Gender-nonconformity is getting more and more attention as our societies develop. It’s a common theme with the LGBTQIA+ community, but isn’t this something that happens when we’re younger? Not always! Gender identity can be fluid throughout our entire lives. Clinically, we call this gender dysphoria.
Gender dysphoria is a sensation or feeling of discomfort that occurs in people who identify with a gender that’s different from their assigned sex. It can start in childhood and continue into adolescence or adulthood, but late-onset gender dysphoria exists, too.
If you’re feeling disconnected from your sexual identity, read on to discover more information about the symptoms and options for support.
Symptoms of Late-Onset Gender Identity Crisis
Our gender identity refers to an identification with our sex. Gender dysphoria is essentially when someone feels as if they are in the wrong body or don’t identify with the gender we assigned them at birth. This leads to identities like transgender, genderfluid, or gender non-conforming, though not everyone with these identities experiences gender dysphoria.
They may diagnose you with gender dysphoria if you experience two or more of these symptoms:
Intense desire to be a different gender
Strong desire to be treated as a gender other than the one designated at birth
Incongruence between your experienced or expressed gender and your sexual characteristics
The desire for the sexual characteristics of a different gender
Want to rid yourself of sexual characteristics because they’re incongruent with your experienced or expressed gender
A conviction that you have the reactions and feelings of a gender other than your assigned gender
Preference for cross-sex roles
Wearing clothes associated with a different gender
It’s possible that late-onset gender dysphoria results from repressed dysphoria in childhood or adolescence. The dysphoria can also regress and recur. Diagnosing gender dysphoria in adults requires significant distress or impairment of social, work, and other areas of life. To be diagnosed, these feelings must be consistent for at least six months.
Support for Gender Dysphoria
We’re working more and more every day to support those who confront gender dysphoria. It’s highly individual, so the required support differs based on each person’s unique needs. Support focuses on helping them explore their identity, allowing them to express their gender, and honoring different names or pronouns as requested.
Coping with Gender Dysphoria
Experiencing a gender identity crisis can be disorienting. There are things you can do in order to help yourself through it. Some healthy coping mechanisms include:
Utilizing practices that help affirm your identity, like breast binding or genital tucking
Prioritizing your self-care and emotional wellness to help you feel good about your body
Affirming your identity by wearing certain clothes, adjusting your hair, or requesting that people use affirming pronouns when speaking with you
Planning for any medical transitions, legal changes (like name changes), and researching the steps you can take to work toward your long-term goals
Therapy for Gender Identity Crisis
The help of a professional therapist provides immense support to people who experience this dysphoria. Counseling can help you feel more secure in their identity and comfortable with your feelings. Therapy might also include relationship counseling with family members, partners, and friends to help them better understand your experience. This becomes essential when establishing social and peer support while providing affirmation.
Some things we might explore during psychotherapeutic treatment are:
Practicing self-compassion and acceptance
Exploring your gender identity
Learning stress management and coping skills
Building your support network
Helping facilitate transition if that’s an option you’re exploring
Improving relationships with your loved ones and your identity
If you’re struggling with your gender identity, reach out for support today.
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