SHARE YOUR OPINION ON: Gender Dysphoria (Transgenderism) - Mental Illness or No?

[vegas giants]

"Disorder" and "illness" both suggest that something is wrong, and it can be fixed. Correct?

When it's mental, the fix is what? Drugs? Counseling? Therapy? Combinations?

Question is, is Transgenderism a mental "problem", or a physical "problem"? Or neither? Or both?

The "fix" is the distress that is felt by the patient. The distress is the problem. They are going thru a tough time by every standard. Whether they choose transition or not they may need help with the distress they feel. That is the purpose of the diagnostic label. It is to help people....not stigmatize them

 

[Renae]

The "fix" is the distress that is felt by the patient. The distress is the problem. They are going thru a tough time by every standard. Whether they choose transition or not they may need help with the distress they feel. That is the purpose of the diagnostic label. It is to help people....not stigmatize them

The problem is too many people latch on to what they want to hear or see and ignore the reality.

 

[vegas giants]

The problem is too many people latch on to what they want to hear or see and ignore the reality.

I agree completely. It would be pretty surprising to me if a person did not feel distress with Gender Dysphoria (though some may not) because of how they are treated by society. This does not happen in every culture by the way. But ours is cruel in this area.

 

[CLAX1911]

Trying to get some different opinions and arguments on whether or not people think Gender Dysphoria (transgenderism) is a mental illness or not. I'd love to hear what everyone has to think!

Based on the simplest definition of mental illness I would say yes gender dysphoria is a mental illness. Transgenderism I'm not sure about.

 

[CLAX1911]

The "fix" is the distress that is felt by the patient. The distress is the problem. They are going thru a tough time by every standard. Whether they choose transition or not they may need help with the distress they feel. That is the purpose of the diagnostic label. It is to help people....not stigmatize them

Of course it's to help people or even give them the means to help themselves.

It's simply something a person needs to address to alleviate suffering.

 

[maquiscat]

Actually I must disagree. I am also a therapist with almost 30 years experience though I do not specialize in trans issues. The diagnosis Gender Dysphoria DSM-5 302.85 (F64.9) is a mental disorder. (I will not quibble with the word illness). But we should be clear it is about the DISTRESS felt by the patient about their gender incongruity. No one is suggesting treatment should be to get the patient to feel comfortable with the gender assigned at birth but simply to help them with the distress they currently feel and aid them with transition if they so choose. I also understand the politics of requiring making this a disorder so that insurance will pay for counseling during trainsition. But it is a disorder. I don't mean to imply that it should come with any stigma.....it should not. But we need to be accurate about the terms we use.

I don't think you are actuallly disagreeing. CC mentioned specifically that transgenderism is not a disorder and you specified that Gender Dysphoria is. But as I pointed out, while Gender Dysphoria is typically the indicator by which a person discovers they are transgendered, they remain a transgender even after the dysphoria has been resolved.

 

[graeme104]

I think it is a kind of mental illness. People who are trans are born that way and don't "choose" to be the other gender.

 

[vegas giants]

I don't think you are actuallly disagreeing. CC mentioned specifically that transgenderism is not a disorder and you specified that Gender Dysphoria is. But as I pointed out, while Gender Dysphoria is typically the indicator by which a person discovers they are transgendered, they remain a transgender even after the dysphoria has been resolved.

On second reading perhaps you are correct

 

[maquiscat]

I think it is a kind of mental illness. People who are trans are born that way and don't "choose" to be the other gender.

The lack of choosing to be that way does not make it a mental illness either. Otherwise we could classify many other conditions as illnesses and disorders and such, such as left handedness.

 

[RAMOSS]

No. There are specific criteria that must be met to qualify for a mental disorder. We almost all feel EVERY mental illness symptom at some point in our lives (even hallucinations and delusions) but that does not qualify us for the disorder. They must be of a certain intensity and duration to qualify for the disorder. Disorder is the clinical term. Illness follows the medical model and is really just a term for laymen.

It really sucks that people have so much stigma about having a mental health disorder. This does not happen for physical health.

I see plenty of evidence that many mental health disorders are biochemical in nature, and therefore I would consider it part of physical health.

 

[vegas giants]

I see plenty of evidence that many mental health disorders are biochemical in nature, and therefore I would consider it part of physical health.

But until that can be proven you just have a theory. There are no medical tests for mental health disorders

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

Actually I must disagree. I am also a therapist with almost 30 years experience though I do not specialize in trans issues. The diagnosis Gender Dysphoria DSM-5 302.85 (F64.9) is a mental disorder. (I will not quibble with the word illness). But we should be clear it is about the DISTRESS felt by the patient about their gender incongruity. No one is suggesting treatment should be to get the patient to feel comfortable with the gender assigned at birth but simply to help them with the distress they currently feel and aid them with transition if they so choose. I also understand the politics of requiring making this a disorder so that insurance will pay for counseling during trainsition. But it is a disorder. I don't mean to imply that it should come with any stigma.....it should not. But we need to be accurate about the terms we use.

You're not disagreeing with me. GDD IS a mental disorder. I completely agree with that and have said so many times. Transsexuality is NOT a mental disorder. Being transsexual can often lead to GDD, but in and of itself is not a mental illness.

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

No. There are specific criteria that must be met to qualify for a mental disorder. We almost all feel EVERY mental illness symptom at some point in our lives (even hallucinations and delusions) but that does not qualify us for the disorder. They must be of a certain intensity and duration to qualify for the disorder. Disorder is the clinical term. Illness follows the medical model and is really just a term for laymen.

It really sucks that people have so much stigma about having a mental health disorder. This does not happen for physical health.

In bold. DON'T get me started on that one. I could rant about that issue for days... and sometimes do outside of DP.

 

[William Rea]

But until that can be proven you just have a theory. There are no medical tests for mental health disorders

Potential problems?

1. You appear to be looking for proof. As far as I am aware medicine works with the best available evidence.

2. There are numerous tests for mental health disorders that even I as a layman am aware of. These are even listed as criteria for recognising a condition.

3. You are implying that mental health disorders are not a product of physical processes that we could investigate.

 

[William Rea]

You're not disagreeing with me. GDD IS a mental disorder. I completely agree with that and have said so many times. Transsexuality is NOT a mental disorder. Being transsexual can often lead to GDD, but in and of itself is not a mental illness.

As you know CC, I am simply a layman on this but, it appears to me that the intent of the reclassification was actually to ring fence 'transexualism' away from the broader classification of 'dual role transvestism' particularly because of the physical evidence and the dysphoria.

I believe that a transexual would actually be quite upset to be diagnosed as a dual role transvestite.

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

As you know CC, I am simply a layman on this but, it appears to me that the intent of the reclassification was actually to ring fence 'transexualism' away from the broader classification of 'dual role transvestism' particularly because of the physical evidence and the dysphoria.

I believe that a transexual would actually be quite upset to be diagnosed as a dual role transvestite.

There were a few reasons, and the one that you mention was a key one. However, an even more important one was to eliminate the pathologicalizing of transsexuality in and of itself but to classify the distress of the experience of being a transsexual as being severe enough to be defined as a disorder. I know that when GID was eliminated and replaced by GDD, I was EXTRAORDINARILY happy as it finally correctly defined what was happening. I used to HATE having to give people the GID diagnosis.

 

[vegas giants]

Potential problems?

1. You appear to be looking for proof. As far as I am aware medicine works with the best available evidence.

2. There are numerous tests for mental health disorders that even I as a layman am aware of. These are even listed as criteria for recognising a condition.

3. You are implying that mental health disorders are not a product of physical processes that we could investigate.

Please list a medical test that is used by the DSM 5 (the manual used for psychiatric diagnosis) to make a mental health diagnosis

 

[vegas giants]

You're not disagreeing with me. GDD IS a mental disorder. I completely agree with that and have said so many times. Transsexuality is NOT a mental disorder. Being transsexual can often lead to GDD, but in and of itself is not a mental illness.

I agree. The poll is is based on a false premise. It suggests that GDD is transgenderism which is false as you stated.

 

[CLAX1911]

But until that can be proven you just have a theory. There are no medical tests for mental health disorders

There are no medical tests but this isn't in the realm of medicine per se. It's in the realm of psychiatry. There are tests to determine mental illness. It is well-defined what a mental illness is. It's a behavior or thought pattern which what causes pain or suffering or inability to function in normal life. Which is open to a lot of interpretation. What may cause you pain suffering and inability to function in normal life may not cause me those same things so it needs to be determined on an individual basis who has a mental illness.

 

[vegas giants]

There are no medical tests but this isn't in the realm of medicine per se. It's in the realm of psychiatry. There are tests to determine mental illness. It is well-defined what a mental illness is. It's a behavior or thought pattern which what causes pain or suffering or inability to function in normal life. Which is open to a lot of interpretation. What may cause you pain suffering and inability to function in normal life may not cause me those same things so it needs to be determined on an individual basis who has a mental illness.

There are many psych tests. They are not used to conclusively make a diagnosis without a clinical interview. They are not even required in the DSM 5 for a diagnosis

 

[CLAX1911]

There are many psych tests. They are not used to conclusively make a diagnosis without a clinical interview. They are not even required in the DSM 5 for a diagnosis

Well obviously not. Tests only give a basis to go on. It isn't like medicine.

Again it is based on an individual basis. Which is why mostpsychological treatment doesn't occur in a hospital type environment.

 

[William Rea]

Please list a medical test that is used by the DSM 5 (the manual used for psychiatric diagnosis) to make a mental health diagnosis

PHQ-9.

I'll ignore the goal post move on DSM 5.

I'll come back to the other points.

 

[William Rea]

I agree. The poll is is based on a false premise. It suggests that GDD is transgenderism which is false as you stated.

It also assumes Transgender is synonymous with Transexual.

 

[vegas giants]

PHQ-9.

I'll ignore the goal post move on DSM 5.

I'll come back to the other points.

Diagnostic criteria is lisetd in the DSM 5. Which one requires the PHQ?

 

[Scrabaholic]

The OP seems to have disappeared. 10 posts and all in this thread, none since the first day, Sept. 3.