sex-reassignment therapy

Examples of sex-reassignment therapy in the following topics:

• Gender Dysphoria

  • Gender dysphoria is a controversial diagnosis characterized by a person's discontent with the sex and gender they were assigned at birth.
  • Symptoms related to this may include the expressed desire for others to treat or perceive them as another gender; discomfort with their genitals or sex characteristics; wishing these genitals or sex characteristics were different or aligned with another gender; and/or a strong sense of being another gender despite how others perceive them.
  • However, because gender dysphoria is classified as a disorder in the DSM-5, many insurance companies are willing to cover some of the expenses related to sex-reassignment therapy.
  • Without the classification of gender dysphoria as a medical disorder, sex-reassignment therapy may be viewed as cosmetic treatment—rather than medically necessary treatment for many transgender individuals—and thus may not be covered.
  • While the diagnosis of gender dysphoria may perpetuate stigma against transgender individuals, it may also be a necessary tool for accessing transition-related therapy.

• Sex and Physiology

  • "Sex" refers to physiological differences between male, female, and intersex bodies.
  • A person's sex includes both primary sex characteristics (those that are related to the reproductive system) and secondary sex characteristics (those unrelated to the reproductive system, such as breasts and facial hair).
  • In humans, biological sex is determined at birth, typically by doctors, through the observance of five factors:
  • In humans, sex is typically divided into male, female, or intersex.
  • Some individuals may be raised as a certain gender (boy or girl) based on the sex (male or female) that was chosen for them at birth, but then identify with another gender later in life; some may even opt for sexual reassignment surgery later in life to align more truly with who they are.

• Gender as a Spectrum and Transgender Identities

  • This social dichotomy enforces conformance to the ideals of masculinity and femininity in all aspects of gender and sex—gender identity, gender expression, and biological sex.
  • In other societies, membership of any of the gender categories is open to people regardless of their sex.
  • The term "transsexual," though used less often these days, refers to transgender people who alter their bodies through medical interventions, such as surgery and hormonal therapy, so that their physical being is better aligned with gender identity.
  • Not all transgender individuals choose to alter their bodies or physically transition from one sex to another.
  • Those that identify with a gender that is different from the biological sex they were assigned at birth are called transgender.

• Case Studies

  • For instance, a client in a mental health hospital could be studied as he progresses through a course of treatment involving individual counseling, group therapy and medication.
  • John Money and the John/Joan case: An examination of the impacts of sexual reassignment surgery on David Reimer.

• Development of Gender Identity

  • Some transgender individuals, if they have access to resources and medical care, choose to alter their bodies through medical interventions such as surgery and hormonal therapy so that their physical being is better aligned with their gender identity.
  • It describes how sex-linked characteristics are maintained and transmitted to other members of a culture.
  • These differences are manifested via the degree to which individuals are sex-typed.
  • Sex-typed individuals process and integrate information that is in line with their assigned gender.
  • Finally, undifferentiated individuals do not show efficient processing of sex-typed information.

• The Endocrine System

  • Testosterone: produced in sex organs (ovaries, testes) and adrenal glands; sometimes called the "male hormone" (though it is present in both men and women); affects libido, muscle growth.
  • Estrogen: produced in sex organs; sometimes called "the female hormone" (though like testosterone it is found in both sexes); has an entire host of homeostatic and regulatory functions.
  • Progesterone: produced in sex organs, or the placenta when pregnant; can support pregnancy and has other regulatory functions.
  • Ovaries (in females) and testes (in males): control the development of secondary sex characteristics.

• Depressive Disorders

  • loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex;
  • The three most common treatments for depression are psychotherapy, medication, and electroconvulsive therapy.
  • Currently, the most effective form of psychotherapy for depression is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches clients to challenge self-defeating but enduring ways of thinking (cognitions) and change counter-productive behaviors.
  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure whereby pulses of electricity are sent through the brain via two electrodes; studies have found it to be very effective in treating severe forms of depression that have not responded to medication or therapy.
  • Evidence-based treatments include medication to manage mood symptoms, behavior therapy to manage temper outbursts, and family therapy to address symptoms of depression.

• Explaining Mood Disorders

  • Other symptoms of depression include poor concentration and memory, withdrawal from social situations and activities, reduced sex drive, and thoughts of death or suicide.
  • As mania becomes more severe, individuals behave erratically and impulsively, and may feel excessive happiness, excitement, irritability, restlessness, increased energy, racing thoughts, high sex drive, and a tendency to make grand and unattainable plans.
  • There are different types of treatments available for mood disorders, such as therapy and medications.
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to be a possible treatment for depression.

• Cluster B: Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders

  • Various therapeutic approaches such as schema therapy and multisystemic therapy (MST) have been indicated as potential avenues for treatment.
  • Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (not including suicidal behavior), such as excessive spending, unprotected sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, and/or binge eating;
  • The primary forms of treatment for HPD itself involve psychotherapy, including cognitive therapy.
  • People rarely seek therapy for NPD, partly because many NPD sufferers deny they have a problem.
  • Schema therapy, a form of therapy developed by Jeffrey Young that integrates several therapeutic approaches (psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral etc.), also offers an approach for the treatment of NPD.

• Bipolar Disorders

  • These neurotransmitters are important regulators of the bodily functions that are disrupted in mood disorders, including appetite, sex drive, sleep, arousal, and mood.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, and psychoeducation have the most evidence for efficacy in regard to relapse prevention.