#affirmative therapy

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

[I was] a mentally ill teenager who had been groomed and preyed upon and sexually exploited online to the point of authorities getting involved.

I spiralled into a hatred of myself and my body, and was told that it was just because I was a boy born in the wrong body, and that this would fix me.

I was affirmed down a path where I wasn't given any other choice as to what would help me. The very first medical intervention I ever had was a double mastectomy at 16. And then a few months later, I was put on testosterone.

I'm now 21, and I will live with the impacts of that so-called care for the rest of my life. In the past 4 or 5 months, I have watched as my body has fallen apart in front of me. My joints constantly hurting, my vocal chords aching, watching as parts of me atrophy away before my very eyes.

And yet, at 16, they looked me in the eyes and they told me this was care. They told me it would save me.

Despite the fact I was never suicidal, my parents were baited with the idea of "would you rather have a dead daughter or a living son?" Bullied into going along with it, their biggest crime being trusting those who they thought took an oath to "do no harm."

It's not about "hate," detransitioning, it never has been. It's about keeping kids whole. I've worked with children, I've seen them explore the world, and I've seen that magic that they have. And doing something like transitioning them takes that away.

How can you look me in the eyes and tell me that a child can consent to being chained to an experimental medical industry before they're even old enough to drive, or understand the impacts of what that means in the first place?

Kids deserve to be kids. They deserve to get to explore the world as a safe and loving place.

==

It's disturbing that the position "don't mutilate kids" requires bravery.

Today is a great day to think of what you'll say when you're asked why you went along with it.

[anotherlightcounselling]

The Need for Queer Affirmative Therapy in India

In a world that is gradually becoming more accepting of diversity, the LGBTQ+ community continues to face unique challenges. In India, where traditional norms often clash with evolving attitudes, there is a growing need for specialized mental health support. Queer affirmative counselling and the compassionate professionals who provide it, known as queer affirmative therapists, are playing a crucial role in addressing these challenges. In this article, we will delve into the importance of queer affirmative therapy in India and how these therapists are making a significant difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals.

Queer affirmative therapy, also known as LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy, is a specialized form of psychotherapy designed to cater to the unique mental health needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. It is a safe and accepting space where individuals can explore their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement or discrimination.

Queer affirmative therapists are mental health professionals who have received specialized training in working with LGBTQ+ clients. They possess a deep understanding of the issues faced by this community, including identity exploration, coming out, discrimination, and family dynamics. Their primary goal is to provide empathetic, non-judgmental, and culturally competent support to LGBTQ+ individuals.

LGBTQ+ individuals in India often experience higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population. Discrimination, stigma, and societal pressures can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. Therapy offers a lifeline to address these disparities by providing mental health support that is sensitive to the unique struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

Coming out is a significant milestone in the life of an LGBTQ+ individual. It can be an emotionally complex journey, often fraught with fear and uncertainty. Queer affirmative counsellors provide invaluable guidance, support, and coping strategies to help individuals navigate this critical phase of their lives.

Many LGBTQ+ individuals in India grapple with self-acceptance due to societal norms and biases. Queer affirmative treatment plays a pivotal role in helping clients develop a positive self-image, nurturing self-acceptance and self-esteem. This, in turn, contributes to improved overall mental well-being.

Discrimination and microaggressions against LGBTQ+ individuals are still prevalent in India. Queer affirmative practitioners equip their clients with effective strategies to cope with these experiences and build resilience. Additionally, they provide a safe space for clients to process the emotional toll of discrimination.

Family acceptance is a critical factor in the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals. Therapists can work with families to foster understanding and acceptance, bridging the gap between parents and their LGBTQ+ children.

The Role of Queer Affirmative Therapists :

Queer affirmations are pivotal in providing the support and guidance needed by LGBTQ+ individuals in India. Here are some key ways in which they contribute to their clients' well-being:

Creating a Safe and Accepting Environment: Therapists establish a judgement-free and affirming space where clients can openly share their thoughts and emotions, knowing they will be met with understanding and empathy.

Culturally Competent Care: These therapists possess deep insights into the cultural and societal nuances affecting LGBTQ+ individuals in India, ensuring that their care is culturally sensitive and relevant.

Education and Awareness: Therapists educate their clients about LGBTQ+ issues, helping them understand their identities and the broader societal context they live in.

Building Resilience: They equip their clients with coping strategies to navigate the challenges they may encounter, including discrimination and stigma.

Supportive Allies: Therapists serve as allies who provide validation and empathy as their clients explore their identities and mental health.

As the need for queer affirmative therapy in India continues to grow, it's essential for LGBTQ+ individuals to know how to access these services:

Online Resources: Online directories and resources can help individuals locate queer affirmative therapists in their area, offering information about specialization and expertise.

LGBTQ+ Support Organizations: Many LGBTQ+ support organizations in India maintain lists of therapists offering affirmative care. Contacting these organizations is a valuable starting point.

Referrals: Seeking referrals from friends, acquaintances, or LGBTQ+ community members who have had positive therapy experiences can help individuals find a suitable therapist.

Research and Interviews: It's crucial to research potential therapists and, if possible, schedule introductory sessions or interviews to ensure a good fit between the therapist and client.

Queer affirmative therapy and the dedicated queer affirmative therapists who provide it are essential pillars of support for the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals in India. As society continues to evolve, it is crucial that mental health services evolve too, addressing the unique needs of this community. Queer affirmative therapy offers a sanctuary of understanding, acceptance, and empowerment, helping LGBTQ+ individuals live fulfilling lives.

[theambitiouswoman]

Cognitive Techniques To Change Your Thoughts ✨✨

Cognitive techniques are strategies used in cognitive therapy to help you identify and change negative thoughts and beliefs. These techniques should be practiced regularly so that they become habits.

Cognitive Restructuring: This involves identifying and challenging negative or irrational thoughts and replacing them with more positive or rational beliefs.

Thought Stopping: When you notice a negative thought entering your mind, you can mentally shout "Stop!" This interrupts the thought process and gives you a chance to replace the negative thought with a positive one.

Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings in the present moment. When you observe your thoughts without judgment, you gain insight into negative patterns and choose to let them go.

Journaling: Writing down your thoughts can help you process and analyze them. With time you can identify patterns and work on changing negative thought cycles.

Positive Affirmations: Repeating positive statements can help counteract negative self talk and reinforce positive beliefs about yourself.

Evidence Collection: When faced with a negative belief, ask yourself, "What evidence do I have that supports or refutes this thought?" This can help you see things in a more balanced way.

Decatastrophizing: If you tend to imagine the worst scenario, ask yourself how likely it is to happen and what other possible outcomes there might be. This can help you view situations more realistically.

Labeling: Instead of saying "I am a failure," label the thought as "a negative thought about my abilities."

Distraction: Engaging in an activity or hobby can divert your attention from negative thoughts and give your mind a break.

Scheduling Worry Time: Instead of ruminating on worries throughout the day, set aside a specific time to process them. This can prevent constant worry and allow you to focus on other tasks.

Challenging Cognitive Distortions: Recognize and challenge cognitive distortions like black-and-white thinking, overgeneralization, and personalization.

Visual Imagery: Visualize a place or situation where you feel calm and happy. This can help shift your focus from negative thoughts.

These are very simple descriptions and examples of cognitive techniques. I listed the ones we can put into practice on our own. There are more in depth methods and practices used by doctors on different fields of study and practice. I can list, as well as add upon the information listed here.

[genderqueerpositivity]

CW: testosterone therapy, periods, physical changes from HRT

Earlier this year, I'd reached a point where I was wondering if I'd already seen all of the benefits and changes from testosterone therapy that I could possibly receive. It really seemed like everything had come to a halt as far as changes from HRT go.

Worse, what started as random spotting and painful cramping (which I originally blamed on really high stress) eventually became full blown periods, and this went on for months. At one point, it really felt like I wasn't even on T anymore. I blamed myself, because I would occasionally be late or forget to apply my testosterone cream. I thought that the bleeding, the inconsistent T levels, and the lack of progress was my own fault.

And then, I had to switch compounding pharmacies. And every single one of my problems disappeared within two weeks of starting the first tube of cream from the new pharmacy.

Nothing else has changed. Not my dose, nor where I apply it. I still forget and apply a few hours late sometimes, other times I miss a day entirely.

But the periods and cramping haven't returned. And I'm beginning to see small changes here and there again. I have to trim my ear and nose hairs now; I have more chest hair than ever before. It's time to face the fact that testosterone has made me a bear lmao.

Point being, looking back I really think that the quality of the testosterone cream I was getting from that first compounding pharmacy was kind of suspect. Looking at reviews online from other people really confirmed my suspicion; many people claimed that the quality of the prescriptions they received was wildly inconsistent from month to month. Not to mention, more recent reviews seem to suggest that their business is going under entirely, and from my own experiences attempting (and failing) to get my prescriptions filled with them in a timely manner, I'm not surprised.

I don't often see a lot of posts from trans folks on testosterone who use compounded cream, so I want to put this out there for others to see. If you're struggling to maintain consistent T levels, don't rule out the quality of your prescription as a possible cause. Make sure that the compounding pharmacy you're getting your T from is reputable and has good reviews.

[spearheadrampancy]

i need help getting on hormones.

for five years i thought i was on the NHS gender clinic waiting list and i found out at the start of this year that i wasnt. i got referred again but i am back to waiting 5 (or more) years. my mental health is failing and this is making it significantly worse.

i need to access a private diagnosis and referral. soon.

GFM link: https://gofund.me/14fe333d

[postitforward]

Hey, y’all 👋

It is week five, our final week, of Holiday Blues. How y’all keeping? 

The holiday season can feel a lot. For those who celebrate, Christmas has come and gone, we are on the verge of a new year, and we’ve got the long winter months before us 😩 but that is why we’ve got Self-Care Sunday, and that is where we want to give you some essential time to rest and recuperate well into the new year.

For Holiday Blues this year, we have partnered with Therapy for Black Girls, who have put together some essential resources to help YOU through the winter and ensure you get the essential downtime y’all need to truly look after yourself. For this last week, the theme is Affirmations and Self-Care!

Did you take good care this year? Let’s talk about centering self-care and making more space for your mental wellness and personal growth in the new year. Join @therapyforblackgirls for tips and resources that will help you look after yourself when you need it most. 

🧘WATCH: Self-Care Sunday. Tumblr X Therapy for Black Girls: Affirmations and Self-Care. 12/31 at 1pm EST. 🧘

[selfcherish]

"Keep going out of spite"

RIP Tater Tot 💔

Credits to Catnap Dreaming on Instagram



[shamelesslyimpurrfect]

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

A new landmark study has found that access to gender-affirming healthcare significantly reduces rates of depression, gender dysphoria, and suicidality among transgender people.

While it’s no secret that providing gender-affirming care to transgender individuals who ask for it can greatly benefit their well-being, an increase in transphobic rhetoric and bans on gender-affirming healthcare has prompted thorough medical studies into the impact of such care.

Now, brand new research conducted in Melbourne, Australia, has found that allowing transgender people to access the care they’re after can reduce suicidality by a stunning 55%.

As part of the first-ever randomized controlled trial (RCT) on gender-affirming care, researchers took 64 transgender and gender-diverse adults who had been looking to start testosterone therapy and randomly split them into a treatment group and a control group.

While the treatment group was allowed to begin hormone therapy that week, the control group waited three months for their treatment to begin.

Before the study began, both groups were evaluated on depression, gender dysphoria, and suicidality. Three months later, the two groups were evaluated again.

RCTs for medical care can often be hard to conduct due to practical and ethical concerns. However, researchers of this study found a way to hold an RCT for this study by incorporating a shorter follow-up period. Rather than giving the control group a placebo drug, or no treatment at all, they were simply given a longer wait time.

The results showed a notable decrease in gender dysphoria, depression, and – most significantly – suicidality.

The group that received gender-affirming care right away saw a 55% reduction in suicidality compared to a 5% drop within the control group.

Depression scores in the treatment group decreased by half, while gender dysphoria rates also significantly decreased.

Breaking down their findings, researchers Brendan J. Nolan MBBS, Sav Zwickl, PhD, and Peter Locke wrote: “There was a statistically significant decrease in gender dysphoria in individuals with immediate [access to gender-affirming care] compared with delayed initiation of testosterone therapy.”

“A clinically significant decrease in depression and a decrease in suicidality also occurred with immediate testosterone therapy.”

“The findings of this trial suggest that testosterone therapy significantly decreases gender dysphoria, depression, and suicidality in transgender and gender-diverse individuals desiring testosterone therapy.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time that research has shown significant drops in depression and suicide rates among transgender individuals who receive gender-affirming care.

A 2022 medical study showed that young transgender people who have access to puberty blockers are 73% less at risk of suicide and report improved well-being.

But, as anti-trans activists advocate for further bans on gender-affirming care, one of the key arguments is that the evidence in support of the care isn’t up to scratch with GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) standards.

So research like this landmark RCT is so significant to the transgender community and its allies as the fight for their healthcare rights rumbles on.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Jo Bartosch

Published: May 3, 2023

Twenty years ago, after one too many beers, I met some pagans in a pub in Gloucestershire. They invited me to travel with them to Ireland the next morning on a spiritual pilgrimage. I expected a mystical experience, but I remained unmoved. On returning to Ireland last week to attend two rival conferences on how best to help people distressed about their gender, I realised that my scepticism is still intact – and that mad beliefs about magic have spread far beyond damp hippies.

The two conferences were very different. The larger, more established conference was organised by the European Professional Association for Transgender Health (EPATH), which claims to promote the ‘mental, physical and social health of transgender people in Europe’. The other conference was organised by a relative upstart called Genspect. Founded in 2021, Genspect is an international organisation that aims to ‘promote high-quality, evidence-based care for gender-nonconforming individuals all around the world’.

In a press release from March, Genspect’s director, psychotherapist Stella O’Malley, summed up the difference between the two organisations’ approaches when dealing with those experiencing gender distress: ‘The EPATH programme promotes heavy medical interventions while Genspect favours the least-invasive approach first.’ Genspect, explained O’Malley, aims to ‘crack open EPATH’s mono-focus on medicalised modes of treatment’.

The Genspect conference set out to challenge both the magical thinking of trans ideology and the medicalisation of childhood distress that this has led to. This was reflected by the presence of around a dozen ‘detransitioners’ among the delegates – that is, people who regret transitioning and want to revert to their original gender. These detransitioners, who were predominantly under 30, are now living with the consequences of taking hormones and having their healthy body parts amputated. In time, they might recover their mental health. But in many cases the harm done to their bodies will be permanent.

Michael Biggs, an associate professor in sociology at the University of Oxford, has long been investigating the effect of puberty-blocking drugs on sexual maturation. Presenting his findings at the Genspect conference, Biggs revealed that patients who have suppressed their puberty as children before surgical transition may never be able to orgasm as adults.

Speaking after the conference, Biggs told me that there is a wilful lack of published research on the long-term effects of taking puberty blockers. He said that ‘puberty blockers have been used in the Netherlands for over three decades, and yet the long-term effects are known for only one person’. By the age of 35, that ‘one person was depressed and ashamed of their genitals’.

Biggs also revealed that where research has been carried out into puberty blockers there have been attempts to suppress it. The NHS’s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at London’s Tavistock clinic, which is due to be closed down later this year, began a study of 44 children aged between 12 and 15 in 2011. But GIDS director Dr Polly Carmichael effectively kept the results of this trial to herself. The findings remained unpublished until they were discovered and first analysed by Biggs in 2018. ‘It required a complaint to the Health Research Authority, questions in parliament, and a judicial review’, Biggs tells me, ‘before Dr Carmichael finally published the full results’.

Most disturbingly, Biggs told me of the awful fate of one healthy Dutch teenager. After having his puberty blocked as a child, the teenager underwent a vaginoplasty aged 18. The complicated procedure involved taking tissue from his bowel to create a replica vagina and vulva. Within 24 hours of having surgery, he had died in hospital of necrotising fasciitis.

Predictably, EPATH’s conference featured no such criticism of these surgical or medical interventions. Far from it. The conference was even spon.sored by a company offering facial-feminisation surgery, and from the off EPATH went on the offensive. In the opening address, the organisation’s outgoing president, Joz Motmans, attacked ‘anti-gender and anti-trans voices, legislation, policies and movements’. Motmans even claimed that the growing public scepticism towards trans ideology was driven by ‘far-right parties’. ‘We respect everyone’s freedom of speech’, he said, ‘but we choose not to listen to it’.

In the interests of actual free speech and debate, EPATH attendees were told that they would be permitted access to Genspect with their EPATH ticket. This gesture was not reciprocated. Indeed, EPATH has even blocked Genspect from its Twitter account.

Whether or not EPATH chooses to listen, the debate over how best to treat patients with gender distress is gaining momentum across Europe. Last year’s announcement that the Tavistock clinic would be shut down, on the grounds its model of care is ‘not safe’ for children, has sent shockwaves across the continent. Medical bodies are now sounding the alarm in Sweden, France and most recently Norway. More and more clinical professionals are coming out to ask for the evidence that mental distress can be successfully treated by ‘gender-affirming’ medical interventions.

Last week in Ireland, the authority of EPATH’s gender priests took a battering. They showed themselves to be unwilling and perhaps even incapable of engaging with those who hold opposing views. More damning still, they refused to engage with the evidence.

Trans ideology is now being exposed for the magical thinking it always was. Its adherents are doing real harm.

==

Telling people to get a facelift or a boob-job when they're depressed or anxious used to be regarded as unethical.

Now it's a moral imperative.

[theicysneasel]

An urgent warning for all my queer homies: there are malicious, false ads circulating on social media for HRT supplements designed to gather a list of trans people and their addresses.

Along with just being useless sugar pill supplements. Fun all around, right?

A good reminder to be vigilant about where you seek out gender affirming care, especially if you live in a suppressive state like I do. Source your supplies and care from reputable queer support groups and always do your research before doing business with an unfamiliar supplier.

It sucks ass that anyone has to be this vigilant, but this is where we are unfortunately. Be aware, not scared. That’s always been my policy, and I will do my part to keep the community informed when something dangerous arises. Stay safe, y’all.

[anglerflsh]

been missing from tumblr for ten days hi send me your psychic energy pray for me etc I need to email a gender clinic in the coming days 💥

[instantmanifestation]

[maxiglow]

Realest Intentions

[genderqueerpositivity]

After Mississippi banned his hormone shots, an 8-hour journey

Katie had done all she could to prepare for this trip. She’d asked a relative to pick up her two younger boys from school. She’d researched how to change a tire, and she’d spent hours on Google Maps, searching for the closest Walgreens in Alabama. She’d finally found a destination in Thomasville, a rural town nearly 200 miles from their suburban Mississippi home, but much remained unclear. Would they make it by noon for Ray’s telehealth appointment? Would the pharmacy give him testosterone?

Katie looked at her boy, a thin 17-year-old with wavy hair and an easy grin, and she asked herself the question that had begun to matter least: Was she breaking the law?

Two months earlier, Mississippi had banned transgender young people, like Ray, from accessing hormones or other gender-transition treatments. By mid-spring, nearly half the country had passed similar bills, according to the Movement Advancement Project, and now, 1 in 3 trans children lives in a state with a ban. Conservative lawmakers said they’d pushed the bills to protect young people, but Katie felt like they’d done the opposite. Testosterone had allowed her son to embody himself for the first time. Ray was present, happy. The ban would take that happiness away.

Across the country, families were doing everything they could to protect their trans children. Some uprooted their lives in red states for the promise of protections in blue ones. Others filed lawsuits. Katie couldn’t afford to move, and she needed a solution faster than the courts could offer, so she’d settled on a cheaper, quicker plan: She’d take a day off from her nursing job, and she and Ray would travel out of state for his medical care.

No one should have to go to these lengths just to access what is essentially basic life-saving heath care.

Also, major shout out to QMed and Dr. Lowell and the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project for the work that they are doing to help trans youth and adults in red states access gender affirming care.

[clowningcrows]

im literally gnawing on the bars of my enclosure all i can fucking think about lately is getting on testosterone