Gender Dysphoria

About Gender Dysphoria

Gender dysphoria is the DSM-5-TR term for clinically significant distress or impairment associated with a marked incongruence between the experienced or expressed gender of a person and the gender assigned at birth, lasting at least six months. DSM-5 introduced the term in 2013, replacing gender identity disorder, and placed the focus on distress rather than on gender identity itself. Being transgender or gender diverse is not in itself considered a mental disorder. ICD-11 uses the term gender incongruence and places it in a chapter on conditions related to sexual health rather than among mental disorders. Separate criteria exist for children and for adolescents and adults. People with gender dysphoria may experience higher rates of anxiety and depression, often linked to stigma, discrimination and lack of support. Care is individualized and may include psychotherapy and support, social transition, and medical interventions in some cases, and approaches to care, particularly for young people, are the subject of ongoing clinical and policy debate in several countries.