What is this new intervention that helps reduce or end Gender Dysphoria?

Re-published with permission from Jason’s substack.

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There are many recognised symptoms of Gender Dysphoria, but you hear there is only one pathway to address these, that is affirmation and hormonal/medical treatment. However, a not so new intervention has been found which is proven to significantly reduce or eliminate Gender Dysphoria over time.

Gender Dysphoria symptoms (GD): Desire for escape or avoidance behaviors, like withdrawing from social situations or expressing a wish to be invisible.

New Intervention benefits (NI): This intervention enables maturation of the brain’s pre-frontal cortex and improves self-regulation and complex reasoning, decision-making, planning, and impulse control.

GD: Nausea or gastrointestinal issues linked to anxiety and stress.

NI: This intervention leads to lower anxiety over time due to less Gender Distress, improved self-esteem and easier socialising with peers.

GD: Reduced appetite or changes in eating habits possibly related to emotional distress.

NI: This intervention reports general improvement in physical health. Conversely the Cass Review 2024 states that preventing this intervention negatively effects general mental and physical health.

GD: Reduced ability to cope cognitively, foggy mind or poor concentration.

NI: This intervention sharpens cognitive abilities, enables synaptic pruning and emotional regulation. Declining the use of this intervention inhibits brain development, p.106.

GD: Sleep disturbances difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep due to anxiety or distress. Fatigue sometimes from the chronic stress and emotional burden.

NI: This intervention helps influence brain structure and function and improves the neural circuits related to emotion, motivation and cognition.

GD: Restlessness or difficulty sitting still often due to emotional unease or internal conflict.

NI: This intervention sharpens cognitive abilities, enables synaptic pruning and emotional regulation.

GD: Body dysmorphia, a distorted perception or dissatisfaction with body shape or secondary sex characteristics.

NI: The authors of the Dutch Protocol found that 73% of the total study group no longer had gender-dysphoria after this intervention.

GD: Genital/Chest discomfort feeling distress or discomfort about chest/ genitalia that doesn’t align with gender identity.

NI: The authors of the Dutch Protocol found that 73% of the total study group no longer had gender-dysphoria after this intervention.

GD: Depression feelings of sadness, hopelessness, not keeping up with friends or low mood related to gender incongruence or social difficulties.

NI: This intervention brings a well-formed identity creating a protective factor against mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Withholding this intervention can lead to delayed development and subsequent depression.

GD: Anxiety often linked to fear of being misunderstood, rejected, or discriminated against.

NI: This intervention over time brings an improved self esteem creating a protective factor against mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

GD: Social withdrawal or isolation avoiding social situations due to fear of stigma or discomfort with one’s gender presentation.

NI: This intervention leads to increased activity and sensitivity in the brain’s limbic system which processes emotions and rewards. This contributes to emotional intensity and appropriate risk-taking behaviours in adolescents.

GD: Low self-esteem negative self-image stemming from gender incongruence and societal pressures.

NI: The brain areas responsible for self-referential thinking mature, enabling adolescents to develop a clearer sense of identity.

GD: Feelings of shame or guilt related to internalized stigma or cultural/ religious beliefs about gender.

NI: This intervention increases emotional intelligence and can contribute to better mental health outcomes by enabling individuals to understand and manage their emotions more effectively.

GD: Desire to be treated as the gender they identify with. For example, wanting to use a different name or pronouns consistent with their experienced gender.

NI: The authors of the Dutch Protocol that pioneered the use of puberty blockers state these youth rarely remain with Gender Dysphoria after this intervention.

GD: Strong preference for clothing, toys, activities, or roles stereotypically associated with the opposite gender.

NI: This intervention leads to the development of deeper peer relationships and the exploration of personal identity. This can provide youths with a sense of belonging and purpose.

GD: Rejection of stereotypical gender roles or activities associated with their assigned gender.

NI: This intervention leads to the development of deeper peer relationships and the exploration of personal identity. This can provide youths with a sense of belonging and purpose.

GD: Persistent wish to change their physical body to match their experienced gender, including discomfort with sexual anatomy.

NI: This intervention is said to lead to a high rate of youth returning to being comfortable with their natal physical body.

GD: Frustration or anger about the mismatch between one’s experienced gender and assigned sex or societal expectations.

NI: This intervention increases white matter volume in the brain, improving communication between brain regions. This allows for better connectivity, supports more efficient cognitive processing and emotional regulation.

So, what is this Intervention?

So, what is this new intervention that is so good at alleviating Gender Dysphoria? It is Puberty! Yes puberty. As it is a bit of a turbulent time it can of course, be associated with some increased risks of mental health concerns as a person develops, however it also presents opportunities for positive development and maturing. Understanding and supporting adolescents through this period can help maximize the potential mental health benefits of puberty. Going through puberty can lead to the development of deeper peer relationships, development of the brain regions involved in understanding others’ perspectives (social cognition), which helps adolescents build stronger peer connections and social support networks and is strongly linked to better mental health and resilience. It is also related to the exploration of personal identity and self-awareness, development of greater emotional awareness and coping strategies, influences brain development and function and synaptic pruning, enables emotional resilience and social competence, develops the pre-frontal cortex which aids problem solving. It leads to an increase in production of white matter brain volume, improves communication and connectivity between brain regions and more efficient cognitive processing and emotional regulation. It leads to an increase in emotional intensity by stimulating the limbic system and risk-taking behaviours necessary to help develop adult roles. It also develops the corpus callosum which supports improved coordination between analytical and creative thinking. Therefor not experiencng puberty or delaying puberty leads to stunted or delayed general development and the likelihood of prolonged Gender Dysphoria.