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Edited by Sarah Parlow, CRNA
Introduction
People who are trans/transgender may have increased mental health needs because they face higher rates of prejudice, discrimination, poverty, bullying and/or limited family support
What is ‘transgender?’
Trans/transgender refers to a person who’s gender identity or gender expression does not agree with the one assigned to them at birth
While many transgender people experience dissonance with their assigned gender from a young age, others do not recognize they are trans until later in life.
Many individuals report struggling with their gender identity throughout their lifetime, but may not realize that they identify as transgender until they are older.
The point in life at which a person recognizes they are trans can vary. Some know they are trans as children, others come to that realization in early adulthood or even later. At some point, trans people begin to have a sense of gender dysphoria or conflict between their internal gender identity and the gender they were assigned at birth. Gender identity is best understood as the sense of either maleness or femaleness (or somewhere in between) that they feel inside. Gender dysphoria can present as an unease with the gender roles one is expected to perform, or their clothing, secondary sexual characteristics, or even genitalia. This is a spectrum for everyone. Keep in mind that gender identity is completely different from sexual orientation, which who someone is sexually attracted to (men, women, both, neither, etc).
Gender identity is distinct from sexual orientation; sexual orientation refers to whom you’re attracted to and gender identity refers to how comfortable you feel in your body, including your genitals and body type.
Trans can refer to people who have gender identity disorder (and may or may not seek gender affirming physical interventions) or simply be an umbrella term to describe anyone on the gender spectrum outside the binary.
Transgender people often experience discrimination, harassment and violence when seeking medical care.
In addition to the discrimination and harassment transgender people often experience in their daily lives, they also face additional barriers when seeking medical care. In a study by the National Center for Transgender Equality, 29% of transgender respondents reported being denied care due to their gender identity and 54% had experienced some form of mistreatment while receiving care. This discrimination can lead to depression and anxiety symptoms that often go untreated because they are afraid to seek out treatment due to fear of further discrimination or mistreatment.
When you’re feeling depressed or anxious, reaching out for help is one of the most important things you can do–and there are many ways you can get it:
- Talk with someone close who cares about you (a friend or family member). They might not know what’s going on, but just talking about how you feel can help lift some weight off your shoulders!
- Talk with someone at school (teacher/counselor) who has helped before when something was wrong for them too..
Transgender people have higher rates of psychiatric illness than the general population.
Given the state of acceptance and outright discrimination it’s no wonder the rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD are much higher among transgender people than cisgender (non-trans) folks. Suicide rates are also higher for trans folks, especially among young transgender people.
Even though transgender people are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than average, they may not seek help.
Due to the discrimination, harassment and violence they experience in everyday life, trans people may be cautious about seeking mental health care.
What is an intensive outpatient program, and how can they help transgender people with their mental health and emotional issues?
IOPs are often used to help people who have depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal thoughts. IOPs also help with day-to-day life issues such as stress management and coping skills through a unique mix of individual therapy and group therapy, mixed with medications (if needed). Some programs, like Clear Mind Treatment, may offer additional services like ketamine, TMS, EMDR, Hypnotherapy to help aid you to get past trauma and to get new strategies to deal with hard or stressful emotions.
Your psychiatrist and/or therapist will work with you specifically to set up a ‘treatment plan.’ The therapists may also have social workers or case manages on staff who can help you with housing, outside services, employment, and other issues that are related to your mental health.
Conclusion
Transgender people have unique mental health needs and are at higher risk of depression, suicidal thoughts and PTSD than other groups of people. The good news is that there are programs out there that can help these individuals get the care they need. IOP (Intensive outpatient program) is the place for transgender people to find help.
Give us a call at Clear Mind Treatment anytime. We are happy to talk to you about our transgender and LGBTQ friendly services, and other programs and packages, such as our ketamine and TMS program. We are Joint Commission accredited and accept all PPO insurance.
310-571-5957
info@clearmindtreatment.com
Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Torrance, San Francisco, Scottsdale
