mental ill desorder

[Natkat]

You know, I'm younger than you are and didn't experience this exact thing but I did have several psychologists tell me I was mentally ill. And one did try to force me to just accept being female. And I can say with absolute certainty that the being called mentally ill as a young teen totally f**cked me up. I also felt like I was "sick" and "perverted" at various times. I had believed the bull->-bleeped-<- and thought I really was messed up in the head. It led me to want to escape reality via the only route I could find - alcohol (and later, select drugs).

So if I could say anything to a younger person who is going through this, it's question what the psychologists tell you and just because you feel trapped in your own body and that you're the wrong gender, you are not mentally ill.

since I where 8 I got told I where diffrent, but theres a pretty big line between being told your diffrent and being told your generally "sick"
I think some people belive it to be a relief to have something to blame it on, that your ill" but if you ask me I felt it pretty disturbing because you easly get to be seen less worthy, or yourself might feel your are less.
thats my experiense on that point.
--
lilacwoman: I dont understand your point in those...
in my country gay and lesbians arnt mentall illness, they got removed from that list for 30 years ago and im happy for that cause I think its normal.

[Tippe]

Dear all,

LGBT Denmark have campaigned the removal of gender variant people from the classifications of diseases for half a year now.
Studies of the impact of removing homosexuality from DSM in 1973 and from ICD in 1990 show an amazing increase in respect and rights after this event. Since gender diagnoses are coupled to civil rights such as legal gender recognition in a host of countries the removal of gender variant people from the classifications will most likely lead to improved rights.

Very recently Argentina proposed a new law removing all requirements of diagnosis or medical treatment prior to legal recognition. The law also propose allowing gender correction care with nothing but informed consent (i.e. no year long psychiatric evaluations). We believe it is no coincidence that this, the most advanced law in the world, is proposed in a country strongly represented in the movement against pathologizing transgender people.

There need to be a code to classify required treatments. The beauty of ICD is, however that several physical codes such as "N62 Hypertrophy of breast" exists already. They are used to treat people who develop biologic variations for genetic or hormonal reasons. None of them are in nature restricted to this use. This means that it is perfectly possible to provide chest surgery for a transman on the same terms and under the same diagnostic codes as it would be provided for another man who happened to develop the unwanted breasts by a hormonal imbalance.
Similar diagnoses exist for all desired treatments, which means a gender diagnosis is not required to provide treatment.

This means the main reason to retain it is to provide a means of psychiatric gatekeeping and restriction of access to treatment.
LGBT Denmark strongly opposes this and are happy to announce that Amnesty have joined our fight for removal stirring up 10.000 signatures and a big fuss in the media for the last few days



For more information see the communal statement from 37 organizations:
http://www.lgbt.dk/uploads/media/SPGV.pdf

Send me a PM if your organization wants to join



Best regards and Merry Christmas

Vibe Grevsen
LGBT Denmark

[Natkat]

its what im talking about,
however I am wondering how it will work out and so.
some people say it will be removed all to be a dignoses some say you need to get another dignose on it.

for my caise I dont care so much, as long as its not called "mentall illness." for me it just dosent sound right.
--
another thing I am alittle wondering about is sweden, I heard people saying in sweden being transexual was a mental illness, but I talked to a guy for some days ago, he said it wasnt. now he wasnt transgender but gay, but I been kinda curious how many countrys who actually do have it as mentall illness and who dosent?.

[AdamMLP]

Homosexuality and lesbianism are mental illnesses but so many legislators and teachers are G or L or B that their internalised shame made them declassify their afflictions in order to purge the guilt.

What?!  Just no.

As many G and Ls hate TS they ensured TSism was kept as a mental illness despite all evidence to the contrary.
That's my take on it anyway.

Lovely generalisation there.

[lilacwoman]

official statistics of how being LG or B causes mental health problems.

42% of gay men, 43% of lesbians and 49% of bisexual men and women have clinically recognised mental health problems compared with rates of 12% and 20% for predominantly heterosexual men and women. (16)

Gay and bisexual men are more than 7 times as likely to attempt suicide compared with the general population. (25)

this 2005 survey for UK's Dept of Health shows that taking homosexuality out of the mental illness lists doesn't take mental illness out of homosexuals.

sorry about that.

[AdamMLP]

official statistics of how being LG or B causes mental health problems.

42% of gay men, 43% of lesbians and 49% of bisexual men and women have clinically recognised mental health problems compared with rates of 12% and 20% for predominantly heterosexual men and women. (16)

Gay and bisexual men are more than 7 times as likely to attempt suicide compared with the general population. (25)

this 2005 survey for UK's Dept of Health shows that taking homosexuality out of the mental illness lists doesn't take mental illness out of homosexuals.

Having a mental health problem does not mean that homosexuality is a mental illness.  There is a major difference between the two.   White men between 15 -35 are more likely to commit suicide than other people, but does that make them mentally ill too?  No.  The likelihood is that the mental health problem that they are mostly suffering from is depression, which could be caused by the prejustice that they face by people in their daily lives, or fear of what might happen if they are found out be homo/bisexual in a bigotted area.  Take away the stresses of not conforming to the hetronormalive ideals and I bet that figure would reduce.  And then take out generally occuring mental illnesses such as bipolar, schitzophrenia, autism, etc, which occur in the general population regardless of sexuality and situation and the number will be less again.

Homosexuality is not an illness regardless of the number of homo/bisexuals who suffer from them.  There are perfectly healthy people who are not heterosexual.

I do not have depression because I am trans and not heterosexual.  I have depression because I have depression.  I attempted suicide because of it, but even then you don't need a mental illness to be suicidal.

If this isn't what you were saying then I appologise, but your blunt, not wholly clear manner makes it slightly hard to disciper the intention of your statement.

[Natkat]

official statistics of how being LG or B causes mental health problems.

42% of gay men, 43% of lesbians and 49% of bisexual men and women have clinically recognised mental health problems compared with rates of 12% and 20% for predominantly heterosexual men and women. (16)

Gay and bisexual men are more than 7 times as likely to attempt suicide compared with the general population. (25)

this 2005 survey for UK's Dept of Health shows that taking homosexuality out of the mental illness lists doesn't take mental illness out of homosexuals.

sorry about that.

the reason for so is because we live in a sociaty where its more accepting to be straight than gay, in that fact you will get into more trouble when your gay and by that you of corse also are more likely to get into trouble.

the same thing goes for transexuals, I must admid that many transexuals seam to have emotionally/socially or mental problems, but when I see or hear there storys then I understand that this isnt because they simple where transgender but for the ignorance and hate people put on them for being so.

[Arch]

Homosexuality and lesbianism are mental illnesses but so many legislators and teachers are G or L or B that their internalised shame made them declassify their afflictions in order to purge the guilt.

I'm invested in this thread and can't actively moderate here. But I really, really, REALLY suggest you rethink the wording here. Is this truly what you meant to say?

[Shana A]

Homosexuality and lesbianism are mental illnesses but so many legislators and teachers are G or L or B that their internalised shame made them declassify their afflictions in order to purge the guilt.
As many G and Ls hate TS they ensured TSism was kept as a mental illness despite all evidence to the contrary.
That's my take on it anyway.

Homosexuality hasn't been listed in the DSM since 1974, so it isn't considered a mental disorder. I personally have many L&G friends, they don't hate TG/TS, and they know that I am trans.

A reminder of Rule 10

10. Bashing or flaming of any individuals or groups is not acceptable behavior on this web site and will not be tolerated in the slightest for any reason.  This includes but is not limited to:

    Advocating the separation or exclusion of one or more group from under the Transgender umbrella term
    Suggesting or claiming that one segment or sub-segment of our community is more legitimate, deserving, or more real than any others

[ByeBye]

Transsexualism is a physical disorder. It can however spark mental disorder because of dissatisfaction with one's own body.

[Felix]

Homosexuality and lesbianism are mental illnesses but so many legislators and teachers are G or L or B that their internalised shame made them declassify their afflictions in order to purge the guilt.
As many G and Ls hate TS they ensured TSism was kept as a mental illness despite all evidence to the contrary.
That's my take on it anyway.

Do you really believe this?

[Brendon]

official statistics of how being LG or B causes mental health problems.

42% of gay men, 43% of lesbians and 49% of bisexual men and women have clinically recognised mental health problems compared with rates of 12% and 20% for predominantly heterosexual men and women. (16)

Gay and bisexual men are more than 7 times as likely to attempt suicide compared with the general population. (25)

this 2005 survey for UK's Dept of Health shows that taking homosexuality out of the mental illness lists doesn't take mental illness out of homosexuals.

sorry about that.

Correlation does not imply causation. This cannot be stressed enough.

[Ayden]

Homosexuality and lesbianism are mental illnesses but so many legislators and teachers are G or L or B that their internalised shame made them declassify their afflictions in order to purge the guilt.
As many G and Ls hate TS they ensured TSism was kept as a mental illness despite all evidence to the contrary.
That's my take on it anyway.

Really? I hope I have read this wrong.

[Ayden]

official statistics of how being LG or B causes mental health problems.

42% of gay men, 43% of lesbians and 49% of bisexual men and women have clinically recognised mental health problems compared with rates of 12% and 20% for predominantly heterosexual men and women. (16)

Gay and bisexual men are more than 7 times as likely to attempt suicide compared with the general population. (25)

this 2005 survey for UK's Dept of Health shows that taking homosexuality out of the mental illness lists doesn't take mental illness out of homosexuals.

sorry about that.

Society and brain chemistry. Plenty of straight or "normal" people have mental health issues.

[Felix]

official statistics of how being LG or B causes mental health problems.

42% of gay men, 43% of lesbians and 49% of bisexual men and women have clinically recognised mental health problems compared with rates of 12% and 20% for predominantly heterosexual men and women. (16)

Gay and bisexual men are more than 7 times as likely to attempt suicide compared with the general population. (25)

this 2005 survey for UK's Dept of Health shows that taking homosexuality out of the mental illness lists doesn't take mental illness out of homosexuals.

sorry about that.

You could quote very similar statistics for poor people or black people. Being black is not a mental illness, even if it does put you at higher risk for being mentally ill. It puts you at higher risk for heart disease too. We all have categories we fall into, and those categories may overlap and interact, but they do not equate.

[Julian]

Correlation does not imply causation. This cannot be stressed enough.

This. This this this. I was going to say more, but holy cow would I go off on a tirade.

[Julian]

taking homosexuality out of the mental illness lists doesn't take mental illness out of homosexuals.

Facepalm.

What is this I don't even.

[Jen61]

Homosexuality and lesbianism are mental illnesses but so many legislators and teachers are G or L or B that their internalised shame made them declassify their afflictions in order to purge the guilt.
As many G and Ls hate TS they ensured TSism was kept as a mental illness despite all evidence to the contrary.
That's my take on it anyway.

I beg to differ, the biological underpining of homosexuality and gender identity disorder have been documented and continue to accumulate. Thus, GID is an error in embryonic development (a medical condition), and not a mental illness.

Technically GID people are a form of intersex, in the sense that parts of their anatomy (including some parts of the brain) are either male or female.

[Jen61]

This. This this this. I was going to say more, but holy cow would I go off on a tirade.

correlation are but a tool to indicate a PROBABLE causation, but by themselves they prove nothing. In sciences we have a joke that says: "there are omissions, there are frauds, there are outright lies, and then there is statistics  "

Jen61

[Brendon]

You could quote very similar statistics for poor people or black people. Being black is not a mental illness, even if it does put you at higher risk for being mentally ill. It puts you at higher risk for heart disease too. We all have categories we fall into, and those categories may overlap and interact, but they do not equate.

Oh god, I read this and laughed so hard. My first thought was, using the flawed logic 'LGB people have a higher rate of mental illness, therefore being LGB is a mental illness', we now have 'black people have a higher rate of heart disease, therefore being black is a heart disease'. Suddenly, this whole argument seems about 47 times more ridiculous, and now I'm not even worked up about it. haha