Gender dysphoria and homosexuality: A patient series

Abstract

PurposeTo present the clinical course of adolescents who presented to the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic due to gender dysphoria and homosexuality through a patient series. MethodsThe clinical features, comorbidities, and the treatment process of 10 patients who presented to the outpatient clinic and were followed up over a period were presented. ResultsThe average age of the 10 patients, 5 girls and 5 boys, was 14.3 years for the girls and 16 years for the boys. Nine patients were admitted by their families primarily with the desire for the elimination of gender dysphoria or homosexual orientation. Only one female patient was brought by her family because of her intense depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. All of the patients had comorbid psychiatric diseases, nine had depression, and one had bipolar affective disorder comorbidity. The anxiety levels of all patients were high. Psychiatric management in each patient focused on the emotional, cognitive and social difficulties of the case. The treatment of two girls was interrupted suddenly by the family because they saw that the homosexual orientation of the patients was continuing. Two male patients were not brought back for treatment after the evaluation process. ConclusionsGender dysphoria and homosexual orientation are situations that families still find it difficult to accept and that they think it can be eliminated by pressure, coercion or psychiatric treatment. Patients show a high rate of psychiatric comorbidity due to family pressure and social exclusion. Although psychiatric support can cure comorbid disorders in a relatively short time, strains of family and social relationships continue to affect patients.