Gender identity disorder
“I don’t identify as transgender. But I’m clearly gender not-normal. I don’t think even lesbian is the right identity for me. I really don’t. I might as well come out now. I identify as tired. I’m just tired.”― Hannah Gadsby
What do you mean by gender identity disorder?
As the name signifies this disorder has a particular impact on the way a person perceives his gender. Having an inappropriate gender recognition mentally can actually impair your ability to confirm to gender norms. Gender identity disorder is a sexual disorder in which a person exhibits and persists the identification of the opposite sex and persistent discomfort with own sex and inappropriate feeling in the gender role of that sex. It also known as gender dysphoria. This type of sexual disorder is diagnosed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Common Causes
The causes behind this disorder can be biological or psychological it is because gender is controlled by hormones and inappropriate hormone secretion has an impact on gender identity. The psychological reason behind the development of this disorder can be the presence of of wrong ideal that a person is observing during the age when learn a lot from modelling. For example, a person who is the only son in a family of all females may have inappropriate models all around him to observe and learn certain characteristics from. There are common causes which specialists consider are the causes of gender identity disorder, they are the following:
- It is due to biological causes
- Effects on prenatal hormones on prenatal brain development
- Changes in brain functions
- Modeling (learning from observing others)
Common Symptoms
Following are the most common symptoms of gender identity disorder which we discussed here:
- Excessive stress
- Anxiety
- Feel discomfort in sex
- Feels like they have an opposite sex
- Feels strong identification with an opposite sex
- Faced problems at social places
Common Complications
Following are the common complications you may face if you are having a gender identity disorder:
- Relationship problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Excessive stress
- Physical and mental health problems
- Fear of being harassed and teased
- Difficulty at school or workplace
- School dropouts
- Unemployment
- Financial problems
- Self-harm activities
- Drug and alcohol abuses
- Eating disorders
- Try to suicide
What are the most common risk factors of gender identity disorder?
Following are some of the most observed risk factors of gender identity disorder:
- If you have a family ancestry of this type of disorder
- Due to some changes in brain functions leads to gender identity disorder
- You may have other mental health problems
Diagnoses
Following are the methodologies and techniques used by the doctors or psychiatrist for the diagnosis are:
- Physical examination
- Psychiatric evaluation
- Asking about the symptoms you have experience
- Diagnostic criteria from DSM-5
- Tests for hormonal balance
Treatment
Doctors can treat this type of psychological problems by the following methods and techniques which we discussed here:
- Medical treatment
Doctors will do your hormonal therapy and also surgery in case it is required and perceived important for healthy functioning.
- Behavioural treatment
Doctors can also do your behavioral treatment to diagnose your exact gender and treat you by the help of therapy.