<p>People can feel trapped in body of opposite sex</p>.<p><br />Surya (name changed), was born a female. But his activities, be it in terms of dressing or playing games, were akin to a boy. “I felt like a male trapped inside a female’s body,” said Surya.<br /><br />It was only after attaining the age of 23 that he approached a Gender Team in a hospital, comprising plastic surgeons, a psychiatrist and an endocrinologist. <br /><br />The team concluded that Surya should be given body of a male, and he finally got rid of the traumatic dilemma he suffered through the life so far. <br /><br />“Gender and sex are two different things. Sex is bodily make-up while gender is what a person feels. When these two are not in line, then a person is trans-sexual and feels trapped,” said Dr Rajiv Mehta, psychiatrist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.<br /><br />He although added such discrepancies can occur due to a variety of reasons including schizophrenia and hence, a proper diagnosis is a must. <br /><br />“Trans-sexual girls engage in boyish activities like playing cricket and being a tomboy. They hate being called beti or bitiya. The case with trans-sexual boys is the opposite. As brains and thoughts cannot be changed, we go for a change of physical appearance,” said Dr Mehta.<br /><br />He further said ego-synchronic trans-sexuals, who are comfortable with their identity, do not need any change. <br /><br />“It is ego-dischronic, who are not comfortable with their orientation, who have to go through the surgery. For them, the discrepancy leads to anxiety and depression,” he said.<br /><br />Long procedure<br /><br />Surya went for a full transformation which included three surgeries by a plastic surgeon. He got his breasts removed. After three months, his female sexual organs were removed. And finally, after a gap of yet other three months, the procedure for developing male organs -- urethra, penis and scrotum was undertaken.<br /><br />“Trans-sexual patterns either have genetic basis or neural basis. This explains the scientific reason for difference in body make-up and one’s feelings,” said Dr Richie Gupta, senior consultant and plastic surgeon, BLK Super Speciality Hospital who treated Surya.<br />After a psychiatric analysis, we realised that Surya is suffering from Gender Identity Disorder – Classic Transsexual. Thus, the surgery was conducted, said Dr Gupta.<br /><br />Social media<br /><br />Dr Mehta cited internet and media as the reasons for peoples’ coming out in the open with such disorders. <br /><br />“From 2001-07 I had treated total two patients. The awareness levels and oneness about the disease have increased and now I treat one or two such patients per month,” he said.<br /><br />However, the cost of the treatment limits the benefits to a very few people. Each session with a psychiatrist costs anywhere between Rs 500-2,000.<br /><br />“In normal cases where there are no complications for the patient and the family, we take 10 to15 sittings,” said Dr Mehta.<br /><br />The surgery in private hospitals costs Rs 3.5-4 lakh.</p>
<p>People can feel trapped in body of opposite sex</p>.<p><br />Surya (name changed), was born a female. But his activities, be it in terms of dressing or playing games, were akin to a boy. “I felt like a male trapped inside a female’s body,” said Surya.<br /><br />It was only after attaining the age of 23 that he approached a Gender Team in a hospital, comprising plastic surgeons, a psychiatrist and an endocrinologist. <br /><br />The team concluded that Surya should be given body of a male, and he finally got rid of the traumatic dilemma he suffered through the life so far. <br /><br />“Gender and sex are two different things. Sex is bodily make-up while gender is what a person feels. When these two are not in line, then a person is trans-sexual and feels trapped,” said Dr Rajiv Mehta, psychiatrist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.<br /><br />He although added such discrepancies can occur due to a variety of reasons including schizophrenia and hence, a proper diagnosis is a must. <br /><br />“Trans-sexual girls engage in boyish activities like playing cricket and being a tomboy. They hate being called beti or bitiya. The case with trans-sexual boys is the opposite. As brains and thoughts cannot be changed, we go for a change of physical appearance,” said Dr Mehta.<br /><br />He further said ego-synchronic trans-sexuals, who are comfortable with their identity, do not need any change. <br /><br />“It is ego-dischronic, who are not comfortable with their orientation, who have to go through the surgery. For them, the discrepancy leads to anxiety and depression,” he said.<br /><br />Long procedure<br /><br />Surya went for a full transformation which included three surgeries by a plastic surgeon. He got his breasts removed. After three months, his female sexual organs were removed. And finally, after a gap of yet other three months, the procedure for developing male organs -- urethra, penis and scrotum was undertaken.<br /><br />“Trans-sexual patterns either have genetic basis or neural basis. This explains the scientific reason for difference in body make-up and one’s feelings,” said Dr Richie Gupta, senior consultant and plastic surgeon, BLK Super Speciality Hospital who treated Surya.<br />After a psychiatric analysis, we realised that Surya is suffering from Gender Identity Disorder – Classic Transsexual. Thus, the surgery was conducted, said Dr Gupta.<br /><br />Social media<br /><br />Dr Mehta cited internet and media as the reasons for peoples’ coming out in the open with such disorders. <br /><br />“From 2001-07 I had treated total two patients. The awareness levels and oneness about the disease have increased and now I treat one or two such patients per month,” he said.<br /><br />However, the cost of the treatment limits the benefits to a very few people. Each session with a psychiatrist costs anywhere between Rs 500-2,000.<br /><br />“In normal cases where there are no complications for the patient and the family, we take 10 to15 sittings,” said Dr Mehta.<br /><br />The surgery in private hospitals costs Rs 3.5-4 lakh.</p>
