So I was sitting in my therapist's office the other day during my session, and for some reason, she started looking at the psychiatric nurse practitioner's notes to see if there's an official diagnosis besides depression and social phobia. She rattled off this short list, one of which was some type of personality disorder, and then she read the words "gender identity" and then just kind of trailed off. I'm kind of wondering if the psychiatric nurse practitioner that I see diagnosed me with GID, which, by the way, is not a real thing anymore. It's not even a medical condition to be trans* anymore. I've noticed that she's noticeably uncomfortable when I enter her office. She doesn't seem to care that the Prozac is most likely what's making me put on weight (Sure, it's not a lot, but it makes pants shopping really hard). My therapist is very sympathetic towards me and understands a lot of very liberal subjects even though she occasionally calls me by the wrong pronouns. I corrected her the other day, and she apologized profusely. I like her. She's pretty great, not to mention funny. The nurse practitioner, though, gives sound advice while seeming uncomfortable with my presence. Only problem: I think she thinks I'm crazy because I'm FtM, which is just insulting. I don't want to ask outright. When I go to see her every two months, she asks me how I'm doing with my "gender issues". I'm not sure if that's just the only way she knows to say it or if she just genuinely doesn't like me. I used to go see her every month, but I go every two months now. She prescribes me a 30-day supply Prozac that has one refill, so I just go see her as little as possible. Another thing that's worth mentioning: I do not have insurance. I go to a possibly state-funded mental health clinic where the clients pay income-based fees. I guess I fall below poverty level, so I don't pay anything. All the other places around here are expensive if you don't have insurance, and my mental health has been deteriorating somewhat in the absence of my muse.
Other than I hate how the medical field and billing are run in this country, it's pretty uncommon for people in the medical field to deal with gender identity issues still so while they are professionals they need to be given a little leeway. Think of it this way. This generation of transgender individuals are paving the way for the future, not just in society but for medical status as well. Didn't DSM-V just come out that changed a lot? I hope that things go better for you next time there. Sometimes finding the right medicine is all it takes as well. Took me a long time to find the right thing myself.
The DSM-V did come out recently. Having said that old habits die hard, and peoples emotions die harder. It is unfortunate, however the times are chaining rapidly, so at least be thankful they haven't tried putting you on electroconvulsion therapy, since it is still prescribed to some disorders.
That's one thing I don't like about people in the medical field. I had more pills pushed down my throat than actual therapy to get me comfortable in my skin so I'm stable enough to transition; then again where I went (I refuse to go back) they never once used my chosen pronouns and used excuses for why they wouldn't, even though I made it explicitly clear what my pronouns were. One said they wouldn't acknowledge my pronouns because of what my file said. Even with the DSM-V, I'd give them resource links and they'd still be as empty headed and ignorant about the whole thing before I lead them on.
Honestly, I'd try to be thankful that she doesn't express her negativity more than she does. It's probably very difficult for her, and at least she tries to help even though she doesn't agree.
Thanks, guys. I really wasn't sure what to think about his situation. I do live in West Virginia where it pretty much takes years for us to get new information about stuff like the DSM-V. And, yeah, Kiddles, I'm really glad I haven't been subjected to anything like that. Daydreamer, AJ, I'm sorry that happened to you. It really does suck when shit like that happens. My therapist says it's going to take time to get used to it because she started seeing me when I was still identifying as female, which is pretty understandable, I think. I hate to say it, but maybe I just don't like the nurse practitioner I'm seeing. I feel bad saying that, but it would be nice to get my prescriptions from someone who's trans-friendly.
The thing is I was at said facility since I was 17, going on 18 and I'm 20 now. Since I was 18, I was seeing said person and I made my situation as explicitly clear as possible. For a "medial professional" to tell me they "knew me as such and such" for so long is a bullshit excuse and says they aren't trying or care enough to bother. I think she even had a copy of the DSM-V and still wasn't doing anything. I'd get it if I was seeing them for that long and I just came out, but that wasn't the case at all. I get it that not everyone is trained to know how to work with trans people, but that's what research is for. Even seeing a PFlag PDF won't kill you, at least you have more knowledge than you went in. If you have trans clients, be appropriate and ask questions that aren't intrusive and get it then and there. Don't make excuses for fucking up and simply apologize and try not to do it again. That's all I've asked of the people I've been stuck with and they're still "stuck in the past" and blocking me out. The only person to use my name and pronouns honestly was someone I've seen on the side and the hospital I was in for a week (except they've also used my birth name and pronouns interchangeably which was probably my fault).
