Detransition, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Moral Injury

There are increasing reports of individuals who, after undergoing medical gender-affirming treatments (GAT) for gender incongruence/gender dysphoria, subsequently detransition and/or express regret regarding these interventions. Although detransition experiences are heterogeneous, some individuals who detransition describe substantial adverse physical consequences and psychological distress resulting from the GAT they received. The purpose of this article is to assist mental health professionals in their understanding and conceptualizing of detransition experiences within the existing Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) framework. It is posited that a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, as delineated in the most recent text revision of the DSM (DSM-5-TR) (American Psychiatric Association, 2022), may be applicable for some individuals who have detransitioned. Furthermore, the relevance of the moral injury concept-recently incorporated into the DSM-5-TR under code Z65.8 (American Psychiatric Association, 2025)-as it pertains to this population, is discussed.