Times gender laws article removed

The two parts of the column are not connected. The writer is commenting on two separate news stories.

Orangesandlemons77 · Today 03:52
I was a bit confused about the relevence of the baby story to gender?

O was too, apart from the point that litigation followed.

I was a bit confused about the relevence of the baby story to gender?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder is a very specific mental health diagnosis. The term "body dysmorphia" is often used by people with anorexia to describe a symptom of anorexia whereby the person with anorexia thinks they look overweight, when they do not - this is unlikely to meet the criteria for BDD without other BDD specific symptoms being present. Perhaps a better term to use would be "distorted body image". The BDD foundation have a helpful page explaining the difference:

bddfoundation.org/information/bdd-related-conditions/eating-disorders/

LulooLemon· Today 17:53
The analogy between gender dysphoria and anorexia nervosa makes sense to me.

I don't understand why medics don't see it.

I can only guess that big pharmaceutical companies have a lot to gain by pushing trans ideology as it guarantees the companies £££ for the rest of those patients' lives

This article mentions that. thefederalist.com/2018/02/20/rich-white-men-institutionalizing-transgender-ideology/

It is Body Dismorphic Disorder not Body Dysmorphia. You have disordered thinking that makes you belief your body is dysmorphic.

NICE guidelines on treatment: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg31/chapter/Recommendations#principles-of-care-for-all-people-with-ocd-or-bdd-and-their-families-or-carers

I read a research paper which states that the same areas of the brain seem to be somewhat affected in all three conditions (gender dysphoria, body dysmorphia, and anorexia). That is the part which relates to self-perception.

The analogy between gender dysphoria and anorexia nervosa makes sense to me.

I don't understand why medics don't see it.

I can only guess that big pharmaceutical companies have a lot to gain by pushing trans ideology as it guarantees the companies £££ for the rest of those patients' lives.

Thank you for the archive link. It is an important article.

For example, my nephew has a genetic disorder and part of the clinical description is ‘facial dysmorphia’ as his facial feature are distinctive. I guess it is a medical way of saying ‘he’s an odd looking kid’ (he’s gorgeous by the way).

Dysmorphia isn’t anything about how you think you look; it is an actual physical feature.

dysmorphia
/dɪsˈmɔːfɪə/
nounMEDICINE
noun: dysmorphia
deformity or abnormality in the shape or size of a specified part of the body.

”in BDD, researching cosmetic surgery can be a symptom ie an obsession and is discouraged. As is any cosmetic/surgical treatment which usually worsens the condition”

I have periodically read accounts from men who had transitioned, who seemed to be continually worrying about whether they’d be misgendered and said their day/evening/social event could be entirely ruined when it happened. I thought that it would have been much healthier if they could have been encouraged to wear whatever they liked and given support in dealing with any reactions they faced.

Pretending to be female when they were acutely aware the entire time that they were not and that others might “notice” (or more realistically, mention the obvious) seemed like a very uncomfortable experience where they had exchanged discomfort with wearing clothes that others might scorn with something that was actually worse. The paranoia this seemed to create surely represented a worsening of the condition.

*taken down and then republished on 20 October

The document is in the public domain. It is in the link I posted above.

You are possibly getting confused by the fact that it was very briefly published (and reported on by Reuters) the week before the consultation opened and then taken down from the NHSE website.

People with Body Dysmorphic Disorder also experience body dysmorphia. With BDD the person focuses on on small "defects" in appearance. These can either be real or imagined. The defects are often not noticeable or barely noticeable to others. But to the person with BDD they cause significant distress which is disproportionate to the "defect" in question.

So almost a mix of the two as you describe there. Interestingly in BDD, researching cosmetic surgery can be a symptom ie an obsession and is discouraged. As is any cosmetic/surgical treatment which usually worsens the condition (and so anyone seeking cosmetic surgery is usually screened for BDD).

BDD has a high rate of suicide. But noone is suggesting surgery is the answer for people with BDD (in fact they know it isn't as weight loss isn't the answer for people with an eating disorder).

The symptoms seem very similar. Significant distress - anxiety and depression - caused by the way you view your body and appearance - imagined or real.

I do wonder why the treatment pathways are so very different.

The Interim Service Specifications are currently under consultation. They were open to the public for comment between 20 October and 4 December. Full details are here:

www.engage.england.nhs.uk/specialised-commissioning/gender-dysphoria-services/

We’re now waiting for the final specs following the consultation.

Thank you for that link. It is very helpful and encouraging that there appears to be a recognition that dysphoria/dysmorphia may not be something that appears in isolation and there may be other factors which need to be explored too.

Regarding the difference between body dysmorphia and dysphoria: I think the former is the anorexic looking in the mirror and seeing a fat person looking back at them: their perception of their physical self is faulty.

Whereas someone with dysphoria looks in the mirror, sees what is really there and is extremely distressed by it.

A very interesting article. Is there any news on the models that the new regional centres will be ran on once the Tavistock closes? Are we seeing the end of the affirmation model?