Is Gender Dysphoria Caused Solely By Neurological Dysfunction?

Perhaps, you are asking yourself this question, what is gender dysphoria? I have the answer. Gender dysphoria is “ the diagnosis typically given to a person whose assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify.” However, let’s not confuse this with sexual orientation, this does not mean they are homosexual, this means they do not identify who they are as their given birth

Many experts say that gender confirmation surgery can often be vital to the health of individuals suffering from gender dysphoria; a fundamental sense of dissatisfaction with the gender one is assigned with at birth. According to a publication by the National Institutes of Health, gender dysphoria can result in psychological and mental issues such as anxiety, depression, and dissociation.

Discussion of issues related to non-normative sexual and gender identities as related to mental health began in the 19th century (Drescher, 2010). Initially medical and psychiatric providers viewed issues related to gender identity as resulting from delusional thought processes (Drescher, 2010). As a result the concept of surgery as a solution to gender identity differences was viewed as unnecessary and ultimately an incorrect form of treatment (Drescher, 2010). In 1952 the first gender reassignment surgery was performed in Denmark on an American citizen (Drescher, 2010). The publicity in the American media that followed this surgery brought the concept of gender identity to the public eye. During the 1960s research about gender identity started to develop and it was the work of Money, Stoller, Benjamin, and Green that ultimately change professional and public concept of Gender Identity (Drescher, 2010). These four individuals were among the first to conduct clinical and academic research on gender identity and gender roles (Drescher, 2010). As a result of their research beliefs about non-normative gender identity shifted from a problem of the mind to a biological disorder that was fixed and should be treated with

In class, we have learned and discussed how during the period of adolescence, it is known that this is the period of time where individuals are finding themselves and figuring out where they belong. It is during this time where individuals are the most sensitive and personal problems tend to arise more commonly during this stage. A major issue adolescents struggle during this stage is gender identity and sexuality. Adolescents are trying to figure out who they are attracted to and how they perceive themselves to be. While the norm is to identify oneself as their biological gender, there are those who develop gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a reoccurring feeling that one’s biological gender is the opposite of one’s sexual identity (Cole,

In rational, ‘transgender’ is a natural and non-judgmental word that used to describe the people who have gender identity different to the biological sex. Most of the transgender people will change their facial appearance to the opposite sex through clothing, hormonal therapies or the transsexual operation. Their appearances, behaviors and psychological attitudes are same as the normal people. However, most of the people have a stigma about their sex based on the traditional gender roles. According to the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, the distinctive mind of gender identity diagnosed as a mental disorder called gender identify disorder. However, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) mentioned that it is not a mental illness.

The patient reported that he had never felt comfortable in his own skin and was exclusively attracted to females (Bradley, S.J., Oliver, G. D., Chernick, A. B,, & Zucker, K. J., 1998). This case study displays that genetic factors have a higher effect on gender identity than modeling or parental rearing. Despite the social and environmental factors rearing her to be a girl he always showed his masculinity. This study is interesting and should also be included in transsexual studies.

The study took place over the course of five years, and the 125 participants were eighteen or older at the time of enrollment. Of the 125 participants, 66 were male-to-female transgender individuals and 59 were female-to-male transgender individuals. In order to be included in the study, all participants needed to be pre-SRS, starting or willing to start CHT, and professionally diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Researchers recorded hormone dosages and treatment lengths, and administered both the Symptom Checklist and the Body Uneasiness Test to assess levels of bodily distress. The study also included a pre-SRS control group that did not engage in CHT (Fisher et. al., 2014, p.

Gender Dysphoria is a name given to the condition of children who express a gender that is opposite of their biologically given gender. Children and teens who present and verbalize the desire to be of the opposite gender for at least six months are then diagnosed and treated medically. This issue is ethically controversial due to many parents, medical doctors, mental professionals, and myself believing that biological gender identification is not fully understood until puberty has taken place, noticing that children are exposed to transgender terminology and situations on the internet that are persuasive and confusing, and being concerned about the medications used to treat a disorder that can barely be explained and is misunderstood. Medications such as hormone blockers and opposite-sex hormones have become readily available to them without any long term testing. Not only should parents, doctors, professionals, and society be concerned about the safety of these medications, we should be asking ourselves, is gender dysphoria even a medical condition that should be treated with drugs or is it a psychological disorder that should be treated with therapy? Gender Dysphoria is a condition in children and teens that the general population does not understand, however, after doing research I believe the definition of gender dysphoria is

There’s been a lot of debate on the treatment of transgenders, in efforts to better the lives of those who suffer from gender dysphoria, both in a social and medical context. However, there isn’t much scientific understanding of the important ideas and questions that have sparked these debates. For instance, there haven’t been any explanations as to why, even after gender affirming and sex reassignment, transgenders are still at higher risks of mortality and suicidal behaviour than the general population (Dhejne et al. 2011). Despite this lack of understanding physicians and mental health care providers have arrived at a number of methods for treating individuals with gender dysphoria. One such practice is “gender-affirming,” rather than challenging, the therapist accepts

Chapter eleven focuses on sexual disorders and gender identity disorders. For this discussion I wanted to talk about gender identity disorder. For ordinary individuals they can describe themselves or identify themselves as either males or females since we are a child. But, there are some individuals who do not experienced this type of clarity. For some individuals it is a sense that their identity is different from the gender category which they were born with or that it is something that lies outside of the usual male versus female categories. These individuals are known as transgender experiences. It is something that we are seeing more and more of in society today. Many of these transgender individuals come to terms with themselves and they find

Kristen A. Burgess, Emory University School of Medicine and Charles F Gillespie M.D., PhD, department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, state that “gender identity disorder is a mental disorder in which gender identity is incongruent with anatomical sex”. Individuals experience different degrees of unhappiness with their sex at birth, which in turn causes them to pursue the life and body of the opposite sex (2010).

While gender dysphoria is not necessarily a mental illness in itself, more than 71% of people with gender dysphoria develop another mood disorder in their lifetime, such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, and/or suicidal thoughts (WebMD). Children are especially affected, and according to the American Psychiatric Association, many adolescents find themselves alone and rejected, and are oftentimes unable to shower or wear a bathing suit. Many even undertake self-harm behaviors. The significant distress caused by dysphoria must persist for 2 years for a diagnosis to be made and treatment to begin. Treatment usually includes a social and physical transition into the gender the patient feels that they are. A social transition almost always includes correct bathroom

Although Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and homosexuality has been in the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for many years, I was personally unaware of the controversy that surrounded it. I realized that I needed to educate myself in the issues and changes that have occurred in the DSM regarding GID and homosexuality over the years.

Gender diverse people experience stigma and discrimination in many areas of their lives, including legal, societal, and medical (J. M. Grant et al., 2011; Grossman & D’Augelli, 2006; Robinson, Bansel, Denson, Ovenden, & Davies, 2014). An examination of attitudes towards transgender people in 1966 found that a majority of medical professionals agreed with the statement that gender diverse people were “severely neurotic” (Norton & Herek, 2013). Throughout the fifty years since then, tolerance of gender diverse people has increased, but medical professionals still report levels of uncertainty about working with gender diverse patients, with only 47.1% reporting confidence in providing medical care related to gender transition (Vance, Halpern-Felsher, & Rosenthal, 2015). Studies of gender diverse adults have

Gender Identity Disorder can make a child; adolescent or adult feel awkward and alone. Gender Identity Disorder paired with either Gender Dysphoria or Transsexualism will disrupt the development of social skills and create more problems behaviorally. Normative studies present evidence of the co-morbidity through parent report data revealing that children with Gender Identity Disorder have on