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Dysphoria
"Dysphoria is a profound state of unease or dissatisfaction. In a psychiatric context, dysphoria may accompany depression, anxiety, or agitation ... Common reactions to dysphoria include emotional distress; in some cases, even physical distress."
You can feel dysphoric about all kinds of things so we need to make sure we are specific when we use this term.
In the case of transgender people, we speak about Gender Dysphoria.
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The term Gender Dysphoria has been used since the release of the DSM 5 in 2013. Before that, it was called “Gender Identity Disorder”.
“DSM” is short for “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders”. It is a tool for psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists to help identify and/or diagnose people’s mental disorders.
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While latest research strongly suggests that being transgender itself is not a mental disorder, the main symptom of being transgender is “Gender Dysphoria”. It can also be a symptom or diagnosis unrelated to being transgender as the source of this type of dysphoria could be different from why transgender people might feel it.
While being transgender is not considered a mental disorder any longer, currently, “gender dysphoria” remains in the DSM 5.
What is Gender Dysphoria?
The DSM-5 defines gender dysphoria in adolescents and adults as a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and their assigned gender, lasting at least 6 months, as manifested by at least two of the following:
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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)
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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)
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A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender
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A strong desire to be of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)
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A strong desire to be treated as the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)
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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)
Source: psychiatry.org
What Gender dysphoria is not
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Having every single symptom of Gender Dysphoria as per DSM 5.
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Hating yourself.
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Being depressed or sad about your gender.
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A mental illness.
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Curable with psychotherapy (in the case of transgender people).
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A fault or flaw in you as a person.
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A bad thing or something to be ashamed of.
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The same as the term "transgender".
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The same as Body Dysmorphia.
Why are the points above so important?
Have you heard somebody say "Not all trans people have gender dysphoria"? Probably you have heard that or a similar sentence on Youtube or TikTok or you read it somewhere online. Most trans people came across that statement at some point.
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Often this opinion comes from a general assumption that dysphoria means that you have to hate your body or parts of your body. However, if you just read the boxes above, you now know, that only two diagnostic points in the list of six are about the body. The rest is purely about your inner experience.
If you were happy or at least content with your assigned gender, you would be cis. If you do not feel like you are the gender that was assigned to you then you are trans and you have gender dysphoria. While it can be difficult to admit this to yourself, try to give yourself permission to do that. This is an important part of healing and a huge step forward if you plan to transition, because at that point you can look at the diagnostic criteria and then reflect on your life to see which of these points correspond with your experience.
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And easy rule of thumb is:
All trans people have gender dysphoria
but not all people who have gender dysphoria are trans.
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The importance of a diagnosable term, like Gender Dysphoria, is debatable.
Some sources will argue that a psychiatric check, to see if a person presenting is in fact transgender, is important to ensure that the best treatment for the individual can be identified. And if this person has gender dysphoria but isn't trans then a different, more suitable treatment can be chosen.
Other sources will argue that free choice over how we identify and what we do to our bodies outweighs the pathologizing of transgender people due to the few people who turn out to not be transgender after all.
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All that said, in Ireland your medical transition relies on having the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria, so it is a good idea to look into what it means, how it manifests in you, and to have some examples as to why you feel that those symptoms apply to you. Those are questions you will be asked during an evaluation by a specialised psychiatrist.