Gender dysphoria - Diagnosing gender dysphoria
- Introduction
- Symptoms of gender dysphoria
- Causes of gender dysphoria
- Diagnosing gender dysphoria
- Treating gender dysphoria
- Policies and guidelines for people with gender dysphoria
- 'I just knew I was different, that my body didn't fit'
- 'Transitioning medically made me a lot happier about myself'
See your GP if you think that you or your child may have gender dysphoria. If necessary, they can refer you or your child to a specialist Gender Identity Clinic (GIC).
GICs offer expert support and help, as well assessment and diagnosis, for people with gender dysphoria.
Assessment
A diagnosis of gender dysphoria can usually be made after an in-depth assessment carried out by two or more specialists.
This may require several sessions, carried out a few months apart, and may involve discussions with people you are close to, such as members of your family or your partner.
The assessment will determine whether you have gender dysphoria and what your needs are, which could include:
- whether there is a clear mismatch between your biological sex and gender identity
- whether you have a strong desire to change your physical characteristics as a result of any mismatch
- how you are coping with any difficulties of a possible mismatch
- how your feelings and behaviours have developed over time
- what support you have, such as friends and family
The assessment may also involve a more general assessment of your physical and psychological health.
If the results of the assessment suggest you or your child have gender dysphoria, staff at the GIC will then work with you to come up with an individual treatment plan. This will include any psychological support you may need and a discussion about preliminary timescales for any medical or surgical treatment.
Read more about treating gender dysphoria.
Gender
In this article, gender refers to the feeling of being either male or female.
Gender dysphoria
A condition that describes the feeling of a mismatch between your biological sex and your gender identity.
Gender identity
Gender identity is your personal sense of knowing which gender you belong to, or the way that you see yourself.
Sex
In this article, sex refers to male or female, the biological sex that you were born with.
Transsexual
A transsexual is someone with deep and long-lasting feelings of gender dysphoria, who seeks to alter their biological sex to match their gender identity.
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