From Issue to Persuasion
I am currently pursuing a degree in Psychology, in hopes of becoming a therapist or counselor after I obtain my degree and graduate. Within this field of study, there are numerous controversies to discuss, as the world of mental health is examined by scientists and religious individuals, who may have clashing ideas of morality and what is acceptable or the best form of treatments that may be available to individuals with certain diagnosis. While mental health treatment may be a controversial topic of discussion in that of itself, diagnosing and determining the mental health disorders that may or may not be present in a person being treated is also an important aspect of uncovering this person’s daily struggles and how best to treat them or assist them in getting the treatment in which they need.
One controversial diagnosis I have been researching is “Gender Dysphoric Disorder” otherwise known as Gender Dysphoria. The main controversy or cause of misinterpretation regarding this idea in the mental health world is that many view the consequences of those who struggle with gender identity as mental health issues that are derived from feeling gender dysphoria, when in reality many of the factors including depression and anxiety stem from society treating these individuals as less than or without respect, which in turn makes their life experience less than desirable, and can lessen their functionality within their environment.
As Jack Turban stated regarding this issue, “Some people who are transgender will experience “gender dysphoria,” which refers to psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity (Turban 1).” While those who are transgender may experience distress from those around them who may not be accepting of their feelings or struggles as a being who is somewhat forced to conform to societal norms within their community, most of this internal struggle can form from societal, religious, and “moral” guilt, rather than simply from the confusion or feelings that may come up regarding their identity and gender. Gender dysphoric disorder may be viewed as a mental health disorder that needs to be dealt with or healed through therapy and medication, though there is a clear argument that the primary factors that make a person struggling with gender dysphoria feel internal shame include guilt of non conforming to the standards within their community or family group.
A differing perspective of this idea that people do struggle with gender dysphoria includes the example that individuals who may be struggling with gender dysphoria may have experienced a trauma relating to these feelings, which in this case they would benefit from therapy and medications to help make their life experience somewhat enjoyable as they explore ways to heal from their harmful feelings regarding themselves and their gender identity. An article written by Mayo Clinic explains that “Gender dysphoria can affect many aspects of life, including daily activities. People experiencing gender dysphoria might have difficulty in school due to pressure to dress in a way that's associated with their sex assigned at birth or out of fear of being harassed or teased (Mayo Clinic 1). This article also continues to explain the detriments of individuals who struggle with gender identity, and how if this goes unaddressed it can cause many issues in a person's life, including unemployment, dropping out of school, and an increased risk of suicide or suicidal ideation. In this instance, it would be extremely beneficial for individuals to be helped by counseling or with the help of medication, as these struggles can impact a person’s life negatively in many aspects if they continue to not receive the help that they need.
Another controversial topic within psychology and counseling is homosexuality. Mostly due to religious ideas and rules, being homosexual can cause an individual to face extreme hate, judgment, shame, and bullying within their community. The controversy of this topic stems from a psychological standpoint of working through their thoughts and emotions in a safe space, and conversion therapy, explained as, ‘''conversion therapy,'' sometimes known as “reparative therapy,” is a range of dangerous and discredited practices that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression (Human Rights Campaign 1).’ These are two vastly different ideas on how homosexual individuals should be assisted in their struggles through daily life are also an example of how acceptance can drastically change a person’s ability to succeed, as for most of history conversion therapy has deeply hurt and discredited the LGBTQ+ community, while traditional therapy may help those struggling to work through their thoughts and emotions in a safe and accepting place.
Those who support or believe in the “benefits'' of conversion therapy are typically religious extremists who do not support a person’s anatomical rights to exist in alignment with their thoughts and feelings, and many members of the LGBTQ+ community have faced tortuous methods of conversion therapy, which is now outlawed in most places within the USA. While controversial, conversion therapy may have been one of the only considerable approaches throughout history, as people viewed morality by a person’s alignment to the bible and its teachings. This type of therapy may not have started out as the horrific practice that it became, as many people may have previously viewed it as a safety measure to get a person’s thoughts back in alignment with the spiritual word of God. Regardless of spiritual beliefs or practices, most now can agree on the harmful impacts that conversion therapy has had on the gay community and this is thankfully no longer a common practice.
In this article, I have discussed two controversial topics within my field of study, including counseling those with gender dysphoria and counseling individuals that are homosexual. In this research, I have concluded that I would argue against conversion therapy as the harmful impacts do not have any valid countering benefits for the individuals seeking care. This topic is incredibly meaningful to the LGBTQ+ community along with those studying new ways to provide care to youth members that are homosexual. Gaining knowledge on how best to ethically and morally care for youth and adult LGBTQ+ members is important to both those individuals and the scientific researchers and specialists researching healthy ways to make a positive impact within this field of care. This audience would benefit from the study and ideology associated with this topic, and continuing to learn about how to treat individuals with these struggles in a respectful and ethical way will advance our healthcare system and view on homosexuality as a whole, to create a more accepting and peaceful community and world for all people to live in.
Works Cited
“Gender dysphoria - Symptoms and causes.” Mayo Clinic, 26 February 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gender-dysphoria/symptoms-causes/syc-20475255. Accessed 2 July 2023.
“Psychiatry.org - What is Gender Dysphoria?” American Psychiatric Association, https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria. Accessed 2 July 2023.
“Sexual orientation and symptoms of common mental disorder or low wellbeing: combined meta-analysis of 12 UK population health surveys - BMC Psychiatry.” BMC Psychiatry, 24 March 2016, https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-0767-z. Accessed 2 July 2023.
The Lies and Dangers of Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, 20 May 2020, https://www.hrc.org/resources/the-lies-and-dangers-of-reparative-therapy?utm_medium=ads&utm_source=GoogleSearch&utm_content=ConversionTherapy-General&utm_campaign=GoogleGrant&utm_source=GS&utm_medium=AD&utm_campaign=BPI-HRC-Grant&utm_content=627545435753&u. Accessed 2 July 2023.
