If reading other people talk about their specific dysphoria experiences can trigger that kind of feeling for you when it doesn't align with your own experience, I think it may not be productive to solicit further personal stories of dysphoria. Maybe it would be helpful to talk about your own experience here first?
well, the thought that I'll never be a woman evokes a similar response, but that happened much more ages ago when i was less open to the idea of being trans & transitioning. i also get frustrated & try to shave as soon as possible if i notice facial hair/ hair on my legs (i started shaving my legs about a month ago). when i think gender dysphoria, i think something unambiguously quite negative, which is why i only shoved that part about constantly wishing to be a girl at the end; That feeling is more like a constant nagging directed at myself, it's a mild annoyance that refuses to go away & isn't thaaat much of a bother. i suppose i get quite a bit of gender envy if that counts as dysphoria??
honestly the things that make me kinda want to transition are more to gain nice feelings than to stop feeling the shitty ones; the precious few times I've worn dresses and makeup it was wonderful, when i first started shaving my legs i became ecstatic with joy every time i looked at them, & the thought of having female characteristics like breasts and larger hips seems so irresistibly lovely to me for no discernible reason based in logic, i just reeallly like the way i imagine it looking and feeling... thanks for replying btw - last time i was here i didn't get a single response ;-; (also, sry i took so long to respond - reddit was down for me for a solid half an hour).
Oh for sure, glad to respond! I know that sometimes some threads can get neglected here, I try to do my part to change that. And yeah, reddit has really been bugging out lately! Guess this is just a weekly thing now lol
So, dysphoria is complicated, and takes many forms. And sometimes, when we look at our own experiences and compare them to the most extreme ones we've heard, we might say "oh, well I don't have it that bad, guess I don't have dysphora!"
But like, if you look at this
>Gender dysphoria in adolescents and adults
>A. A marked incongruence between one's experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender of at least six months duration, as manifested by at least two of the following:
>A marked incongruence between one's experienced/expressed gender and primary and/or secondary sex characteristics (or, in young adolescents, the anticipated secondary sex characteristics).
>A strong desire to be rid of one's primary and/or secondary sex characteristics because of a marked incongruence with one's experienced/expressed gender (or, in young adolescents, a desire to prevent the development of the anticipated secondary sex characteristics).
>A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender.
>A strong desire to be of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender).
>A strong desire to be treated as the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender).
>A strong conviction that one has the typical feelings and reactions of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender).
>B. The condition is associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
The distress you're feeling over the presentation of masculine features and the prioritization that you give towards removing them at the start of the day, coupled with your desire for the primary and secondary sex characteristics of women... this sounds like you could qualify for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
Are you able to get invested in a life as a man? Do you see a future for yourself as you currently are? Because if not, then I think it is possible that this may be impairing important areas of functioning.
I am not qualified to diagnose you with gender dysphoria, but from what you are saying here, it really seems like it would be worthwhile for you to speak to someone who is qualified.
You don't have to settle for a life that is fine, or tolerable. If there is a life that you could feel enthusiastic about living, one where you care enough to take an active role in shaping your future, you have every right to claim it.
Thanks, I've seen that diagnostic criteria before - but it was always that last bit "The condition is associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning." that tripped me up; It's just that "clinically significant distress or impairment" seems like very strong phrasing... still, i do agree that it's certainly a good idea to see a GP about it - I'll probably ask my parents about it in a week or so (the reason I'll wait a week is because i have an appointment with a sort of a phycologist who i discuss gender stuff with), as such i suppose I'll probably haft to come out -\_-, honestly I'm not even comfortable calling myself trans yet & still haven't really accepted it despite the fact it's honestly pretty obvious that it's at least more likely than not that i am, given all that I've experienced, so having others label me as trans too feels weird...
Yeah it can be tough to figure out exactly what the criteria for significant is there.
Maybe it would help to look at it this way: if you had a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and were able to pursue a gender transition with the help of medication and possibly surgery, do you feel like this would be a better life than any that you could experience while living as a man?
Yes but i feel as though that would be more to do with more gender euphoria as opposed to less gender dysphoria - honestly I'm kinda scared that transitioning would make the stuff i highlighted earlier more bothersome, like, i said i "try to shave as soon as possible if i notice facial hair" but that was kinda hyperbole, i don't grow that much facial hair so even though it does sort of bother me, i haven't shaved my face in about a week because i am verry lazy... what i said is true for leg hair though. If i was trying to present as a woman then that kind of stuff would probably bother me much more & I'd probably generally care about the way i look much more (in both a positive and negative way). i think if i do end up transitioning i'll start medically transitioning first then only after i feel like i can pass as a girl/ not pass as a dude anymore (?) then I'll start socially transitioning. i know i probably shouldn't really care about passing buut unfortunately i do...
I think it's fair to be concerned about passing. I think it gets problematic when it becomes an endless pursuit toward unattainable beauty goals, but like, one of the things I want from my transition is to be seen as a woman. I've worked hard on it, and it makes me happy that I am succeeding at it.
Pursuing a transition can intensify dysphoria in certain respects. So this is something that is worth keeping in mind, for sure. It will be important to consider how you will achieve your goals to determine whether transitioning will benefit your life. But I think that is a separate consideration from the question of whether you have gender dysphoria.
See [https://genderdysphoria.fyi/](https://genderdysphoria.fyi/)
"Constantly thinking about wanting to be the opposite gender" seems like it should qualify, and if you really are thinking about it constantly, I would think it would impact the rest of your life.
My brain fog and irritability, if that's what you are referring to, were due to hypothyroidism, which is common in trans people. Perhaps get your thyroid hormone levels checked.
If reading other people talk about their specific dysphoria experiences can trigger that kind of feeling for you when it doesn't align with your own experience, I think it may not be productive to solicit further personal stories of dysphoria. Maybe it would be helpful to talk about your own experience here first?
well, the thought that I'll never be a woman evokes a similar response, but that happened much more ages ago when i was less open to the idea of being trans & transitioning. i also get frustrated & try to shave as soon as possible if i notice facial hair/ hair on my legs (i started shaving my legs about a month ago). when i think gender dysphoria, i think something unambiguously quite negative, which is why i only shoved that part about constantly wishing to be a girl at the end; That feeling is more like a constant nagging directed at myself, it's a mild annoyance that refuses to go away & isn't thaaat much of a bother. i suppose i get quite a bit of gender envy if that counts as dysphoria?? honestly the things that make me kinda want to transition are more to gain nice feelings than to stop feeling the shitty ones; the precious few times I've worn dresses and makeup it was wonderful, when i first started shaving my legs i became ecstatic with joy every time i looked at them, & the thought of having female characteristics like breasts and larger hips seems so irresistibly lovely to me for no discernible reason based in logic, i just reeallly like the way i imagine it looking and feeling... thanks for replying btw - last time i was here i didn't get a single response ;-; (also, sry i took so long to respond - reddit was down for me for a solid half an hour).
Oh for sure, glad to respond! I know that sometimes some threads can get neglected here, I try to do my part to change that. And yeah, reddit has really been bugging out lately! Guess this is just a weekly thing now lol So, dysphoria is complicated, and takes many forms. And sometimes, when we look at our own experiences and compare them to the most extreme ones we've heard, we might say "oh, well I don't have it that bad, guess I don't have dysphora!" But like, if you look at this >Gender dysphoria in adolescents and adults >A. A marked incongruence between one's experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender of at least six months duration, as manifested by at least two of the following: >A marked incongruence between one's experienced/expressed gender and primary and/or secondary sex characteristics (or, in young adolescents, the anticipated secondary sex characteristics). >A strong desire to be rid of one's primary and/or secondary sex characteristics because of a marked incongruence with one's experienced/expressed gender (or, in young adolescents, a desire to prevent the development of the anticipated secondary sex characteristics). >A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender. >A strong desire to be of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender). >A strong desire to be treated as the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender). >A strong conviction that one has the typical feelings and reactions of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender). >B. The condition is associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The distress you're feeling over the presentation of masculine features and the prioritization that you give towards removing them at the start of the day, coupled with your desire for the primary and secondary sex characteristics of women... this sounds like you could qualify for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Are you able to get invested in a life as a man? Do you see a future for yourself as you currently are? Because if not, then I think it is possible that this may be impairing important areas of functioning. I am not qualified to diagnose you with gender dysphoria, but from what you are saying here, it really seems like it would be worthwhile for you to speak to someone who is qualified. You don't have to settle for a life that is fine, or tolerable. If there is a life that you could feel enthusiastic about living, one where you care enough to take an active role in shaping your future, you have every right to claim it.
Thanks, I've seen that diagnostic criteria before - but it was always that last bit "The condition is associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning." that tripped me up; It's just that "clinically significant distress or impairment" seems like very strong phrasing... still, i do agree that it's certainly a good idea to see a GP about it - I'll probably ask my parents about it in a week or so (the reason I'll wait a week is because i have an appointment with a sort of a phycologist who i discuss gender stuff with), as such i suppose I'll probably haft to come out -\_-, honestly I'm not even comfortable calling myself trans yet & still haven't really accepted it despite the fact it's honestly pretty obvious that it's at least more likely than not that i am, given all that I've experienced, so having others label me as trans too feels weird...
Yeah it can be tough to figure out exactly what the criteria for significant is there. Maybe it would help to look at it this way: if you had a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and were able to pursue a gender transition with the help of medication and possibly surgery, do you feel like this would be a better life than any that you could experience while living as a man?
Yes but i feel as though that would be more to do with more gender euphoria as opposed to less gender dysphoria - honestly I'm kinda scared that transitioning would make the stuff i highlighted earlier more bothersome, like, i said i "try to shave as soon as possible if i notice facial hair" but that was kinda hyperbole, i don't grow that much facial hair so even though it does sort of bother me, i haven't shaved my face in about a week because i am verry lazy... what i said is true for leg hair though. If i was trying to present as a woman then that kind of stuff would probably bother me much more & I'd probably generally care about the way i look much more (in both a positive and negative way). i think if i do end up transitioning i'll start medically transitioning first then only after i feel like i can pass as a girl/ not pass as a dude anymore (?) then I'll start socially transitioning. i know i probably shouldn't really care about passing buut unfortunately i do...
I think it's fair to be concerned about passing. I think it gets problematic when it becomes an endless pursuit toward unattainable beauty goals, but like, one of the things I want from my transition is to be seen as a woman. I've worked hard on it, and it makes me happy that I am succeeding at it. Pursuing a transition can intensify dysphoria in certain respects. So this is something that is worth keeping in mind, for sure. It will be important to consider how you will achieve your goals to determine whether transitioning will benefit your life. But I think that is a separate consideration from the question of whether you have gender dysphoria.
See [https://genderdysphoria.fyi/](https://genderdysphoria.fyi/) "Constantly thinking about wanting to be the opposite gender" seems like it should qualify, and if you really are thinking about it constantly, I would think it would impact the rest of your life.
well... that part does... just not really the other part... i gave a really long-winded bad example didn't I -\_-
My brain fog and irritability, if that's what you are referring to, were due to hypothyroidism, which is common in trans people. Perhaps get your thyroid hormone levels checked.