Support after detransition

Medical detransition care in the Netherlands is provided through regular endocrinology, gynecology, urology and plastic surgery services.

Medical care

Medical detransition care in the Netherlands is provided through regular endocrinology, gynecology, urology and plastic surgery services. There are no dedicated detransition clinics yet; experience is concentrated among doctors who also provide transgender care, including Amsterdam UMC.

Psychological care

For psychological support during detransition, people can turn to regular psychologists or be referred to specialist mental healthcare. There is growing attention to specific training in detransition-related issues.

Social support

Social aspects — explaining the situation to family and friends, legal consequences and, if desired, reversing the legal registration of sex — require attention. Peer support through Transspijt.nl and international networks provides recognition and understanding. An overview of helplines, peer support and therapy outside transgender care can be found at transitieschade.nl. What else the site offers, including testimonies and legal information, is described in the archive description of transitieschade.nl.

The first step

For most people, the GP is the best place to start. They can order blood tests, refer you to an endocrinologist to taper or switch hormones, and refer you to a psychologist. You do not have to return to the gender clinic if you do not want to. Tell your doctor which medications you have used, for how long, and which surgeries you have undergone, so that the necessary checks can be tailored accordingly.

What is missing

In surveys of detransitioners, lack of support is the most frequently mentioned complaint. Healthcare providers have little experience with this situation, there are no guidelines, and many people feel misunderstood or are referred to the very clinic they no longer want to return to. The Cass Review therefore advised the English health service to establish a separate care pathway for detransition. In Texas, the largest children's hospital had to open a detransition clinic as part of a settlement, offering free care to people who regret their treatment. No such facility exists in the Netherlands.

Psychological and social aspects

Detransition is often accompanied by grief over what cannot be reversed, shame and anger, and sometimes the loss of friends. The problems that existed before the transition usually remain. A therapist who does not take a position on the outcome is most helpful. Are you thinking about suicide? Call 113 Suicide Prevention on 0800-0113 or chat via 113.nl. See psychological effects of detransition, detransition platforms, side effects of stopping hormones and legal aspects of detransition.