Adults with gender identity disorder are diagnosed with Transsexualism. Most transsexuals have an ingrained desire for sex change and go in for sex change surgery. Transsexualism is a rare disorder in which almost 1 out of every thirty thousand males and 1 out of every 100,000 females seek surgery for gender change. Research indicates that transsexualism is the adult version of gender identity disorder and a number of children (but not all) grow up to be transsexuals.

There are two kinds of male to female transsexuals: Homosexual and autogynephillic transsexuals.

Homosexual transsexuals might be conceptualized as extremely feminine gay men who also wish to change their sex.

Autogynephillic transsexuals appear to have a paraphilia in which their attraction is to the image of themselves as a woman.

Although, homosexual transsexuals are attracted to members of their own biological sex, they resent being labeled gay because they do not feel that they belong to their genetic sex.

Transsexualism can be extremely debilitating for individuals diagnosed with it. They are often unable to cope with their desire to be members of the other gender and have a number of social and personal problems. Most of these individuals feel out of place and succumb to feelings of anxiety and depression. They often attempt suicide, indulge in alcohol or substance abuse to cope up with their unresolved gender issues. A number of these people also live and dress like members of the desired gender.

How does the disorder develop?

Transsexualism develops gradually and often begins in early childhood. Various home and outside factors may contribute to the development of this disorder. Children have impressionable minds and when they experiment with a variety of gender roles, they may develop an inclination towards the other sex. Society and family expectations of a particular gender may also contribute to the development of this disorder. For instance, in some families boys are considered to be placed at a higher level than girls as they are regarded as bearers of the family name. This may cause girls to behave and dress like boys, stay in the company of boys and secretly desire that they were a boy. Such girls grow up to be labeled as tomboys.

Boys who are more inclined towards the feminine gender often indulge in wearing make-up, play with dolls and may wear a dress. They may avoid playing with other boys and despise all activities and games that are meant for males. On growing up they may wish to become homemakers and bear children. Transsexuals often live like members of the opposite gender throughout their life and may even opt for sex change surgery.

Treatment:

Transsexualism needs to be treated in order to help the affected individuals deal with the various psychological and social aspects. One of the biggest challenges revolving around the treatment process is that most of these individuals refrain from seeking treatment and are often forced by their parents, friends or relatives to seek psychological intervention.

Psychotherapy is a common treatment for this disorder and is quite effective in helping individuals cope with their feelings of dejection and discomfort. Most psychologists, psychiatrists and clinical social workers aim at enabling these individuals to function better in their natural gender roles. The last resort for treating the disorder is sex change surgery after which most of the gender related issues are resolved.