Substance Use and Social Anxiety in Transsexual Individuals

Abstract

Objective: This study examined social anxiety and use of cannabis and cocaine among transsexuals.

Methods: A total of 379 transsexuals seeking treatment or consultation participated in this study, providing data on sociodemographics, substance use, and anxiety. Analyses were based on (a) lifetime but not current use versus never used and (b) current use only versus no current use (lifetime only or never used).

Results: Lifetime only cannabis users (n = 72, 19%) and lifetime only cocaine users (n = 36, 9.8%) were older, had more victimization, and received more mental health treatment that those who never used. Current cannabis users (n = 47, 12.4%) had higher scores on fear of negative evaluation and social avoidance than those not currently using (p <.01). Multivariate analysis showed that social avoidance and fear of negative evaluation were associated with current cannabis use (p <.05), but not cocaine. Further, being single was associated with current cannabis use, after controlling for social avoidance and fear of negative evaluation (p <.05).

Conclusions: Transsexuals’ levels of anxiety and cannabis/cocaine use are comparable to those in the general population. Cannabis may be used to control anxiety and can have detrimental clinical implications for transsexuals.

Keywords:

• transsexuality
• gender dysphoria
• substance abuse
• social anxiety disorder
• transgender

Additional information

Funding

This study is part of an ongoing project initiated in 2000. This study was supported by Project PI01-0447 and PI06-1339, funded by the Carlos III Health Institute, Ministry of Health, Social Affairs and Equality, Spain. Support was also provided by Project PI07-0157 funded by the Ministry of Health and CTS546 by the Ministry of Innovation of the Andalusian Regional Government, Spain.