Substance use and social anxiety in transsexual individuals.

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.