Gender Dysphoria: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Gender dysphoria is defined as "being discontented with the gender one was born into". It is the principle symptom of gender identity disorder and is gaining significant attention with the increasing acceptance of publicly transgender and transsexual people into Western culture. The condition is most commonly recognized in children and young adolescents, although gender dysphoria may be identified later in life as well.

Gender Dysphoria: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment - Causes

There is no general consensus as to the causes of gender dysphoria in the medical community, although most professionals agree that there is at least some biological influence involved.

It has been suggested that Gender Dysphoria may be caused during pregnancy. During the third month of pregnancy, male embryos experience a rush of the hormone androgen. If this rush of hormones is disrupted or insufficient, the embryo may be only incompletely masculinized.

Another possible cause of gender dysphoria is unusual socialization. It is commonly believed that role models among parents and family and relationships with different masculine and feminine figures play a major role in gender identity and sexual orientation.

Gender Dysphoria: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment - Symptoms

The symptoms of gender dysphoria are all involved with wishing one could be a person of the opposite gender. These can include anxiety, depression, introvertedness, dressing as the opposite gender, expressing discontent with one's own gender and even mutilation of one's genitalia.

According to the International Classification of Diseases, in order to be diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria, or Transexualism, a patient must meet the following 3 criteria:

1. The desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex, usually accompanied by the wish to make his or her body as congruent as possible with the preferred sex through surgery and hormone treatment

2. The transsexual identity has been present persistently for at least two years

3. The disorder is not a symptom of another mental disorder or a chromosomal abnormality

Gender Dysphoria: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment - Treatment

In general, the most commonly accepted treatment for Gender Dysphoria is simply allowing the person to identify and conform to the norms of the opposite gender. This includes allowing them to dress and behave as the opposite gender and referring to the person with the appropriate pronouns (i.e. "She" instead of "He" or vice versa). In extreme cases patients may choose to under go hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgery in order to obtain the physical body of the opposite gender.

In children the standard process is to delay the onset of puberty through the use of hormones for a few years into adolescence in order to allow the child to mature mentally. If the child now has sufficient maturity, independent decision-making ability, and still identifies and wishes to become the opposite gender, gender reassignment hormone therapy may begin.

Counseling may be considered as an alternative if gender reassignment is unacceptable or if it possible that the adult or child is simply going through a "phase".