• Sunshine (she/her)@lemmy.caOP
    0·
    6 days ago

    Pushing this message that therapists should be required before allowing transitioning is very harmful as it’s often not required as trans people know very well of who they truly are. Gender dysphoria is really terrible as it negatively affects your mental health.

    Some places in their world require 2 psychiatrists before allowing trans people to simply transition on hormones.

    • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.caEnglish
      0·
      5 days ago

      Certainly, everyone who is thinking of transitioning should have access to counseling. My partner is in this stage and it has been vital for them. I hate to think of people trying to go through it alone, without professional guidance.

    • CaptainBasculin@lemmy.bascul.in
      0·
      5 days ago

      People can regret doing this you know. It’s a serious life altering choice after all, people should really think whether doing this makes sense for them.

      • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.caEnglish
        0·
        5 days ago

        We have statistics on how often and severely people experience regret and we know it is not a significant factor. You’re talking about outliers. Not everyone has access to counseling, and interventions save lives. We can deal with X number of people with regrets if it means X*Y (for some reasonable Y) people don’t actually die.

    • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      6 days ago

      Uh, okay, but at most this is “Commenter wants medical providers to be more cautious than is necessary”, and

      prioritizing mental support through therapy might be a good start before the physical treatment.

      is hardly a statement of gatekeeping

      • Sunshine (she/her)@lemmy.caOP
        0·
        6 days ago

        You do not understand how it feels to look at your body and feel out of place. It eats you alive. Therapy can only help so much.

        • Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          0·
          5 days ago

          I’m trans and I support therapy before HRT, but I disagree with the sentiment that it’s because of possibilities of regret. I believe that gender-focused therapy helps one prepare for the changes and challenges they will endure on HRT - it’s a big step, afterall. Approaching medical transition with strong mental health is essential to wellbeing while undergoing difficult and impactful changes.

          For context, when I started on HRT in the early 2010s it was normal to be required to have a panel interview with your therapist, another mental health professional, and a medical doctor (with whom you had had a physical exam and blood tests) to present your case and ensure that HRT was the best treatment option before starting. It was a rite of passage for trans people who pursued HRT. I’m glad that things have gotten easier now, but at the time it helped me feel certain that I was ready and fully prepared.

        • PugJesus@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          6 days ago

          You do not understand how it feels to look at your body and feel out of place. It eats you alive. Therapy can only help so much.

          Okay? But therapy is not meant to cure, but to assist and prepare for future events.