If you have a feeling of unease when it comes to your gender, you may have gender dysphoria. This means there may be a mismatch between your gender identity and biological sex. It is important that you receive therapy for this as this can lead to many problems. Keep reading to learn what happens if you do not get therapy, and how therapy can benefit you.
Symptoms of Gender Dysphoria
Having gender dysphoria can cause depression and high anxiety. Depression can cause you to not care about things you once did, have no energy, and experience feelings of sadness for no apparent cause. High anxiety levels often go along with depression. This can cause your heart to race and make you feel tense, restless, and nervous. You may feel a sense of doom or panic or that something dangerous is going to happen. You may start to sweat and/or feel tired and weak. You may find it hard to concentrate on things.
Both depression and high anxiety can disrupt your daily life. If you are attending school, your schoolwork will be affected. If you have a job, your job will be affected. Because you are depressed, you may not care what happens to you. You may feel shameful for the way you feel or may even become violent.
Gender-Affirming Therapist
A gender-affirming therapist specializes in treating individuals that have problems with dysphoria, as well as other gender problems. They can counsel you individually. They may also suggest group counseling so you can be with other people that have the same problems as you. The therapist may suggest that you have family counseling at some point.
The main goal of a gender-affirming therapist is to help you accept the way you are feeling. They help you know that what you are feeling is not shameful in any way. They will go over the emotional and mental impacts of the way you are feeling and help you deal with them. Exactly how they will treat you will depend on your personal situation.
The therapist may choose psychotherapy as a way to help you. Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy. You will sit down and speak to the therapist and tell them how you are feeling. The therapist can then take steps to help you. The gender-affirming therapist can also help you get in touch with advocacy groups that may be set up in your area.
Talk with a gender-affirming therapist to learn more.
