The Tragedy of Enabling Dysmorphia: When Compassion Goes Too Far

The Tragedy of Enabling Dysmorphia: When Compassion Goes Too Far

In modern psychiatric practice, there has long been a distinction between treating mental illness and affirming it. Body dysmorphia, a serious condition in which a person perceives a distorted view of their own body, has been listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for years. It is considered a psychological disorder, often linked to anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. And yet, as cultural trends have shifted, an exception has been carved out—one that raises troubling questions about the politicization of mental health.

Once upon a time, gender dysphoria—then categorized as transsexualism—was also listed in the DSM under similar classifications. Like other forms of body dysmorphia, it was recognized as a disorder in which an individual felt a deep-seated discomfort with their body. The traditional approach to treating dysmorphia of any kind was based on helping patients align their perception with reality, whether through therapy, medication, or, in extreme cases, carefully guided psychiatric intervention. But when it comes to gender dysphoria—now rebranded as transgenderism—the modern approach has taken a dramatically different turn: rather than treating the condition, the prevailing trend is now to affirm it.

This raises an important ethical and medical question—why do we take a completely different approach with gender dysphoria than with other forms of body dysmorphia? If a patient suffering from anorexia believes themselves to be obese despite being dangerously underweight, doctors do not affirm their belief and encourage them to starve themselves further. If a person with schizophrenia hears voices, we do not validate their hallucinations but instead work to alleviate their suffering through medication and therapy. And yet, when an individual struggling with gender dysphoria insists that they were “born in the wrong body,” the response from much of the medical community is not to challenge or treat the disorder but to affirm it and, in many cases, push for medical interventions that can have lifelong consequences.

The rise of so-called gender-affirming care as the default response has led to a dramatic increase in medical procedures, hormone treatments, and even surgeries performed on individuals, sometimes as young as teenagers. But this is not care—it is the medical abuse of vulnerable, mentally ill individuals. True care would involve addressing the underlying psychological distress, not encouraging permanent alterations to a person’s body in response to a temporary crisis. Those who dare to question this approach are often met with accusations of cruelty or bigotry. But true compassion is not about blind affirmation—it is about helping people heal. Encouraging individuals to permanently alter their bodies in response to a mental health struggle is not healing; it is enabling.

Moreover, there is growing evidence that many who undergo gender transitions later experience regret. Detransitioners—those who once identified as transgender but have since returned to their birth gender—have begun speaking out in increasing numbers. Many describe a lack of proper psychological evaluation before undergoing irreversible changes to their bodies. Instead of careful psychiatric treatment, they were rushed into medical transitions under the assumption that affirmation alone was the solution.

Adding to the problem is the growing cultural narrative that insists if one does not fully accept and affirm transgenderism, they are a bigot of some flavor. This kind of forced ideological conformity stifles honest discussion and prevents individuals from seeking alternative treatments that could truly help them. We are being told that questioning the prevailing narrative is hateful, but in reality, it is the very essence of responsible medical practice to scrutinize treatments and ensure they do no harm.

Even more concerning is how this ideology is now being aggressively pushed in schools. By promoting the idea of transgenderism to children, we are not simply fostering an environment of acceptance—we are actively encouraging the spread of a mental disorder. Children are impressionable, and when schools introduce the concept of “trans kids,” they are implanting the idea that distress about one’s body should be met with medical interventions rather than psychological support. This is not just misguided—it is dangerous. There is a significant difference between teaching children kindness and tolerance versus leading them down a path of potential irreversible harm.

None of this is to suggest that people suffering from gender dysphoria should be treated with anything less than dignity and compassion. They, like all people struggling with mental illness, deserve care, understanding, and support. But enabling a disorder does not help the afflicted—it exacerbates their suffering.

At some point, we must ask ourselves: why is body dysmorphia treated as a psychological disorder in all cases except one? The answer lies not in science but in ideology. The medical profession should be guided by evidence and a duty to do no harm, not by political pressure. If we truly care about those suffering from gender dysphoria, we owe them more than blind affirmation—we owe them real treatment, real healing, and a path toward wholeness that does not depend on the permanent alteration of their bodies to match a distorted perception of reality.