Life and Death - a review

Browsing through facebook, I came across a link to an article about why suicide isn't just a men's issue. After I had finished reading, my mind thought back to one girl who claimed that the risk of transsexual suicide post-op was no greater than that of the general population. One of the skills being drummed into me in my current studies is that of critical thinking, which I like because I am inquisitive by nature and do prefer claims to be backed up by evidence if I'm to believe them. So, I decided to check her claim and do some research of my own.

I dived into my university library's database and began to do a search. Sadly, the first thing I noticed was the lack of research on the topic and the only journal article I could find was from a study performed in Sweden. Dhene, Lichtenstein, Boman, Johansson,  Långström, et al. found that post-op transsexuals were 19.1 times more likely to die from suicide. Although there are limitations to the statistics in this study, that is a sobering outcome that clearly refutes the previously mentioned claim. 

Reading through the article, the authors suggest consideration of improved care for transsexuals after their sex reassignment operation. This was something that my psychologist was surprised about when I told her that after care here was non-existent. Where I am, there is one channel to go through if you wish to have surgery here. Many girls decide to have their surgeries overseas in which case the same channel can be used in order to obtain that psychiatric approval letter or there are other avenues that can be followed. Unless I am mistaken (and please tell me if I am), none of them provide any form of follow up after surgery.

Having already written about how emotionally difficult SRS can be, it does seem strange that so much time is spent ensuring the patients well being prior to surgery but that none is allocated to ensuring their mental health after. I wonder if that also contributes to the stigma associated with the psychiatric process. If the process is supposed to be for the good of the patient, then it shouldn't wipe it's hands clean once the patient has been approved for surgery. Such actions tend to be interpreted as being indicative of a system that is only looking after itself. For the benefit of the ts community and for the safety of all those who transition in the future, something needs to change.

References

Dhejne C, Lichtenstein P, Boman M, Johansson ALV, Långström N, et al. 2011 Long-Term Follow-Up of Transsexual Persons Undergoing Sex Reassignment Surgery: Cohort Study in Sweden. PLoS ONE 6(2): e16885. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0016885