Gender Dysphoria is defined by strong, persistent feelings of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with the sex you were born with. These feelings cause significant and persistent distress or impairment even. People with gender dysphoria want to live as members of the opposite sex and will often dress and act as that. For example boys will want to dress in girls’ clothes and vice versa. They also feel a strong desire to be passed as the other sex, in children that might manifest in preferring to play with the opposite sex, so they can identify with them.
People with gender dysphoria also manifest a discomfort with their own sex. For boys, they start claiming that their penis or testes are disgusting or will disappear. For girls, they will not want to grow breasts or menstarte, and they will start claiming that they will grow a penis.
Children with gender dysphoria may manifest separation anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder and symptoms of depression. Adolescents are particularly at risk for depression and even suicidal tendencies. And finally adults may display anxiety and depressive symptoms, and some of them may have history of transvestite fetishes.
– dana@willingness.com.mt