Symptoms of Gender Dysphoria
DSM-5 states that the initial condition for the identification of gender dysphoria in both adults and teenagers is a noticeable incongruence between the gender the patient believes they are, and what society perceives them to be. This disparity should be ongoing for at least 6 months and should consist of 2 or more of the subsequent criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 2013):
- Noticeable incongruence between the gender that the patient sees themselves are, and what their classified gender assignment
- An intense need to do away with his or her primary or secondary sex features (or, in the case of young teenagers, to avert the maturity of the likely secondary features)
- An intense desire to have the primary or secondary sex features of the other gender
- A deep desire to transform into another gender
- A profound need for society to treat them as another gender
- A powerful assurance of having the characteristic feelings and responses of the other gender
- The second necessity is that the condition should be connected with clinically important distress, or affects the individual significantly socially, at work, and in other import areas of life.
Epidemiology
The DSM-5 indicates that the prevalence of gender dysphoria is 0.005-0.014% for adult born as males, whereas it is 0.002-0.003% for adult born as females (American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013). Among children, it is higher in those born as boys, where it is 2-4.5 times greater than those born as girls. Among teenagers, there is no real difference, between males and females.
Prognosis
Current case reports offer no evidence that psychotherapy offers total and long-standing about face of cross-gender identity. It is important to state that all transsexuals are not the same, and thus are not part of a uniform group. Early diagnosis and treatment decreases the chance for individuals to suffer depression, emotional agony, and to attempt suicide. It is equally significant to state that gender dysphoria is not identical to homosexuality. Each individual goes through a unique change, some may want a short-term change, and be content with cross-dressing, while others may desire a complete change, and seek gender assignment surgery (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2013). Those who are born having ambiguous genitalia may meet the criteria for the identification of gender dysphoria.