If I want to stay healthy and not become the queen of denial, I have to admit that it is very much about me and selfish.
Yes there can be benefits to others like: It helps me be happier, and because of my happiness I am nicer to my SO etc. etc.
I did not take up crossdressing because it was good for my SO but because I love and enjoy it. It fulfills my desire, needs, etc.
This pertains only to me, but if you can relate great. If I am not careful I can really go overboard. It can become so important and cause me to be self absorbed. I have written in another thread "The dangers of crossdressing" as they pertain to me.
Selfishness gone wild is always the danger for me. It takes shape in spending and shopping sprees. Too much time on the internet and CD sites. Too much time just thinking about it when not en femme. When it becomes too important, at leaste for me, it becomes a curse instead of the blessing.
I have to maintain the balance and no one else can do it for me. I look out for signs. Is my SO feeling neglected. Has she commented on my spending too much time.
The signs help me to know if I am out of control.
Again, I write this solely from my experience and I do not expect it to be a panacea for others.
I call a spade a spade and crossdressing is selfish by nature. It is about my pleasures and desires. When these take over and make me very self absorbed I am in trouble.
This is one of the reasons I believe many of our crossdressing friends burn out and get down and then comes the purging etc.
I don't want to put the genie back in the bottle I just always want to be able to curb my enthusiasm. I have to be able to control the genie and not let the genie control me. For my own good.
Too much of a good thing is not good for me. There is a big picture to my life, and crossdressing is part of it but when it becomes all of it I need to take stock.
So far so good. I have been keeping things balanced and writing this thread is part of my therapy, so I thank you for letting me share.