Definition and Introduction
Gender dysphoria refers to a person’s sense of unease due to given psychological distress influenced by incongruence and mismatching gender identity properties and characteristics of biological sex. Experiences of intense unease, discomfort or dissatisfaction, depression, and anxiety while influencing a harmful effect on individuals’ daily lives (Garg et al., 2022). Persons with this condition strongly desire to live a life that matches or expresses their gender identity. To achieve this, they change their ways of looking and behavior. Some individuals experiencing gender dysphoria may consider using hormones and surgery to express their gender identities. Even though it is not a mental illness, some persons may develop mentally-related health challenges due to gender dysphoria.
Background Information
Gender dysphoria syndrome’s proposal first occurred in 1973 as a biological condition encompassing transsexualism alongside other gender identity disorders. It enabled a description of dissatisfaction of conflict between assigned sex and gender identity. The diagnosis of transsexualism first appeared in 1980, coupled with increased attention to transgender personnel. Scientific and biological research was later upheld by the World Health Organization in 1990. Genetics, environmental factors, and hormonal influences during prenatal development determined causal agents. Gender dysphoria’s onset occurs during the early childhood of an individual. Personnel begins to experience discomfort and distress feelings against their assigned gender.
Relation of Gender Dysphoria to Biology:
Gender dysphoria is an integral facet of modern human biology derived from the brain’s sexual differentiation. The condition incorporates individuals’ reports of discomfort with their surrounding prejudice impacting their mental health immensely. The genetic influences on brain and gonadal development establish a relating clinical condition. An abnormal biological process encircling mutations in particular genes triggers abnormal gonadal development (Tamminga, 2022). This results in the presentation of indifferent gonads by certain fetuses. Also, some fetuses may biologically get reassigned to the default female sex at birth. Disparities in genetic influences display a relationship to an increased likelihood of gender dysphoria diagnosis. Persons with androgen insensitivity syndrome experience gender dysphoria. Besides, neuronal signaling pathways and brain anatomy closely align with the perceived gender identity of an individual. Individuals who present discordant brain and gonadal development experience psychological complexities contributing to unease and dissatisfaction with their biological sex.
Symptoms and Treatment:
People undergoing the conditions of gender dysphoria are prospective to sense intensely uncomfortable and distressed with their assigned gender (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022). They exhibit the desire no longer to possess the primary sex characteristics of this gender. These individuals desire to get treatment as the opposite gender alongside having the secondary and primary sex characteristics of their preferred gender identity. They consistently insist that belonging to a different gender is incomparable to their birth-assigned sex. Also, victims of this condition wear clothes typically associated with the opposite gender and prefer cross-sex roles. They may simultaneously experience low self-esteem, neglect themselves, take unnecessary risks, and become withdrawn or socially isolated. Generally, groups of people likely to experience gender dysphoria are gay, lesbian, straight, or bisexual.
The treatment of gender dysphoria is significantly individual based on their unique needs. It fosters assisting the person’s potential to explore their gender identity. Such treatments allow individuals to express their gender in ways corresponding to their internal sense of gender. The effective interventions may include taking medical steps of physically changing their body, using diverse pronouns and names, and dressing in alignment with their gender identity fundamentally achieved by counseling. The technique of hormone therapy encompassing masculinizing and feminizing hormones that minimize secondary sex characteristics relieves the victims from gender dysphoria. Additionally, gender reassignment surgery changes a victim’s body contour, facial features, and external and internal genitalia as vital mechanisms for gender dysphoria (National Health Service, 2020).
References
Garg, Elshimy, & Marwaha, (2022). Gender Dysphoria. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532313/
Mayo Clinic Staff, (2022). Gender Dysphoria. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gender-dysphoria/symptoms-causes/syc-20475255
National Health Service, (2020). Gender Dysphoria Overview. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gender-dysphoria/#:~:text=Gender%20dysphoria%20is%20a%20term,harmful%20impact%20on%20daily%20life.
Tamminga, (2022). Shared Psychosis. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/schizophrenia-and-related-disorders/shared-psychosis
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