When does the discomfort you feel become distress to be diagnosed with dysphoria

[wiktor]

I'm assuming you need distress to be diagnosed with dysphoria and not just discomfort?

Where does the discomfort you feel become clinical enough to be considered distress, so you can be diagnosed with dysphoria and get on HRT? I'm uncomfortable in my assigned gender, I've came out and want to live as a guy (I cant imagine myself living as a woman when I grow up) but the discomfort isn't crippling. What do I do? Do I just continue living uncomfortably as a woman? I really want to go on T but I'm worried the discomfort isn't bad enough to be considered "dysphoria", so I won't be allowed to.

[KathyLauren]

Hi, Wiktor!

I see that you first posted a couple of weeks ago, but didn't get an official welcome.  So please allow me to officially welcome you to Susan's Place.

In most places, doctors and therapists are not in the business of allowing or disallowing you to transition.  Most genuinely want to help you.

The place to start is to talk to a gender therapist.  What they do is make sure that there are no underlying mental health concerns that would preclude transition.  They look to see if your discomfort/dysphoria is "insistent, persistent, and consistent".

You don't have to be in agony to transition.  Many people are, but for many of us, the symptoms were so subtle that we swept them under the rug and denied them for decades.  I didn't start until I was 62 because I was able to convince myself for so long that I couldn't possibly be trans.  But here I am, transitioning with the blessing and assistance of the medical professionals.

You have to try and see where this journey takes you.

Please feel free to stop by the Introductions forum to tell the members about yourself.  Here is some information that we like to share with new members:

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[Virginia]

Symptoms are diagnosed as the psychological disorder of dysphoria when a condition begins to negatively impact a person's ability to live their day to day life.

[Dani]

Our condition becomes a dysphoria when it consumes our every thought and concern. We often try to deny these feelings at first, but when we are overcome with extreme distress it gradually becomes a dysphoria. I know when this happened to me, but only you can make that decision for yourself.

Your therapist can help you through the thought process and guide you somewhat, but the ultimate decision is yours alone.

Many of us use the term "ready for transition" when we come to a conclusion that we cannot continue as we are and transition is more than desirable. It becomes a medical need.

[jkredman]

My dysphoria was confirmed when I reached a life decision point.   

I could:

1) continue to use my existing coping mechanisms and be dead of liver disease in 5 to 8 years;

2) solve the problem by making a near term exit

3) get off the SSRI antidepressants that did nothing for me because I don't have a 'serotonin re-uptake issue' and get on estrogen which my body was fed for the first 8 months of my (prenatal) life.

I'm a fighter, so I choose to get off the antidepressants and let Kate live her life!!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AnonyMs]

What do I do? Do I just continue living uncomfortably as a woman? I really want to go on T but I'm worried the discomfort isn't bad enough to be considered "dysphoria", so I won't be allowed to.

If you're facing gatekeeping then bear in mind that they only know what you tell them. However if you need help in deciding what to do then you can't really lie and expect to be helped properly.