# Are there mental illnesses that mirror transgerderism?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mental-illnesses-that-mirror-transgerderism/680746>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 7, 2014, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mental-illnesses-that-mirror-transgerderism/680746 "2014-02-07T10:53:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mental-illnesses-that-mirror-transgerderism/680746/21 "2014-02-08T14:53:19Z")

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Yes, I had a friend who strongly identified as transgender, had told his wife. He sought mental health treatment for other reasons, and one of his medications “turned all that off.”

It’s a story I hesitate to share, because anecdote doesn’t equal data, gender identity disorder is very real and clinically measurable, people facing gender reassignment treatment DO go through mental health evaluations, etc., etc.

When those urges went away he was happier and less conflicted. I cannot possibly speculate on how or why his feelings manifested.

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**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mental-illnesses-that-mirror-transgerderism/680746/22 "2014-02-08T17:18:14Z")

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Well, maybe if you have a fifty-year-old fat guy who believes he’s actually a 20-year-old skinny chick named Betty, I think that might count? I don’t mean as in, “I’m a woman trapped in a man’s body”, but he really believes he’s this particular woman.

> [@AHunter3](#):
>
> As for chemical imbalances, it depends on whether you’re referring to the myth that there are specific chemical imbalances that cause depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder,

Do you have a cite saying that it’s actually a myth? :dubious:

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mental-illnesses-that-mirror-transgerderism/680746/23 "2014-02-08T20:10:03Z")

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> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> Do you have a cite saying that it’s actually a myth? :dubious:

[Yep](http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mad-in-america/201011/the-successful-creation-societal-delusion-and-the-increase-in-stigma-it-h).

Original, more detailed material: [Anatomy of an Epidemic](http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Epidemic-Bullets-Psychiatric-Astonishing/dp/0307452425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391890156&sr=8-1&keywords=robert+whitaker)

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