Gender dysphoria is a subject that's been propelled into the news over the last few years, particularly through the transformation of Olympian medalist Bruce Jenner into media personality and commentator Caitlyn Jenner and the ongoing debates over who should be allowed to use what restrooms.
While all of the publicity hasn't been positive, to say the least, it has made more people with the condition aware that they aren't alone.
Should You Seek Counseling For Gender Dysphoria?
Anyone with gender dysphoria should consider counseling. Treatment is not designed to change your mind about how you feel about your biological gender -- instead, the aim is to learn to cope with the feelings of distress or frustration that comes from feeling like you're in a body of the wrong gender.
People who identify themselves as transgendered, or emotionally and psychologically different than their birth gender, have an incredibly high rate of suicide attempts -- as many as 40% have attempted self-harm at some point in their lives. However, underneath that statistic is a disturbing reality -- most of those who try to kill themselves aren't acting out of mental illness. Instead, they're reacting to a smothering societal pressure to conform to their birth gender, fear of rejection by family and friends, discrimination that they can face at work, home, and in daily life, and an internalized sense that they are somehow "wrong" for being who they are.
What Can Counseling Do For You?
You and your therapist are ultimately in control of what counseling can do for you. One of the first things your therapist is likely to do is to try to find out your short-term and long-term goals regarding your situation. Ultimately, your goals may include several different stages:
- Self-acceptance regarding your gender identity
- Resolving any personal questions you have about whether or not you are somehow "defective" for feeling the way that you do
- Addressing issues of co-dependency that may be keeping you from adopting your preferred gender identity
- Learning how to approach the subject with relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and employers if you decide to transition to your preferred gender
- Learning how to handle the emotional backlash that may come if any of those people aren't supportive or accepting of your transition
- Dealing with the anxiety that you may feel when you first begin to publicly adopt the clothing, hair, accessories, and mannerisms customary to your preferred gender.
Counseling for gender identity issues can be done both individually and in group therapy. Many people with gender dysphoria find solace through connecting with others who have been where they are now or people who are going through similar steps.
For more information about how counseling can help you cope with gender dysphoria and move forward, talk to a therapist today. Check out a website like http://livinghopeclinic.org for more information and assistance.
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