Most patients (TM: 78%; TW: 73%) reported experiencing GD for the first time between ages 3 and 7 years.
People with gender dysphoria decide which treatment options are right for them. Some are satisfied with taking hormones alone. Some are satisfied with no medical or surgical treatment but prefer to dress as the felt gender in public.
Gender dysphoria of childhood is not a surgical diagnosis. It is a medical diagnosis that does not require treatment, other than possibly individual or family therapy, until a child reaches puberty. Gender dysphoria is typically diagnosed by a therapist or other mental health professional.
No one knows exactly what causes gender dysphoria. Some experts believe that hormones in the womb, genes, and cultural and environmental factors may be involved.
Gender dysphoria is a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. This sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life.
Gender dysphoria might start in childhood and continue into adolescence and adulthood.
Hormone therapy for adults
It's important to remember that hormone therapy is only one of the treatments for gender dysphoria. Others include voice therapy and psychological support. The decision to have hormone therapy will be taken after a discussion between you and your clinic team.
Some youth find that their dysphoria abates as puberty starts, making it important to allow initial pubertal changes to occur. On the other hand, some youth may find their gender dysphoria increases with puberty, corroborating their need for further care.
For gender dysphoria to be present, a patient must have had at least two DSM-5 criteria for at least six months, and it must cause significant distress to the patient. This generally includes any of the following: a significant difference between their own experienced gender and their secondary sexual characteristics.
Around age two: Children become conscious of the physical differences between boys and girls. Before their third birthday: Most children can easily label themselves as either a boy or a girl. By age four: Most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.
The study results showed that the mean age of the transgender women's earliest general memory and first experience of gender dysphoria were 4.5 and 6.7 years, respectively. For transgender men they were 4.7 and 6.2 years, respectively.
Gender dysphoria history: Of the 55 TM patients included in our study, 41 (75%) reported feeling GD for the first time by age 7, and 53 (96%) reported first experiencing GD by age 13 (Table 2). A total of 80% of patients reported that feelings of GD were among their earliest childhood memories.
The Gender Dysphoria Test is based on a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of this psychological construct.
Stage 1 consists of the administration of puberty suppressant hormones (“puberty blockers”). This treatment suppresses the onset of puberty and physical characteristics which may be incompatible with your gender identity. Stage 1 allows young people to explore their gender identity before beginning Stage 2.
Stage 3 treatment for gender dysphoria involves surgical interventions, such as chest reconstructive surgery (or 'top surgery'), phalloplasty and hysterectomy.
Because those with untreated gender dysphoria are at risk of a variety of negative outcomes, including mood symptomatology, suicidality, substance use disorders, and other psychosocial risk factors, it is critical that health care providers are adept in the provision of holistic, patient-centered care.
A recent study investigated the volume of grey matter in individuals with GD and found that they had a smaller volume in the left posterior superior hemisphere of the cerebellum compared to male controls and a smaller volume of the right inferior orbitofrontal cortex compared to female controls.
the foetus' insensitivity to the hormones, known as androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS)(external link opens in a new window / tab) – when this happens, gender dysphoria may be caused by hormones not working properly in the womb.
A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender. A strong desire to be of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender) A strong desire to be treated as the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender)
Psychology professor Darryl Hill insists that gender dysphoria is not a mental disorder, but rather that the diagnostic criteria reflect psychological distress in children that occurs when parents and others have trouble relating to their child's gender variance.
To put in simpler terms, a person with gender dysphoria is not mentally ill; they are dissatisfied with the gender assigned at their birth. A person with body dysmorphia has a disorder in which they perceive their body or face as “ugly,” “fat,” or otherwise unattractive despite medical or personal reassurances.
Dysphoria describes an intense emotional state that can be a symptom of many mental health diagnoses. It is a profound state of dissatisfaction and unease. Many describe it as feeling unhappy or sad. Symptoms may manifest themselves in depression, anxiety, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.