The Transgender Experience and Mental Health
Transgender individuals often experience and carry trauma that is unique to them. Due to their identity, this group deals with extensive challenges. These include discrimination, exclusion, and other social and economic injustices. Transgender people must continuously struggle against systemic and related biases in many areas, including employment, healthcare, education, and social interactions. Navigating the intersection of their identity, mental health, life challenges, and trauma can be difficult for many transgender individuals. Due to this, they may also be at an increased risk for mental health conditions.
Identity
Transgender people experience various obstacles in their journey to self-acceptance and identity. Getting their physical appearance and role in society to align with their gender identity can be a distressing and painful process. Some people may require medical aid or procedures, others may need to overcome varying societal issues, while others may have to enter into legal processes.
This process of identity, self-discovery, and possibly transition can be distressing. It can also make transgender people vulnerable to traumatic experiences.
Adverse Experiences
Having continued adverse experiences can lead to severe psychological distress in many transgender people.
Discrimination
Transgender individuals often face discrimination and stigma in multiple sections of society. It can occur within families, in school, the workplace, public spaces like restaurants, and on public transportation.
Transgender people who also belong to a marginalized group, such as people of color, often face multi-layered challenges. They may have to contend with discrimination based on both ethnicity and gender identity.
Gender dysphoria
Gender dysphoria is a deep feeling of discomfort and wrongness with the biological gender you were born in. This can cause feelings of depression or anxiety.
Violence
Physical violence is an issue that many transgender individuals face. The community has high rates of victimization. They are often victims of hate crimes, verbal harassment, and experience higher rates of sexual assault. In fact, 1 in 2 transgender people are sexually assaulted.
Medical Trauma
Transgender individuals may also have to deal with barriers to care. This could be in the form of insurance coverage denial, gatekeeping by healthcare providers, or judgment. Additionally, they may have difficulty finding understanding, gender-affirming medical professionals. These factors can cause delays in receiving the correct and required medical care.
Disapproval or Rejection
Lack of acceptance or outright rejection by family is also a factor contributing towards reduced mental wellbeing in transgender youth. This results in an almost chronic feeling of being out of place, ‘other’, or unwelcome.
The lack of support from friends and family is painful. It makes it harder for a transgender person to manage discrimination and judgment on a broader, societal scale. It can also lead to increased loneliness and a sense of isolation. This in turn can add to depressive symptoms and worsen anxiety disorders.
Bullying
LGBTQ+ youth may also have to deal with bullying and targeting in school and other public spaces. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “More than half of transgender students who are out (publicly open about their transgender status) in (grades) K-12 at school experience verbal harassment. One in 4 experience a physical attack, and more than 1 in 10 are sexually assaulted.”
Bullying and discrimination in schools can result in frequent absence, missed deadlines, and a general decline in academic performance. This puts further stress on an individual who may already be battling various obstacles.
Along with verbal and possibly physical bullying at school, many transgender youth must deal with bullying online.
Internalized Transphobia
The negative attitudes that society may have towards transgender people can cause them to internalize the negativity and lack of acceptance. This is known as internalized transphobia, where a transgender individual develops self-loathing and has low self-worth. They may also turn to substances and self-harm as a means of coping. Internalized transphobia can also result in suicidal behavior or ideation.
Economic Inequality
A large portion of transgender adults and young people struggle financially. Transgender individuals often experience employment discrimination. This can take a variety of forms, including unequal pay, harassment in the workplace, job loss due to their gender identity, and unfair hiring methods. Because of this, transgender individuals often lack access to well-paying, secure jobs. Additionally, they face housing discrimination and may be denied housing due to their gender identity.
Chronic stress
Chronic stress is stress that is prolonged and ongoing. Often, transgender individuals may be trying to manage this as well. Chronic stress can trigger the stress response in some people, which is known as fight/flight/freeze. Being in this heightened state of physiological arousal negatively impacts your mental and physical health.
For many, these traumatic factors lead to eating disorders, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. It can also result in harmful coping mechanisms, such as self-harm.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is prevalent among LGBTQ+ people. This is due to the varied and numerous harmful experiences they may have been subjected to. Transgender youth, in particular, are at high risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Many often develop complex-PTSD, which is the result of ongoing trauma and a persistent feeling of threat or fear.
Symptoms of PTSD include:
Nightmares
Intrusive thoughts
Flashbacks
Avoidance of people, places, or things that remind of trauma
Sleep disturbances
Changes in appetite and weight
Hypervigilance, chronic worry about violence or threat
Anxiety or depression
Negative self-perception and low self-worth
Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Dissociation – zoning or numbing out
Substance abuse
Isolation, withdrawal
Increased conflict in relationships
How to Support Someone Who is Transgender and Struggling with Mental Health
Practice active listening and be patient. This means that you listen without judgment, without bias, without imposing your opinions, and without telling them they are at fault. It requires you to provide validation, acceptance, and belief in what they are saying. Tell them you care about them and ask them what actionable things you can do to help and support them.
Address your loved one or friend with their preferred pronouns and name. Keep what they tell you in confidence private – they are the best judge of when they are ready to share with others.
You can also help them connect with support groups and resources within their community.
Consider recommending that they seek the help of a mental health professional. Offer to accompany them to appointments and follow up with them on how they are doing.
LGBTQ+ Therapy
LGBTQ+ therapy, especially when provided by a therapist who understands trauma specific to transgender people, can give you guidance and support. With the gentle direction of your therapist, you can explore your identity in a safe space, without fear of judgment or rejection. It can also help you process what your identity means to you and your place in your family, social circle, workplace, or school. With help from your therapist, you can create a plan for disclosing your identity to those close to you. Your therapist can give you the tools you need to cope with any stigma, discrimination, or other challenges you might encounter. LGBTQ+ therapy can empower you to embrace your identity and live authentically.
Trauma therapy can help you process and start to recover from the effects of adverse experiences you may have had. It can empower you to improve your daily functioning, recognize your triggers, and implement coping skills into your daily life. It can also help you deal with intrusive thoughts and can lead to better emotional regulation.
Trust Mental Health has a team of BIPOC therapists that offer various therapeutic services, including trauma therapy and LGBTQ+ therapy in California. Our LGBTQ+ affirmative therapists understand intersectionality in the LGBTQ+ community. The services we offer include support while coming out, LGBTQ+ relationship counseling, and LGBTQ+ parenting. Contact us today for a free 15 minute consultation, and we will match you with a therapist that is best suited to your needs.
FAQs
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LGBTQI+ individuals do seek therapy for issues that non-LGBTQI+ individuals deal with, though the community also faces mental health struggles unique to it. An LGBTQ+ affirmative therapist understands intersectionality and can provide specific support and care. LGBTQ+ counseling includes coming out support, LGBTQI+ relationship counseling, or LGBTQI+ parenting support.
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Being transgender can have a significant impact on mental health. Many transgender individuals experience gender dysphoria, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. Discrimination, stigma, and a lack of acceptance can exacerbate these issues.
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Gender dysphoria is the distress felt due to the incompatibility between gender identity and assigned sex at birth. This has a significant impact on mental health, as it can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation.
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Trauma therapy can help you overcome your symptoms. Trauma therapy is used to help treat trauma-based mental health issues. It can help reduce the effects of trauma in your daily life. The goal is to enable you to recognize triggers, learn coping skills, and improve emotional regulation.