phalloplasty in natal females).
Treatment[]
Medical treatment[]
Gender-affirming care eases gender dysphoria to help transgender people live daily lives while expressing themselves in a way that matches their authentic sense of self. It involves gender transition.
In children and teens, gender-affirming care is typically limited to counseling as needed and the provision of hormone blockers to prevent puberty. There is clear evidence that gender-affirming care is associated with better mental health outcomes in transgender youth.[1][2] A 2020 literature review found that hormone blockers are associated with decreased suicidality, improved psychological functioning, and improved social life.[3]
Many medical societies have published guidelines for providing age-appropriate care[4][5] and issued position statements supporting trans healthcare.[6][7]
In late teen years or adulthood, transgender people may choose to start hormone replacement therapy and consider gender-affirming surgery.
Denial of care can have severe consequences on mental health.[8] Double-blind studies are not used due to the harms of failure to provide care.
Supportive environment[]
Family members cannot choose whether a loved one is transgender, but they can choose to be supportive.
A meta-analysis found that in transgender youth, "Resilience-promoting factors for mental health were also documented, including parent connectedness, social support, school safety and belonging, and the ability to use one’s chosen name."[9]
Conversion therapy and pseudoscience[]
While conversion therapy has been used to attempt to "cure" transgender people, there is no quality evidence for its success. (Overlapping reports suggest some in fact were "cured" several times, implying that these individuals were not cured at all.)
A study of over 27,000 transgender adults found that conversion therapy was linked to suicide attempts and having experienced severe psychological distress during the previous month.[10]
Most medical professionals now consider conversion therapy to be abusive and dangerous.[11] Despite the science, conversion therapy is still practiced in some places today.[12]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ What the Science on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Kids Really Shows
- ↑ Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care
- ↑ Review: Puberty blockers for transgender and gender diverse youth—a critical review of the literature
- ↑ Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents
- ↑ Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons: An Endocrine Society* Clinical Practice Guideline, Endocrine Society
- ↑ Resolution on Supporting Sexual/Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents in Schools, American Psychological Association
- ↑ Position Statement on Treatment of Transgender (Trans) and Gender Diverse Youth, American Psychiatric Association
- ↑ A flawed agenda for trans youth, Lancet
- ↑ Risk and Resilience Factors for Mental Health among Transgender and Gender Nonconforming (TGNC) Youth: A Systematic Review
- ↑ Turban JL, Beckwith N, Reisner SL, Keuroghlian AS. Association Between Recalled Exposure to Gender Identity Conversion Efforts and Psychological Distress and Suicide Attempts Among Transgender Adults. JAMA Psychiatry. 2020;77(1):68–76. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.2285
- ↑ Facts about “Conversion Therapy”, American Psychological Organization
- ↑ A systematic review of the prevalence of lifetime experience with ‘conversion’ practices among sexual and gender minority populations, 2023