Stress relief.

[JuliannaS]

I find crossdressing helps relieve stress and anxiety. Sometimes when I get stressed that is all I want to do.
Anyone else?

[Linda E. Woodworth]

YES!!!!

My wife has commented on how more relaxed I am when I dress. Especially after a long dry spell.

[JuliannaS]

It definitely make things better.

[Claire M]

I made this observation to my therapist. She asked an interesting question .... does dressing help to relieve your stress levels or do your stress levels rise when you haven't dressed in a while?

I had to think hard and am still not sure. Anyone want to speculate on that???

[JuliannaS]

I never even talked about it when I did therapy 20 something years ago.

[BTWimRobin]

When I saw a therapist she did touch on the stress relief factor. I find dressing rather relaxing.

[Confucius]

I believe our brains are hardwired for crossdressing. When we feminize ourselves our brain releases feel-good neurotransmitters, like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and possibly others. Yes, crossdressing helps relieve stress, and just makes us happy.

[JuliannaS]

I believe our brains are hardwired for crossdressing. When we feminize ourselves our brain releases feel-good neurotransmitters, like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and possibly others. Yes, crossdressing helps relieve stress, and just makes us happy.
I want more of that!

[Carroll]

My job can be somewhat stressful, machining blades for jet engines with very tight tolerances. Went I get home, I decompress, tell the wife about the day and take a shower. Other then the obvious, the shower washes my day away. after, I dress until it's bedtime with no talk of work what so ever.

[alwayshave]

Julianna, dressing is definitely helps me relax.

[melissalynn]

I find it to reduce stress in general, most of the time. it also reduces that stress one sometimes experiences from not dressing in a while.

[Marcia Blue]

I have to say that my blood pressure drops 10-15 points when I am dressed. I think my stress drops when dressed. After a long spell of not dressing I am no more stressed then normal. I just decompress when I dress.

[dalearden]

Yes! Same here, naturally relax when dressing up, figure it?s something with how the brain is wired?

[Aka_Donna]

ClaireM, both

Dressing does drop body into a more comfortable zone. I used to try to justify as lowers BP, but that is really BS, all it does is never raises it and often will lower, but it's not consistent.

Not dressing does raise "stress", but more like an illness reaction, not really more stressful but instead more out of sorts and unhappy shoots way way up

[JuliannaS]

I could use it right now, a bit stressed out at the moment.

[DianeT]

If I have the flat to me (rare!) I love to lounge and watch TV dressed. It is very soothing and relaxing and I don't have the beginning of a clue to explain it. Which doesn't prevent me to enjoy it.
As for Claire M's question, since I dress super rarely, and not just because I can't, I think the dressing is relaxing, not the other way around. But the latter may be true for other members, though.

[Rayleen]

you are right, its a big stress reliever , even alone it helps to cope with anxiety .

[Joyce Swindell]

I feel that dressing is very relaxing and stress relieving. But it can also be stressful if there's fear of being caught by someone who I don't want to know about this side of me. Like if we going out to dinner.
By the same token when I'm not dressed and the pressures of my male mode are stressing me out, stopping and putting on a dress can also leave me stressed. Especially if I didn't finish what had left behind in male mode.
So I guess as long as we're talking hanging out at home after the work day is done it's all good for relaxing. But going out dressed, it can be stressful unless well planned.

[Misty_cder]

Dressing is very relaxing for me and I wish I had more opportunities to do it. For myself, I'm not sure if the stress is caused by long dry spells of not dressing or the dressing is the relief to other stressful situations.

[Stephanie47]

I made this observation to my therapist. She asked an interesting question .... does dressing help to relieve your stress levels or do your stress levels rise when you haven't dressed in a while?

As to the first part the answer is "yes." It's not just wearing women's clothing; It's also taking on a different persona. I still know who I am. It is not a case of two personalities. It's shedding those things which create stress in the first place; usually work related. There was also a time when my combat related PTSD level was extremely elevated. Some guys grab a fishing pole and sit at the end of a dock on a lake to unwind; Or stop at a tavern.

As to the second part; Yes, in the past when I was not able to engage in dressing as stress relief, the stress did rise. It's like a pressure cooker. Or a pot of water. The water starts out cold from the tap. The water starts to warm. It simmers. It rages to a boil. Sooner or later it's all going to blow. When I was still working I had to schedule a "therapy day" to get dolled up. I did not sit around and stare in a mirror or endlessly try on dresses. I did domestic chores, baking, meal preparation. It was a role reversal.

With my wife retired and Covid-19 keeping us in lock down there is an increase level of stress. Since being en femme for a day or 24/7 for a week or more is not viable I do engage in retail therapy. I am able to sleep in a nightie, panty and bra which does tamp down the stress.

Sometimes I wonder if there are psychologist getting research material on sites like this.

[Elizabeth G]

Without getting into the chicken or the egg question that Claire mentioned (which I think is really interesting but beyond the scope of my simplified view of things lol) I find my dressing to be very relaxing and a wonderful way to de-stress.

[SavannahVee]

Dressing does relieve stress. I can leave my male-self and all his worries behind. Savannah's only problem is how to look even prettier.

[JuliannaS]

I think for me it's just that I feel more comfortable.

[Christina89]

Yes I do find dressing to be a stress relief. When I switch from male to female mode a weight is lifted of my shoulders and I feel more relaxed.

[CallMeHeather]

Dressing certainly brings out another self in me, one who is less shy and more uninhibited. I can't speak for anyone else, but in my case I think it's the same psychological effect as wearing a mask or a costume. I feel like I have more freedom, and thus more fun.

It's pretty hard to find information on this topic online right now, mainly due to COVID diluting search results for anything mask-related. I did manage to find ONE scientific study on the topic, though: An empirical and theoretical investigation into the psychological effects of wearing a mask (https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/An-empirical-and-theoretical-investigation-into-the-Cooper/4a1d4061fc1fb3b37227dafd2d25dc30f7f1f16e). I know there has been more work done on the topic.

Again, it's just my own experience and my own theory for why I feel so different/better when I dress.

[Bobbi46]

Abosolutely !! when the needcame to tell my kids i was dressing full time my daughter said to me " I always knew there was something there" !! upto then and since I have felt such great feelings of calmness. I have found my "Shangrila".