Gender dysphoria, when you are caught in the wrong gender

If you have ever watched a drama film The Danish Girl , You may be familiar with the character Lili Elbe. Lili, played by actor Eddie Redmayne, was born a boy with the name Einar Wegener. He then grew up as a famous painter. In his 30s, he began to experience doubts because he felt uncomfortable with the gender he was born with.

The story, which is based on a true story, describes Lili's inner struggle because she is uncomfortable with her male body. He feels more comfortable as a woman. Medically, this inner struggle is known as gender dysphoria.

What is gender dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria is a condition in which a person experiences anxiety, indecision, and mental stress because they are uncomfortable with the gender they were born with. Gender dysphoria can lead to depression or the inability to carry out daily activities such as going to school, work, or socializing.

For example, a person who is born as a man feels that his true identity is a woman. On the one hand, he has male organs in general. However, on the other hand, he believes that his character and calling in life is to be a woman. Because of this discomfort, he may become extremely anxious, stressed, withdraw from social relationships, or become depressed.

Gender dysphoria is not the same as homosexuality. Homosexuality is a condition in which a person has a sexual and romantic attraction towards the same sex. A homosexual still feels comfortable with the gender he was born with.

What are the characteristics of children with gender dysphoria?

This inner struggle about gender identity can be experienced by a person even from childhood. The following are symptoms of gender dysphoria in children and adolescents.

• Girls refuse to wear skirts while boys refuse to wear pants.
• The child refuses to urinate according to their gender. Boys may prefer to urinate squatting or sitting, while girls may prefer to urinate standing up.
• Children do not like the typical games of girls or boys, he prefers the opposite.
• Children prefer to play with the opposite sex, for example girls prefer to ride bicycles and climb trees with their male friends.
• Children become more depressed when they enter puberty.
• Children cover up the body parts that indicate their gender. For example, boys shave their sideburns while girls wear loose clothes to cover their breasts.

The symptoms above will generally be experienced by children for more than six months. In the sense that the above signs are of a permanent nature, not just a momentary desire. People with gender dysphoria may also grow up harboring these inner struggles for years.

Characteristics of gender dysphoria in adults

In adults, the symptoms that may appear include the following.

• Often wear clothes or style hair like the opposite sex.
• Just feel comfortable and calm when dressing and acting like the opposite sex.
• Not willing or feeling pressured if you have to see, let alone touch your own genitals. This risks making him neglectful in maintaining personal hygiene.
• There is a need to remove or change the genitals.

What can I do to treat gender dysphoria?

If you or someone closest to you experiences symptoms of gender dysphoria, you should seek help immediately. Without other people's help, it may be difficult for you to go about your day-to-day activities and accept who you are. In addition, people in the gender dysphoria phase are very likely to experience depression, self-harm tendencies, suicidal tendencies, and other psychiatric disorders.

See a psychologist or psychiatrist who is accustomed to accepting cases of gender identity and sexuality. The treatments offered usually focus on coping with anxiety, stress, and stress. You will be taught various techniques to calm yourself down and combat negative thoughts.