Gender Identity Disorder: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Gender dysphoria is a situation wherein a person faces extreme distress due to the gender they are assigned at birth. People with gender dysphoria have a strong desire to not live according to their biological sex but their gender identity. The major treatments for this condition are psychiatric in nature. The individual is provided with mental support to embrace his gender identity. He/ She may also be provided with the options of hormone therapy and surgery.

People are increasingly taking up the option of sex reassignment or gender confirmation surgery nowadays. It is a surgical process by which the physical appearance of a person going through gender dysphoria are changed to the gender he/ she is comfortable with. The sexual characteristics are also altered to resemble with the gender they identify with. People who go through sex reassignment surgery are known as transsexuals. One may go through multiple surgeries in order to change their identity completely. The first of many surgeries is the hormone replacement surgery that is used to change the secondary sexual characteristics from biological to the ones the person identifies with. While changing male characteristics to female, the male genitals are reshaped to form female genitalia. Then, there is facial hair removal surgery, facial feminization surgery, breast augmentation, voice feminisation surgery, buttock augmentation surgery and many others.

If someone’s behaviour and sexual preferences identify more with the opposite sex, he/ she might be going through gender dysphoria. Desires like a girl wanting to stand up and pee like men, a boy taking unusual interest in make up or wanting to wear women’s underwear are some signs one should look out for.

Taking interest in activities that are stereotyped by the society cannot be termed as gender identity disorder. It is okay for a girl to be interested in sports. It is okay for a boy to like pink.

Undergoing so many surgeries may cause some side effects like pain in your genitals, fatigue, appetite loss etc.

Undergoing so many surgeries may cause some side effects like pain in your genitals, fatigue, appetite loss etc.

Recovering completely from the surgery may take up to six months.

Gender reassignment surgery may cost ₹150000 to ₹ 600000.

The results of the treatment are permanent.

There are no alternatives to this treatment.