Sie sind auf Seite 1von 3

Addictionproblemsandthetransgenderpeople

Source:http://www.legalserviceindia.com
Author:advocatesunita
Publishedon:April25,2015

AddictionProblemsandthe
TransgenderPeople

advocatesunita'sProfile
anddetails
Adv.
(B.A,
LL.M,
PGDCL
PhD.)

Abstract
Transgenderisalsoapartofthesocietyandtheyhaveequalright
toeverythingintheworldthatisavailabletoallotherpersons.
Thepresenceofsuchtransgenderisnotnew,buttheirpresenceis
therefromthetimeimmemorial.Themostimportantaspectwe
ConstitutionalAnd
havetothinkisthediscriminationwhichinturnyieldsalcohol,
CriminalLaw.
drugsandsubstanceabuse.InthelightoftheConstitutional
TransgenderActivist.
guaranteesprovided,thereisnoreasonwhyTransgender
Communityshouldnotgettheirbasicrights.
Thispaperwillenlightentheabuseofdrugsbytransgender,includinghealthcareand
specificallywithinHIVpreventionandtreatmenttodescribenotonlyidentitiesbutriskfactors
withinmentalhealthasaconditionandtodescribesetsofbehaviorsandsociopoliticallyboth
withinthecommunitiesandthelargersociety.
Preamble
Thetermtransgenderisusedmostoftentorefertopeoplewhosegenderidentitydiffersfrom
theirbirthsex.Transgenderpeopleexistoneverycontinentandareincreasinglyorganisingfor
rightsandrecognition.Genderpresentationsandlocalculturalunderstandingsvaryaroundthe
worldandmanydifferenttermsareusedtodescribeindividualswholivebetweenoroutsidea
malefemalegenderbinary.Transgenderpeopletypifythepotentiationofdrugabusesecondary
todiscriminationbylegalsystemsresultinginhumanrightsviolations.

Alcohol,DrugsAndSubstanceAbuse
Lackofadequateresearchinthisfieldmakesitdifficulttodeterminetheextentoftransgender
substanceabuseproblems.ButavailablestudiesindicatethatTGpeoplearemorelikelytouse
alcohol,tobaccoandotherdrugsthanthegeneralpopulationandaremorelikelytocontinue
heavydrinkingintolaterlife.Theirlikelihoodfordoingsoisheightenedbypersonaland
culturalstressesresultingfromantigaybias.Relianceonbarsforsocialization,stresscausedby
discrimination,andtargetedadvertisingbytobaccoandalcoholbusinessesingayandlesbian
publicationsareallbelievedtocontributetoincreasedpressuresontransgenderindividualsto
engageinsubstanceabuse.
Druguseisassociatedwithunsafesexandthetransmissionofinfections,includingHIV
(Mayer2008).Severalstudieshavealsosuggestedhigherratesofdepression,anxiety,and
suicidalideationthetransgender(Ruble2008).Althoughattributedtothepathologyof
homosexualityornonstandardgenderidentityinthepast,thehigherrateofsubstanceabuse
andmentaldisordersinLGBTpatientsisnowtheorizedtoresultfromminoritystress.
Themainproblemsthatarebeingfacedbythetransgendercommunityareofdiscrimination,

unemployment,lackofeducationalfacilities,homelessness,lackofmedicalfacilitieslikeHIV
careandhygiene,depression,hormonepillabuse,tobaccoandalcoholabuse,penectomyand
problemsrelatedtomarriageandadoption.
SomeGPshavebeenreluctanttotreattranspeopleorhaverefusedtodoso.Wherethey
receivedcarerelatedtogenderreassignment,transpeoplehaveexperiencedanunsatisfactory
onesizefitsallapproach.Transpeoplemayalsobeatgreaterriskofisolation,alcoholabuse,
suicide,selfharm,substanceabuseandHIVinfection,althoughtheseissuesrequirefurther
investigation.
Accordingtoexistingresearch,homosexuallyactivewomenhavebeenshowntobemorelikely
thanotherwomentohavedrugoralcoholdependencysyndromes(Cochran&Mays,2000
Cochran,KeenanSchober&Mays,2000).Alcoholanddruguseanddependencyrateshave
beenshowntobehigheramonggaymenandlesbiansthanfortheirheterosexualcounterparts
(Skinner,1994Cochran&Mays,2000).Intermsoftobaccouse,gayandbisexualmenhave
alsobeenshowntohavetobaccouseratessubstantiallyhigherthantheirheterosexual
counterparts(Stall,Greenwood,Acree,Paul&Coates,1999.
RiskFactorforAddiction
Membersofthetransgendercommunityaremorepronetosufferfrompsychiatricdisorders,
includinghighratesofmoodandanxietydisorders(Jorm,Korten,Rodgers,Jacomb&
Christensen,2002ilmanetal.,2001Cochran,Sullivan&Mays,2003),andaspreviously
mentioned,substanceabusedisorders.
Onekeystressorcomesfromthestigmaanddiscriminationofhomophobiaandheterosexism
(prejudiceagainstLGBTpersons),whichremainasignificantchallengeforLGBTindividuals.
AccordingtotheGayandLesbianMedicalAssociation,amajorityofnursesteachingin
nursingschoolsstillbelievedbeingalesbianisunnaturalasrecentlyas1991nearly20
yearsaftertheremovalofhomosexualityfromtheDSM(GayandLesbianMedicalAssociation,
2001,p.218).
ConsiderationForServiceProviders
Thetransgenderindividualscannotfreelywalkintoaheathinstitutionforcheckup,treatmentor
evencounselingliketheircounterparts.Often,LGBTindividualsfeelunabletodisclosetheir
sexualorgenderidentitytohealthprovidersinfearofadversereactionsfromothers.Infact,as
recentlyasthelate1980sbetweenhalfand61%oflesbianandgaypeoplefeltunabletocome
outtotheirmedicalproviders(GayandLesbianMedicalAssociation,2001,p.218).Doctors,
mentalhealthprovidersandfaithleadersmustofferthepromiseofnonjudgmentalcare.
CulturalCompetence
Lackofculturalcompetenceinmedicalandmentalhealthsettingsmayfurtherdiscouragehelp
seekingbehaviorintheLGBTcommunity.Actualnegativeattitudesandbeliefsaboutthe
LGBTcommunityarestillprevalent.Somephysiciansareuncomfortabletreatingthe
transgender.(GayandLesbianMedicalAssociation,2001,p.218).Theclearremedyhereis
education.

FutureDirections
DespiteclinicalandempiricalknowledgethatLGBTindividualsareatgreaterriskof
developingaddictivedisorders,wehavevirtuallynoinformationabouthowaddictionproblems
impactsthisgroup.Moreresearchanddataisneededforafullerunderstandingofthis
phenomenonandtodevelopculturallysensitiveandcompetentinterventions.

Conclusion
Thetransgender/LGBTissueisacomplexsubject,whetherunderdiscrimination,harassmentor
drugissues.Asstatedabove,Ibelievethatthelegislature,thelawenforcers,medical/healthand
teachinginstitutionsshouldbethesteppingstonetowardschangingthis.
References
1.HealthyPeople2010:CompanionDocumentforLesbian,Gay,Bisexual,and
Transgender(LGBT)Health(2001,GayandLesbianMedicalAssociation)
2.AmericanPsychiatricAssociation.(1987).Diagnosticandstatisticalmanualofmental
disorders(3rded.).Washington,DC:Author.
3.InternationalGayandLesbianHumanRightsCommission(IGLHRC),7May2011.
4.GayandLesbianMedicalAssociation&LGBThealthexperts.Healthypeople2010
companiondocumentforLesbian,Gay,Bisexual,andTransgender(LGBT)health.San
Francisco,CA:GayandLesbianMedicalAssociation,p.218
5.SubstanceAbuseandMentalHealthServicesAdministrationCenterforSubstanceAbuse
Treatment.(2001).Aprovidersintroductiontosubstanceabusetreatmentforlesbian,gay,
bisexualandtransgenderindividuals.
6.PreventingAlcoholandOtherDrugProblemsintheLesbianandGayCommunity(available
inprintedformonlyviawww.prta.com)
7.AProvider'sIntroductiontoSubstanceAbuseTreatmentforLesbian,Gay,Bisexual,
&TransgenderIndividuals(2001,AMHSA/CSAT)BKD392
Theauthorcanbereachedat:advocatesunita@legalserviceindia.com

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen