Gender dysphoria: symptoms and treatment

Gender dysphoria consists of a disconnect between the sex with which the person is born and his or her gender identity, that is, the person who is born with a male sex, but has an internal feeling as female and vice versa. In addition, the person with gender dysphoria may also feel that they are neither male nor female, that they are a combination of the two, or that their gender identity changes.

Thus, people with gender dysphoria, feel trapped in a body that they do not consider to be their own, manifesting feelings of anguish, suffering, anxiety, irritability, or even depression.

Treatment consists of psychotherapy, hormonal therapy, and in more extreme cases, surgery to change the sex.

What symptoms

Gender dysphoria usually develops around 2 years of age, however, some people may only recognize feelings of gender dysphoria when they reach adulthood.

1. Symptoms in children

Children with gender dysphoria usually have the following symptoms:

• They want to wear clothes made for children of the opposite sex; They insist that they belong to the opposite sex; They pretend that they are of the opposite sex in various situations; They like to play with toys and games associated with the other sex more; They show negative feelings towards their genitals; They avoid playing with other children of the same sex; They prefer to have playmates of the opposite sex;

In addition, children can also avoid play characteristic of the opposite sex, or if the child is female, she may urinate standing up or urinating while sitting, if it is a boy.

2. Symptoms in adults

Some people with gender dysphoria only recognize this problem when they are adults, and may start by wearing women's clothing, and only then realize that they have gender dystrophy, however it should not be confused with transvestism. In transvestism, men generally feel sexual excitement when wearing clothes of the opposite sex, which does not imply that they have an internal feeling of belonging to that sex.

In addition, some people with gender dysphoria may marry, or do some activity characteristic of their own sex, to mask these feelings and deny feelings of wanting to belong to another sex.

People who only recognize gender dysphoria in adulthood may also develop symptoms of depression and suicidal behaviors, and anxiety for fear of not being accepted by family and friends.

How the diagnosis is made

When this problem is suspected, you should go to a psychologist to make an assessment based on the symptoms, which usually only takes place after 6 years of age.

The diagnosis is confirmed in cases where people have felt for 6 months or more that their sexual organs are not compatible with their gender identity, having an aversion to their anatomy, feeling extreme anguish, losing desire and motivation to perform the tasks of the day by day, feeling the desire to get rid of the sexual characteristics that start to appear at puberty and believing to be of the opposite sex.

What to do to deal with dysphoria

Adults with gender dysphoria who do not have feelings of anguish and who are able to make their daily lives without suffering, usually do not need treatment. However, if this problem causes a lot of suffering in the person, there are several forms of treatment such as psychotherapy or hormonal therapy, and in more severe cases, surgery for sex change, which is irreversible.

1. Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy consists of a series of sessions, accompanied by a psychologist or a psychiatrist, in which the goal is not to change the person's feeling about their gender identity, but rather to deal with the suffering caused by the anguish of feeling in a body that is not yours or does not feel accepted by society.

2. Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy consists of therapy based on drugs containing hormones that alter secondary sexual characteristics. In the case of men, the medicine used is a female hormone, estrogen, which causes breast growth, a decrease in penis size and an inability to maintain an erection.

In the case of women, the hormone used is testosterone, which causes more hair to grow around the body, including the beard, changes in the distribution of fat throughout the body, changes in the voice, which becomes more serious and changes in body odor.

3. Gender change surgery

Gender change surgery is done with the aim of adapting the physical characteristics and genitals of the person with gender dysphoria, so that the person can have the body with which they feel comfortable. This surgery can be performed on both sexes, and consists of building a new genitalia and removing other organs.

In addition to surgery, hormonal treatment and psychological counseling must also be carried out beforehand, in order to confirm that the new physical identity is really appropriate for the person. Find out how and where this surgery is done.

Transsexuality is the most extreme form of gender dysphoria, with the majority being biologically male, who identifies with the female sex, who develop feelings of disgust towards their sexual organs.