High Stress work - a common thread?

[ClosetED]

I see many posts about high stress occupations. It certainly seems that most (all?) have work they they describe that way. Just wondering from the longer time members about how common is that compared to people who like living on the dole? I don't mean people who lost their jobs due to the economy or who don't do a lot to try to keep busy doing what they can. And if a common issue, is it related to CDing?

[Karren H]

I never really considered working in underground coal mines as being highly stressful... because I like it and think its a fun job! plus I started crossdressing 20 years before I went into mining...

[lil red]

Went from truck driver to apple farmer, neither of wich is really a full time high stress job, love them both

[ArleneRaquel]

I'm retired, a widower and just about do as I please. I started CDing at age eight, I was under no stress at the time. I just love the idea of dresseng female.

[Julie Gaum]

Any job/occupation can be or become high stressed --- a miner is exposed to greater dangers than a school teacher encounters so do they both have to be stressful? An airline pilot has different stress than a civil engineer and a homeless woman probably is more stressed than either one. Point is that one's attitude decides how well you handle daily tasks. If ClosetED is thinking of living on charity he would be doing something very unusual for a CD. A government report came out yesterday that disclosed that the TG, TS, gay and lesbian population in the U.S. have higher average pay and have less debt than the rest of the population! Obviously their work ethics must be above average as well as being better educated (or more with higher levels of education). I think it would make a great post because I'm only guessing the reasons for these statistics and would like to have others on the forum try to explain it. CDs on the dole? Forget it.
Julie

[LaraPeterson]

Julie is right; I've been an aviator, a corporate executive, and now I travel the world as a consultant to some of the very people I used to work for. All of that could have been highly stressful, but only a occasion did the stress level have much affect on my life. As for CDing, I did it before and I'll do it afterward, and I'll pay my own way.

[Newcdguy]

I would describe my job as high stress. And the idea of dressing is a stress reducer for me

[ClosetED]

Julie, I keep quite busy with my 3 jobs - physician, executive, and computer programmer, so I am not planning on living on charity. But the study you mentioned supports what I thought - that CDers are above average in intelligence and hard working. I know most started CDing before their careers, but as Newcdguy mentions, it can be a stress reliever for some. Many children have stressful lives, and could have been a factor to escape that stress. Just thought it was a bit different topic to invite discussion. Thanks for the timely government report info!

[Amy Fakley]

A government report came out yesterday that disclosed that the TG, TS, gay and lesbian population in the U.S. have higher average pay and have less debt than the rest of the population! Obviously their work ethics must be above average as well as being better educated (or more with higher levels of education).

or they're less likely to have children ... hence in larger numbers they do not have to leave school, take whatever job is available, start accumulating debt because the kids needed this or that, yadda yadda.

Not that I don't think we're a wonderful bunch. Most of us I've met are indeed above average intelligence etc.

on topic to the thread ... I certainly have a stressful job ... but like others have said ... I was doing this way before I ever got my first job.
Though maybe since so many of us are used to "closet management issues" from an early age, we're more prone to tolerate/get ourselves into high-stress jobs?

[NathalieX66]

I have a high stress job. My fetishes have been the best self-medication I've ever had. God gave me a million legos to play with, and I went nuts.

No, I'm not that religious.

My "girl side", however, wants nothing to do with it. What I'm saying is, is that when I'm dressed as female (thats how I prefer to put it) in public, I feel like me in my raw form. This part has nothing ro do with stress or my job.

[Beverley Sims]

As a photographer I had a stressful job taking photos of girls in underwear for weekly store catalogs.
When a girl changes the style of bra she is wearing she removes one, reaches over to the rack and puts another one on.
What is stressful is I have to move from behind the camera and adjust the fit of the bra.
Just like a male bra fitter would. Oh! the stress. :)
Working with 4 or 5 models you take about 90 shots an hour.
Guess what? You become selectively blind and only look for composition and focus.
Lack of clothing isn't an issue at all.

[Teri Ray]

I did not know that stress was even real. I have always believed that the symptom "stress" was something invented by a soap opera doctor. I do seem to relax more when dressed though.

[Kate Simmons]

I guess it used to be until I learned how to throw the stress back on the executives. They didn't like having to actually earn their pay. Another reason my position was terminated and I was offered early retirement. Even so, I dressed mostly because I wanted to, not because of stress per se. :)

[sometimes_miss]

Lots of people complain about how stressful their job is. Really? Like defusing a bomb, maybe? Nah. Most jobs are just irritating. Stress is having a $2500 mortgage payment, and working three jobs and still only making $2200 a month, and you're due to pay the mob $900 in interest tomorrow! THAT'S STRESS!!

[Melissa73]

idk, i have a stressfiul job as a restaurant manager, however thats not why i dress! iIve dressed since i was 11-12 yrs old, and had no stress. Dressing is who i am. NOw, if i don't dress, thats when i really get stressed and frustrated.

melissa

[Robinkay]

Lots of people complain about how stressful their job is. Really? Like defusing a bomb, maybe? Nah. Most jobs are just irritating. Stress is having a $2500 mortgage payment, and working three jobs and still only making $2200 a month, and you're due to pay the mob $900 in interest tomorrow! THAT'S STRESS!!

No truer words said !!!

[Barbara Joanne74]

This is an interesting topic that my councilor and I have discussed many times. She considers my job as a paramedic/firefighter as high stress.....that is her opinion. 12 years ago I would agree. Now, there are short periods of time that I would say are stressfull. Yes I was CD before this job. In the last year by choice/necessity, Barb has not been out as much. My councilor and my BFF girlfriend that knows about Barb both agree that they have noticed a change since Barb has been closeted, to the point my councilor is exploring the idea of depression caused by it. When I see here again in January, we will discuse it more (considering either dressing again vs tring medications)

All that to say, yes there are a lot of us here that work what society considers highstress jobs, that CDing may help us deal with by escaping the rigors of our daily life.

As a way of helping deal with being closeted, Barb has taken to visiting the nail salon twice a month in boy mode. It sure helps. Case en point, as I am writting this, I am getting a pedicure.....mmm it is wonderful.

Barbara

[reb.femme]

I have a high stress job in IT and I have a degree in Law. For most of the day, I can never quite decide, tea or coffee. After which, I scratch my butt a lot :heehee:

Actually, it's my wife that has a high level of stress in her job and she wears trousers routinely. Maybe there's something she wants to tell me. :devil:

Rebecca

[kimdl93]

Stress is pretty much in the eye - or mind of the beholder. There can be as much stress for someone "on the dole" as you said, as there can be for someone working in any number of professions. Trying to keep a roof over one's head and find a meal can be fairly stressful, wouldn't you agree.

That being said, many people on this site mention that they find CDing to be a stress reliever. I don't know if its a major driver for CDing, but its certainly a factor. I work as a consultant in health care administration. Certainly no life or death matters in my hands, just the fiscal solvency of my clients. One could stress over it, but I have learned not to allow myself to get stressed out. It doesn't help.

I dress to be myself, not to escape stresses.

[LadyPilot]

There is a lot of stress as an aircraft mechanic but I love the pace, now I am teaching less stress and more love for avaiation, who knew. Dressing is a form of stress release but I just enjoy hanging out with the girls now that reduces my stress.