I Think I Experience Gender Dysphoria

Do you struggle to accept some parts of your anatomy? Does your body feel like it isn’t quite yours? If you feel like your identity doesn’t match your biological sex, you aren’t alone. While it’s impossible to know how prevalent it is exactly, The Gender Identity and Research Education Society estimates that about 1% of people in the UK might struggle with some degree of gender dysphoria. 

What Does Gender Dysphoria Mean?

Gender dysphoria is a mismatch between biological sex and gender identity that might cause distress and lead to mental health issues.

What Is Gender Identity?

Just because you’re assigned sex at birth doesn’t mean your identity is that straightforward. You might look feminine but don’t relate to women and you might have typically male traits but don’t identify as such. While the majority of people who struggle with gender dysphoria identify as the opposite gender, a lot of people see themselves as nonbinary – neither male nor female.

How Do I Know if I Have Gender Dysphoria?

If you aren’t sure if your gender identity conflicts with your biological sex, try asking yourself the following questions:

• Do you feel the need to hide your typically male or female characteristics, such as breasts, facial hair, etc?
• Do you experience disgust or a dislike towards your genitals?
• Do you struggle to establish who you are and experience withdrawal, low self-esteem and lowered mood as a result?
• Do you dress in a way that implies that you might identify with a different gender?
• Do you fantasise about having been born as the opposite sex?

Even if you answered yes to just one of these questions, it might be a sign that you might be experiencing gender dysphoria.

How Is Gender Dysphoria Treated?

Gender dysphoria isn’t a mental illness, although it can lead to mental health issues if the dissatisfaction with assigned sex is strong enough. While a lot of people might be satisfied with changing the way they dress and act to match their gender identity, for others the only option to accept themselves is gender transitioning.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and not sure where you stand as far as your identity is concerned, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Contact My Family Psychologist to see how we can help

References:
 https://www.gires.org.uk/