Just a question re transgender

Yes, many young transgender identifying people also have comorbid ED issues.

It is not definitively proven that there is a strong link between these conditions. The diagnostic pools are so tainted by self diagnosis and "bought" diagnoses from unethical private doctors that meaningful research, even, is hard to do. There is some early evidence that there may possibly be a link between ND and EDS, but this connection is repeated frequently as a proven connection, which it just is not. The evidence at this stage is still minimal and there is no connection at the diagnostic stage.

I wonder if part of the apparent link between cfs/long covid and these "identities" is simply that being unwell and relatively housebound is likely to drive you even further than the norm for your age group, to seeking your social interaction and affirmation on line, where for one thing, people's sexed bodies are not especially conspicuous in the interactions (as they would be in the park or classroom say).

Similar cultural and social consequences to the pandemic in other words.

I wonder whether it's something to do with the way focus can work. How quickly people will be able to / prepared to move on from an idea / feeling which then really can take hold. Also the tolerance of cognitive dissonance and wanting to make sense of / order any complex resulting in categorising feelings rather than leave them a mystery or unresolved.

I have noticed the correlation between alternative gender presentation and Long Covid, to the extent that I cannot really take LC at all seriously. I am sure that one or two people actually have it, but a LOT don't.

@Jabtastic Yes, I completely agree with this. Disability groups used to be at least somewhat useful even if they were always a bit victimy. But now have become almost insane in the competitive need to be the sickest and most oppressed, to get the most labels, to be the most right on in other politics, etc. They don't have space for disabled people who want to live reasonably normal lives.

When they all dress the same it's because they are expressing their unique and special identity.

People with POTS diagnoses online are not necessarily "really" ill. The difficult thing is that some are, for sure, especially with the impact from Covid. But in the online communities and on TikTok, they tell each other how to cheat on and manipulate the diagnostic testing. So there are the self diagnosers, but even the diagnosed ones may have faked their result.

By anti-trans do you mean the women who want to protect single-sex spaces and know a man is not a woman?

Yep, they harm the rest of us who are just trying to get on with life as best we can, but you can't say anything or you're a nazi!

People who know young transgender people, I’m interested to know if any of them self-harm or are anorexic, or are goths? Those were the big social contagions for disenfranchised teens when I was young twenty years ago.

I suspect a lot of those teens I knew would now identify as trans if they were teens today.

Why would you ask this question on such a blatantly anti trans forum as MN?

Why would expect a reasoned, appropriate response?

Do your own research, or ask in appropriate places.

I don't know the specific people you are referring to but people like this are why I avoid general 'disability groups' (apart from groups for my own neurological condition). They tend to colonise every space or thread around disability. They make outrageous demands and irritate the general public. They are often visibly mentally ill but no one is really allowed to mention this. Their key identity is victim.

Meanwhile the disabled people I know (me included) are normal people getting on with our lives - working, raising families, striving to be well. The couple of private groups I'm in are full of positive, admirable people doing their best.

My understanding is chronic illness such as EDS/CFS/ME/POTS/long covid is more common in neurodivergent people (or that ND is more common in ppl with EDS , and the other illnesses are comorbidities). And identifying as Trans is more common in ND people for many reasons already stated in this thread.
The chronic illness and the trans aren’t linked directly, it’s the neurodivergence that’s the link.

I have one of these chronic illnesses (and probably a mild form of EDS but not dx with that). The dismissive attitudes I have encountered in my health care are unreal. Some of them evident on this thread.

Lots of what the OP described: Most of the people in the group seemed to have ADHD/Autism, other neurological illnesses, it seemed to be a competition to be the ‘worst’ and have the worst life. E.g. My POTS can be really severe, especially during pregnancy, and I often faint. When talking about this, I felt that some were trying to ‘one up’ me and prove that their dizziness was worse and sometimes required a wheelchair.

I also felt there was no actual desire for anyone to find ways to manage the condition, it was just a complain-fest. Also a huge focus on getting disability benefits and what everyone was eligible for. I suggested a new sodium drink that has really helped my mornings, and they seemed almost angry that I was trying to find a solution. Lots of gender stuff/pronouns which was annoying and took the focus off actually finding support for the condition.

I joined an online support group in a different country, and the experience has been much better. A huge focus on research and they have excellent webinars that have really helped my life. The people in the forum are much better, though I wonder if it would be the same face-to-face.

I expect they have, but because it’s invisible it’s easy enough to read up on symptoms and self-diagnose first. Then go to the experts with the list of criteria. Same for fibromyalgia and functional neurological disorder, autism, ADHD and so on.

I have POTs too. What was happening in the support group?

I think even the ones who are faking illness are genuinely unwell, just not necessarily in the way they are claiming. They need help and compassion for sure, but they also do a lot of harm too.

It's called social contagion. It seems children with autism are much more likely to be sucked into this.

I wonder what the connection with POTS is? I have POTS and I had to leave a support group due to this kind of thing. Now that some PP have mentioned self diagnosis, I wonder if that’s the case for some of them? POTS is rather ‘invisible’, though the diagnostic criteria are clear. I wonder if any of them have even been to see a cardiologist.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think they’re faking illness necessarily, but I do think whatever ails them is rooted in psychology. And I do wonder how they’d be if they spent less time online.

Me? I'm not at all judgemental. I just know lots of people fake illnesses online and they are often found in these groups. They also cause a lot of harm to people with real diagnoses (and I am one of those people).

I know two.

Both pretty regular in our teens and early twenties though with anxiety and depression diagnoses. Both comic book / manga / subculture fans, both “queer” and non-binary, though have only ever been in relationships with men.

Both now have EDS, POTS, autism, ADHD, fibromyalgia, walking sticks and GoFundMe funded wheelchairs. Most recent diagnosis for both is functional neurological disorder. Neither have worked past their mid twenties and are now in their late thirties.

They don’t know each other (but are both very vocal online). It does seem to be something of a pathway.

Area 51 actually 😂