Question about your STRESS levels

[Briana90802]

So i was thinking the other night before I fell asleep what corilation there might be between CD and stress levels.

Part 1: On a scale of 1 to 10 what would you consider your male stress level to be? feel free to elaborate about why.

Part 2: On a scale of 1 to 10 what would you consider your stress level to be when you crossdress? and why do you think that is?

Part 3: Is it addicting(assuming that the stress level is less)?

Thanks for your answers.

[Stephanie47]

Since I retired my stress levels have gone down appreciably. I use to have a stressful job dealing with people, who really did not want to get that invitation to interact with me. For thirty plus years it was always perceived as an adversarial situation. That caused my stress level to rise by itself. Then there is a component of stress due to PTSD from combat. I always found relief in cross dressing because it took me away from the job and PTSD. Now I only have to deal with PTSD stress.

So, when employed I say my combined stress level was 8-10. Now it hovers around 3-4 with spiking to 7-8.

Is cross dressing addictive? Cross dressing is a source of tranquility. Right now I am wearing a new knee length short sleeve spotted leopard print dress with all the proper undergarments, hosiery, heels and wig. It is totally blissful. There are times when being totally en homme that I feel stress free.

Most of the time when totally en femme I am stress free. Being an in-home cross dresser en femme hides me from dealing with the remaining stresses from my life experiences. It kinds of transforms me into a woman without any prior history-kind of like being born an adult woman without the stresses of raising kids, etc.

[VioletJourney]

My stress is totally unrelated to crossdressing. If I'm dressed and distracting myself with video games, I'm happy. If I'm dressed and think about how my life is $h!t, then I feel depressed. Not any different than being in drab.

[renee elizabeth]

in male mode 9 - my male life can be very stressful, have a job where i have to be on top of my game almost all the time, very mentally challenging
in female mode 0 - when i dress my stress level plummets dramatically, i take the mindset that this is my escape from my male life, the woman that i see in the mirror is totally happy and stress free
i do consider my cross dressing addictive, i agree it is a feeling of tranquility, just love the thrill of seeing myself all made up and dressed :)

[Karren H]

My stress levels are typically pretty low. And changing my clothes has no or very little effect on my stress levels at all.. A little stress is a good thing as long as its not debilitating. Personally I think I get a bigger stress kick from playing ice hockey than crossdressing.. Anyone can wear women's clothes but not everyone can score the winning goal in a big game in double OT. :)

[StarrOfDelite]

It's hard to assign numbers. Although I'm much more stressed as a Male than as a Crossdresser, I'm pretty sure the reason is that I don't have to fight for the Almighty Dollar against a bunch of Bean Counters and Lawyers when I'm wearing my feminine garb. Sometimes, but not always, I think the dating scene is less stressful as a Girl; it's much more fun to be a Tease than to have to deal with being Teased.

[Elle1946]

I have a lot less stress dressed.

[Joanagreenleaf]

Males and females have different stress levels, or, different stressors?

I'm the same person either way I'm dressed. Sometimes when in a dress, I fret about getting into slacks to go take care of some chore - that's best done in slacks and wingtips. I don't notice stress having much to do with crossdressing. But, then again, crossdressing by itself isn't stressful to me - it's just clothes... And, fun if the right thing at the right time.

If I am stressed, and need a break, I can jog, catch a comedy dvd, take a walk, have a cookie, try on a skirt, read a book, clean the patio...

Life is addicting - I do everything I can to enjoy it.

Thinking about stress, instead of doing something about it... That's just depressing.

Don't need that stressor either.

[sissystephanie]

I rarely ever have stress, especially now that I am semi-retired! And that applies to whether I am dressed in drab or enfemme! I live my own life, and just don't let most things bother me! A person has stress because they let something bother them! Usually it is something that they actually have no control over! So why worry about it? If you can't control it, forget about it!!

[Aleca]

On a scale of 1-10 my stress level as a male is 8.5 while at work and 6 when I get home.
When I crossdress my stress level is probably about an 8.5. Why so high? Because of the anxiety that it produces. If I am dressing at home and just arousing myself that excites me/ jolts my blood pressure up. If I'm doing it outside and someone is around my stress/anxiety is high.

[Robin Lee]

male work stress 10+
Out and about dressed feels so right (0)
As far as addictive, if I am not at work I am dressed 99% of the time.

Best wishes
Robin Lee

[Katie_in_AK]

Robin stole my answer! Dog gone it! Yeah, my male at work stress is like a 12 but it's b/c I've done the job for 17 years and I'm 35 so I'm WAY PAST burned out. I have to shed Mr. Me and be Kate at home. Memorial day weekend I was Kate all 3 days and just felt "myself", nothing special, just me. When dressed, my stress is maybe a 1. (financial stress = 8+), so depends on what I'm doing. As far as being addicted to being Kate, well, she IS ME, so how can I be addicted to myself? If I have to choose, and can get away with it, I'm en femme as much as possible!!

[suchacutie]

I'm one of us who keeps my masculine and feminine selves very separate, and the distribution of stress is just one of those things that gets separated. Basically, Tina is not placed under stress. If there is stress in our lives, my masculine side takes care of the stress first, then it's Tina Time!

This accomplishes at least two goals: 1) I have a darned good reason to deal with the stress and eliminate it, or at least compartmentalize it and 2) Tina can live her life in the assurance that stress will just not be a bother.

Thus, Tina is certainly stress free, but only because he has taken care of it for me. Isn't that lovely of him? ! :)

tina

[Cynthia Anne]

Stress levels go up when somthing is wrong! If I'm dressed as a male then somthing is wrong! So therefore i'm not happy and stress goes up for me!

[Jess Marie]

Male Stress: 8 because I hate my job and I am trying to decided between college and starting a business with my dad
Female Stress: 8 because I live at home and can only enjoy being Jess between the hours of 10 and 1:30
Addicting: Yes Yes Yes

[Alice Torn]

Guy stress now - 10. Having to give up my life in Tacoma Wa, and my business, and support system, a year ago, to move to Illinois, to help my old tyrannical father and harsh sister, has got me totally spent. No energy for CDing now. When dressed up indoors, a stess level of 6. The rare times i go out dressed, level is 9.

[Jessica86]

I think my stress level is a ten or close to a 9 most if the time when I am male mode. Mostly because of my job where I tell everyone what to do all day. Its my job. Then I get home after fourteen hours or so of work. When I hang out with friends or with my wife and her friends...I have to make all the decisions about where we go, what we do, and who goes. My male mode side is all about being in charge of every situation, whether at work or with friends.
When I am Jessica, my stress level is a 1. I don't worry about a single thing, except if my clothes match or if my eye shadow is good. It is such a change. My wife also likes to make the decisions when hanging out with Jessica. I love the change. I am a genetic male, and I know what our nature is. It just sucks to always have to make decisions for everyone. I do at work, every day. It gets old, and being Jessica is exciting, fun, and a great stress reliever.

[Valerie]

Male = 10 too much to do, too little time, and I don't like the male world
as Valerie = 0 just enjoying what I do, even work, when I do it dressed at home
Addictive? This would imply there is something wrong. It is just being happy and enjoying life.

[Briana90802]

It's interesting to hear about the compartmentalization of people's personas. I suppose it's like your 'work' persona vs 'home' persona.

Personally I don't have a stressful job where I bring the work home, so I can pretty much leave my stressors at work. Does cding help to do that?

[Briana90802]

Addictive? This would imply there is something wrong. It is just being happy and enjoying life.

Addictive is another word that is neither positive or negative. It's just that society has associated it with negative feelings. Eg: I'm Addicted to golf. It's not a bad thing, I just love being outside in the sun, smelling the grass, etc. I think cding is addictive because of the way it makes me feel, the way I look, etc, but I don't use it as an escape from the stressors and problem that I face.

[TxKimberly]

My stress meter is pegged at all times. I figure the way I'm going I will die of a heart attack by 50 . . .

[Jessica86]

It's interesting to hear about the compartmentalization of people's personas. I suppose it's like your 'work' persona vs 'home' persona.

Personally I don't have a stressful job where I bring the work home, so I can pretty much leave my stressors at work. Does cding help to do that?

It helps in careers where you have no choice but to bring some things home with you. Any job, you try not to. Leave home at home, work at work. Unfortunately, it doesn't work out that way, but when I dress, I instantly relax, forgetting anything my male side was thinking about. It's really a cure...