Noticing what triggers the gender dysphoria helps you start planning how to cope with it. (Notar qué desencadena la disforia de género te ayuda a empezar a planear cómo afrontarla.) Triggers are the people, places, situations, or even thoughts that can make the gender dysphoria feel stronger. Everyone’s triggers are different, and learning yours helps you feel more in control by allowing you to prepare ahead of time and respond in ways that feel right for you.
Externalization
Naming the gender dysphoria as something outside of yourself that wants to control you. By recognizing and paying attention to when the gender dysphoria appears, you can figure out which coping skills will work for you. (Al reconocer y prestar atención a cuándo aparece la disforia de género, puedes identificar qué habilidades de afrontamiento funcionarán para ti.) Also, knowing that you are separate from the gender dysphoria gives you room to fight against it. The more you practice using coping skills, the better you’ll get at resisting the gender dysphoria’s control over your life!
Mindful Awareness
Four ways to ground yourself when you first start feeling the gender dysphoria. (Cuatro maneras de mantenerte con los pies en la tierra cuando comienzas a sentir la disforia de género.) Externalization and mindful awareness work together. Externalization helps you recognize when the gender dysphoria appears, and mindful awareness helps you deal with it in that moment.
Types of Coping
Category
Definition
Skills
Deep Breathing
Intentionally concentrating on your breathing to create a sense of calm
Square breathing
Belly breathing
Sensory Grounding
Connecting with your senses to bring yourself into the present
5 4 3 2 1
Hold an object
Movement
Using physical movement to connect with your body and stay in the present
Wiggle
Stretch and release
HALT
Checking in around physical needs (hungry, angry, lonely, tired)
Checking in with your body, emotion scan, mood color check, journaling or doodling, getting something to eat, taking a nap, drinking some water, calling a friend
Five ways to actively respond to the gender dysphoria when it’s having a medium effect on you. (Cinco maneras de responder activamente a la disforia de género cuando está teniendo un efecto medio en ti.) These action steps involved taking direct action against the gender dysphoria to prevent it from controlling you.
Action Coping
Category
Definition
Skills
Radical Acceptance
Acknowledging and embracing the gender dysphoria and the challenges associated with it, without fighting or judging it
Riding the wave
Thought Swap
Changing negative gender dysphoria thoughts about yourself into neutral or more positive ones
Using positive self-talk, challenging negative self-talk, reflecting on gender affirming experiences
Hope Flip
Flipping negative gender dysphoria thoughts with hopeful thoughts
Repeating hopeful statements to yourself to replace gender dysphoria thoughts
Affirm and Feel
Doing things that make you feel good about your gender and pausing to notice the positive feelings they bring
Identifying gender-affirming actions, practicing them intentionally, pausing to check in with your feelings, naming emotions like pride or comfort, reflecting on why the action felt good, and mentally saving the moment
Community Connection
Talking to and being around other trans and/or nonbinary people
Encouraging and messaging other trans and/or nonbinary people, sharing about current gender dysphoria distress, hanging out with other trans and/or nonbinary people
Five ways to deal with feeling really stressed about because of the gender dysphoria through avoidance. (Cinco maneras de manejar el estrés intenso por la disforia de género a través de la evitación.)
Avoidant Coping
Category
Definition
Skills
Distraction
Purposely focusing on something other than the gender dysphoria
Break the Loop - Go on a walk, read a book, play video games, engage in a hobby
Zone Out Time - Watch TV, listen to music, listen to a podcast, taking a nap, daydream
Distancing
Staying away from things, spaces, or people that trigger the gender dysphoria
Physical Gender Dysphoria - Avoid mirrors, photographs, social media
Social Gender Dysphoria - Avoid anti-trans individuals, non-affirming teens, binary focused social events, role play when in non-affirming spaces
Selective Disclosure
Not sharing or disclosing a trans and/or nonbinary identity
Do not share identity, do not discuss pre-transition experiences, avoid cisgender centered conversations, do not speak
