I have begun to notice that my urge to dress increases with my level of depression, which has been diagnosed and is being treated by medication. I am still closeted thanks to living in a redneck town. Has anyone else experienced this. What advice can you give me?
Kind of the opposite...it was my inability to dress as I wished that made me depressed. Now I'm a happy lady.
Hope things stabilize for you. It's really a wonderful world out there.
I don't wear women's clothes, I wear MY clothes !
During times of stress in a professional and academic career, cross dressing was an escape to a place of renewal. Came back a better person. Not getting the time generated frustration and hence, anger. Not a nice person.
Laura
I usually get a little stressed then I want to dress. If I get depressed I either want to dress or sit on the couch and eat chocolate chip cookies, then I get fat and don't feel like dressing. Do the drugs help you stop having the dressing desire or what effect do they have? I have a strong desire to go out now and it hasn't gone down at all.
I had them same feeling for years and was on two different anti-depressants at the same time and I was still depress. Even so it is not the same for everyone. The last time I was so depress and was ready to end it all, I went and seen a therapist and transition two weeks later. I haven't taken a anti-depressant since and I also have not had one bad day. Life was suddenly beautiful for me. I for once in life really enjoy being alive.
Love & Hugs,
Kristy
The last few years as I have accepted my lifestyle any depression has disappeared, accepting that one is gender-enhanced has made me a complete person.
Last edited by ArleneRaquel; 01-18-2012 at 06:48 PM.
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I'm also treating depression with medication, but I notice that when my depression is at it's worst, I don't feel like dressing fem, or doing much of anything for that matter. I just kind of sit around like a lump.
Yay depression.gif "Big Roll Eyes")
We're here for a good time, not a long time.
So have a good time. The sun can't shine everyday.
I have suffered from depression most of my life. I came out to my wife about fifteen years ago. My marriage was coming apart, my business was failing and I was suicidal. Something had to change. It was only when I accepted my crossdressing did the depression lift. Our marriage is better and now based on honesty. For me the best anti-depressant isn't in a pill bottle but found hanging in my closet.
I've found that depression doesn't fully zap the desire, but the lack of energy makes it feel like a vertical climb to something you can't obtain.
It's hard finding the energy to keep the body groomed, ect beyond basic hygiene let alone anything else.
Never been sure if I suffered from depression. I sure as hell had mood swings! I have had what I would call downers... I mean really down... when I thought I was clinically depressed, but what always stops me hitting the right number on the scale is that I am naturally optimistic... This is a real bummer, because if I wasn't, I would be clinically depressed... which would explain a lot! When I am down yeah my dressing may increase but when I am really down, I can't be bothered... It is just too much to cope with. I just want to sleep and maybe not wake up?
Kaz xx
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This Woman Within is Flying without Wings
"REdneck town"... Hmmm, if it's a matter of your surroundings, it mighty be time to consider a change. That said, even in the most "enlightened" areas, it might not be as easy as you might think. There'll still be people who don't understand.
Just figure out what works for you and go for it.
Last edited by KaTanya; 01-18-2012 at 07:09 PM.
I often thought that my depressions (if that's what they were/are) were actively linked to CDing in some way.
But now I think that was (is) only a coincidence, Sibby.
I'm "down" as often as I'm "up"... that was always the way.
I suppose that's just me and I try to cope with emotional fluctuations as best as I can.
Likewise, when I am dressed I can feel like a million dollars... or be totally p*$$€d-off with my appearance.
Gaby
[SIZE="1"]When Irish Eyes Are Smiling... In the lilt of Irish laughter... When Irish hearts are happy... And When Irish Eyes Are Smiling... [/SIZE]
I get depressed and stressed when I do not dress or cannot dress as much as I would like. I do think my desire to dress increases when I am feeling lonely (which does cause some of my depression) but the my urge to dress does not increase with my depression.
Danni
I'M FREE, I'M FREE! I GET TO BE ME!
I feel like dressing all the time, depressed or not.
I took it on the chin the other way around: I was quite depressed, and I discovered that I felt a lot better when I cross-dressed.
But things change. A few months ago I had a fair bit of life stress, and I didn't feel like doing much of anything, and I even stopped shopping. But my gender dysphoria didn't kick in the way it had before, probably because I am on HRT now, which counteracts my dysphoria. Sometimes you just drop in to survival mode, with getting through each day being more important than what you are wearing.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you are a recovering Catholic, such as myself. When I felt down about crossdressing I assumed it was depression. Later in life I recognized it as guilt. I felt like I was doing something wrong in the eyes of my family, friends, and at one time God. Once I accepted my dressing as a part of my life and that it was NOT wrong, I felt a lot better. Currently my life doesn't allow for regular "girl time", and that's the only time my mood changes. Because I feel deprived of what makes me happy. Deprived of being my true self.
Don't let my name fool you...I'm really an angel.
If you follow my threads i am the first one complaining that i don't have no time for Maria. I try not to take it to serious and try to have fun with it because when opportunity doe's come i do enjoy it. My male side has his plate full also. So try to have with it.
usually when I used to dress I didn't feel depressed but the effect lasted only while I was dressed.My depression got to the point that I was depressed even dressed...Crying while dressed is not fun at all, I am on medication now and the dressing like everything on my life seems more enjoyable
my first experience was when i did methamphetamine then i tried on more lingerie,then i became single them married,it was always a struggle with me the urge was always there,then i became widowed n i put on her panties,that was it,and ever since then it's just a compulsion,i have to wear my panties to bed,i feel so much better in the morning,it's that intimate thing that makes my day
wow sounds like everyone is a little depressed :S i personally think doctors hand out anti-depresants to easily when ppl arnt even close just having a bad day, im from aus so i just drinkalot lol :P
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I experience depression when I am unable to dress also. I did not dress for eleven years for my ex when I was married to her, I got so depressed that I gave up on everything, I could not work, I quit racing on the weekends etc. etc. After we divorced I was moving and I found my stash of clothes, I took them to my new place, and I spent all night trying on the clothes to see what fit and what did not, after suffering severe depression for so many years, I was for the first time in many years feeling like there was hope for me, It was as if I was finally set free it was from that point on that I finally was able to cope with life again, I was able to pick myself back on my feet and start over with my life, I started working again, Six months later (spring of 06) I stepped out of the closet, and went out the front door for the first time enfemme, I will not back in the closet again no matter what happens, because not being able to dress destroyed my life. I married a woman over a year ago and I told her about my crossdressing when we were dating she struggled with it at first but she finally accepted it, then after the marriage she told me I was not allowed to dress, I was devasastated, I ended the marriage soon after. I did not want to go through that depression again. I know to some it might be harsh what I did, but I had to save my sanity. Like others have said dressing enfemme is my drug of choice, it does not hurt me, it is healthy, I can drive while dressed, and I dont have to be on any meds. I live in a redneck community, but that does not stop me from going out dressed enfemme, and the peaple here have accepted me without any problems. There is no excuse not to dress enfemme. Just do it and go to safe places and no one will bother you. Stay away from biker bars and other dark seedy places where trouble lurks. Go to stores, malls, public gatherings, etc etc. You will be safe there, and you will be over your depression.
That might be true for some, but it did not happen to be the case for me. I had a ruddy awful year and had no idea what was wrong with me, but I could hardly leave the house. Then one day (11-ish months after onset) I was flipping through a newspaper just for something to do, glanced down, saw one of those "If you have these symptoms you may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial" advertisements, and being bored, read it. Of the 12 symptoms listed and eligibility pegged at "3 or more" of the symptoms, I had 11 of them (everything except the "guilt feelings") Bad case of depressionOriginally Posted by Tracy - new dresser
I'm with you on this one! When I was younger, every cross dressing episode was accompanied by massive amounts of guilt, after the fact. I used to always wait for something bad to happen the day after I would dress. It could be totally unrelated, like a car accident, for example. But I would just assume I was being cosmically punished for cross dressing. I realize now how stupid this is, but it took me a long, long, time to get over it, and I blame the whole Catholic guilt thing entirely. It sucks when something that brings you so much joy can also bring you so much pain. It shouldn't be this way.
But, back on topic, I think the urge to dress is certainly increased when you're feeling depressed. It only makes sense that when you're feeling down you're going to gravitate towards something your brain knows will improve your mood. For some people, it's drugs and alcohol, so feel good that it's something as harmless (and awesome!) as dressing up in cute clothes!
I turned out not to have enough guilt to remain Catholic. It was gone before I started trying clothes on as a teen.
No I'm not a catholic. I just feel that when I dress my depression is somewhat alleviated. I want to talk to my psychiatrist about it but I'm afraid that my depression may be that I'm not just a crossdresser but possibly it runs deeper. I'm scared of losing everything and everyone dear to me.
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