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Q&A
Transgender Awareness Week is from November 13 to 19! Adil A. Mohammed, MD, a board-certified physician in public psychology at Harmony United, was invited to join the team at the celebration to learn more about how to treat transgender patients as effectively as possible.
PT: According to research, people who identify as transgender have a four-fold higher risk of developing emotional illnesses than their contemporaries of color. What are the best three factors that healthcare professionals may take into account when caring for transgender patients?
Mohammed: 1. sexism As professionals in mental health, we must be aware that how we identify somebody can significantly affect how well-off they are mentally nevertheless. When introducing or interacting with a client for the first time, mental health professionals may ask the patient what their pronouns are rather than making conclusions. This is the best way to prevent misgendering. You can establish a trusting relationship with your individual by beginning the interaction with the knowledge that you are properly identifying them and avoiding the mistreatment they have likely experienced in the past. Your patient will feel understood.
2. transgressions Pay attention to how your team members feel about female expression and identity. The general standard of care for the patients and their families will be impacted by any mental health professional who exhibits microaggressions or who displays unfavorable attitudes toward trans people. I advise mental health care facilities to provide coaching sessions to teach staff members on misgendering, the LGBTQ+ group, and ways to identify unconscious bias and microaggressions in order to counteract the possibility of such behavior in this industry. It’s crucial that your team believes they have the knowledge and experience necessary to treat transgender patients with the highest level of care.
3. 3. Make sure you and your employees are aware of the challenges faced by the transgender community. Understanding your clients is the most crucial factor you can do as a mental health professional, as was already mentioned. Take the time to teach yourself or request in-house education if there is anything about the trans community that you do not immediately understand in order to provide your patients with the best experience possible. Check to see if you fully comprehend how elements like shame, discrimination, bias, hate crimes, and violence can have an impact on the community’s well-being.
PT: In states like Florida that are especially hostile to trans people ‘ life, how can clinicians assist them? How do your comments generally change depending on the location?
Mohammed: In order to better understand the effects on the emotional health of the LGBTQ+ group in their state or local communities, mental healthcare professionals should educate themselves on these issues. Since Harmony United Psychiatric Care is based in Florida, we are aware that the animosity and legislation that violates trans people ‘ right is likely having a significant impact on them. Each state will have its own special problems that this society must deal with, but the care requirements are always the same.
If we look at Florida, it comes in 46th place in the country for how easy it is for people to get access to mental health care. 2. Due to the dearth of local resources, Florida people who suffer from severe depression or suicidal thoughts may experience severe issues. This is especially true for the region’s transgender population, which is already four times more likely to experience mental illness. Harmony United Psychiatric Care has made it its mission to solve this pressing issue by promising quicker and more effective treatment through the provision of new sufferer appointments in as little as the same day or the following day. This is done in light of the dearth of resources for Florida residents and the neighborhood LGBTQ+ community. For those who reside in remote areas of the state and are still looking for solutions for their mental health, we also provide telehealth and therapy sessions. We like to believe that our site has encouraged us to give open hands to anyone who needs help in our status, especially the trans community during these trying times. The easy access we provide to our residents is game-changing in a position with such little access to mental health care resources.
PT: This discuss trans patients of all ages. Do you view transgender people in a different way than you do older people?
Mohammed: When it comes to treating transgender people who are younger or older, our strategy is largely the same.
PT: Officials keep bringing transgender issues into the conflict. Do you believe that these discussions—whether they involve using the restroom or participating in sports —have an effect on the day-to-day mental wellbeing of transgender people? How is professionals counteract these effects?
Mohammed: As most just observed with Gov., there have been ongoing discussions about the limitations of the neighborhood trans community. Bill by Ron DeSantis mandating that trans people use pubic restrooms that match their sex at birth. Transgender children and teenagers frequently use public facilities because they are concerned about their health and safety, according to 3 native LGBTQ+ activists. 4. A transgender person’s constant fear of their health and safety may cause them to create a mental illness, make it more difficult to deal with their existing mental illnesses, or create an environment that is extremely stressful for them.
It is depressing to think of a child or teenager entering school in the state of Florida and no feeling at ease using the room all evening. These are the kinds of problems that mental health professionals should be aware of in order to fully comprehend what a transgender person may be dealing with in the background. This may ultimately have an effect on the course of treatment for these patients.
Pers: How has your training changed as a result of working with transgender patients? Do you have any medical advice to impart to other clinicians?
Mohammed: I’d suggest the following advice.
- We should n’t assume to know a patient’s gender by the way they appear or speak.
- If a question about gender identity or reproductive position is directly related to care, we should n’t ask about it and may explain why if it is.
- The victim’s preferred brand and pronouns should be used.
- Use gender-neutral speech, like as “partner” or “relationship position.”
- We ought to become honest and impartial.
- We need to be aware of myths, prejudice, and prejudices that might obstruct efficient communication.
- The patient’s health report should include information about our care, including the patient verb preference.
- Before conducting a physical health examination, we may get permission, and only do so if medically necessary.
PT: How does medical professionals become more knowledgeable about the complex history of trans identity? Do you have any specific recommendations?
Mohammed: I highly advise any practitioners who are not providing training and education for the LGBTQ+ community to do so. It’s critical to understand that your group is on the same page when it comes to treating these people, how to overcome and spot any inherent biases, and what problems this community is dealing with that might affect their treatment and mental illness plan. Asking a member of the LGBTQ+ community to communicate at your ability, give background information, and help students better understand the community is ONE effective way to achieve this. Additionally, this will make your employees more at ease when discussing adjectives and prevent them from misidentifying your patients.
In order to provide their instructors the chance to continue their education and training, I also advise clinicians to offer a cadence of education courses for them, whether that be yearly or monthly. Offering education courses or setting up trainings with educators on the LGBTQ+ society could be a very good providing for your service because some clinicians may not think as equipped to help transgender patients to the best of their abilities and might be too afraid to speak up.
The American Psychological Association provides a comprehensive list of tools for practitioners and clinicians, which is linked below.
Do you have any last thoughts, PT?
Mohammed: In my opinion, we ought to treat transgender individuals the same as we had any other group of people. But we must remember the advice I gave earlier.
Dr. Mohammed is a standard psychology board-certified psychiatrist at Harmony United.
References
1. Durbak E, Niforatos JD, Wanta JW, and others. An all-paying electronic health record research on mental health diagnoses in transgender patients in a medical setting. Health Transgend. 4 ( 1 ) 2019: 313- 315.
2. Bolden L. Less than half of Florida’s mentally ill residents receive care. select Orlando. 24 February 2023. accessed November 16, 2023. https ://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/02/24/less than half-of-people-in-florida-with-mental-illness-dont-get-treatment
3. Republicans and health organizations fight over Florida’s transgender population limits, according to Saunders J. Jax Action News 16 October 2023. accessed November 16, 2023. ssl://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/gop-leaders/medical-groups-clash-florida-restrictions-transgender-people/7ZJZUKOIWFFK5KC2CAFFXGRCEU
4. Cimini K, Walker F, and Goi- Lessan A. felt like victim: trans people claim that bathrooms are more dangerous under fresh Florida law. Democratic Tallahassee. 18 October 2023. Downloaded November 16, 2023.https ://www.tallahassee .com/story/news/local/state/2023/10/18/florida-bathroom-bill-causing-problems-beyond-restroom for trans-kidseducation-school-transgender/70994247007/#
