Gender dysphoria: Psychological impact and social repercussions

Abstract

Introduction

Gender dysphoria is defined as a multisystemic medical condition in which a person has a marked mismatch between their biological sex and the gender with which they identify.

Objectives

To highlight the psychological impact and social repercussions of gender dysphoria and to discuss the different aspects of management aimed at optimising a better quality of life for these patients.

Methods

We describe the clinical cases of 5 patients followed at the child psychiatry department and the adolescent diagnostic centre of agdal, who were diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Results

Clinical vignette:

• - A.B: 15-year-old patient, followed in our training for a recurrent depressive disorder comorbid with borderline personality and gender dysphoria. This patient is a victim of school bullying altering his psychosocial functioning and generating thoughts of death.

• - H.A: 16 year old patient, followed in our training for gender dysphoria comorbid with adrenal hyperplasia, indicating feminization surgery.

• - I.D: 17 year old female patient, victim of sexual assault, admitted to our training for suicide attempt. She presents a gender dysphoria, comorbid with a borderline personality.

• - C.G: 22 year old patient, followed in our training for gender dysphoria comorbid with a panic disorder. She is a patient describing an anxious experience with dysthymia.

• - L.K: 23-year-old patient, followed in our training for gender dysphoria. He is a patient who would have been a victim of verbal and physical aggression generating a post-traumatic stress disorder having had a significant impact on his socio-professional life.

Conclusions

Primary care physicians need to be aware of gender-related disorders and the importance of early recognition of these emerging disorders. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to manage these disorders.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared