How to cure gender dysphoria without transitioning?
Answers
The gender dysphoric individual wishes and needs to express gender differently than the stereotype associated with their sex as identified at birth. Transition is simply acting on this need. It fundamentally addresses what is wrong by a concrete constructive action. All other approaches address symptoms rather than the root cause. They are not effective in the long run and are often destructive.
The gender dysphoric individual is wise to seek the advice of a qualified team of gender support specialists, particularly a therapist. The optimum transition is one that is planned to best suit individual needs. It may be fast or slow, public or private, comprehensive or partial.
Can a person with gender dysphoria ever be cured without transitioning?
First off let's clarify what it is you are asking about. Gender Dysphoria is classified by science as a medical condition not a psychological one. Yes experiencing the “dysphoria” is mentally taxing. The medical condition behind it is the areas of the hypothalamus in the brain being wired completely or partially for the opposite sex than the person was born. This is a result of the level of testosterone present during the second trimester of pregnancy and or by the presence of extra genes or a genetic condition making the baby imune to the effects of testosterone. The reason why there are many more mtf transgender people is that female wiring is the human default condition. The babies testes must make enough T to change this wiring or the person is born with instincts of the female sex. Depending on the amount of change that took place the person may have slight inclinations or experience a complete female mind while being in a male body and being forced to behave in a male role by society.
So the Dysphoria is the constant uncomfortable mental state of not fitting into society. There have been many in depth psychological papers written about the catagories of transgender people and common life experiences. To answer the question though, yes some people can find comfort in life without transition to the opposite gender. Some may transition socially but not hormonally. Some need some surgical changes to feel authentic to themselves to find some peace of mind. However if they do not come to the decision very early in life they have to overcome a lifetime of societal programming as to what they are “supposed” to be. The Dysphoria does not simply disappear easily. There is not a cure for the Dysphoria experience. There is relief possible but the extent of change a person needs is whole their own experience.
I am beginning to transition. It is not an easy thing to do given societies pressures. It is the only way I will ever find peace with my self. My Dysphoria will not go away until I can simply be seen as a woman by society as a whole. When I can live what is natural for me without the worry of being seen as some weird dressed guy. I have spent every moment of my life avoiding anything that could been seen as feminine. I learned early in life that a boy who did not act like a boy would be picked on and bullied so I copied what boys did. This has made my life miserable on the whole. I do not understand how men think, I just copy what I see. I finally broke down unable to pretend to be something I am not. This is the life transgender people have lived. I see hope for the young generation that those young people who experience this can find happiness far earlier in life.