Stress and Cross-dressing

[unwritten2108]

So I had another makeover last weekend...first time Cyndi came out in 11 months! And while I had a lot of fun and all, as I was driving back I had this feeling of rejuvenation. Like all the stress that's been building over the last couple of months has just went away and now I'm ready to face the world with a very positive attitude.

Now I've been told by friends that maybe I do dress to blow off some steam. That it gives me a chance to step away for a while and focus on something else aka being Cyndi.

What's more I told this story to my counselor on Monday and she basically agreed that maybe I dressing does allow me to rid myself of stress when it builds up too much and ther was nothing wrong with that. Kinda through me for a loop!

But as I analyzed it myself, during the summer when I wasn't stressed, I didn't have much desire or urge to dress again, which lead me to think that maybe me exploring this new side of myself was over. But as school started again and I got stressed with everything going on, I started to feel that urge coming back. And now that I've done it again, it feels like my stress is gone. So I'm wondering now if this is going to be a pattern.

So my question to you is am I not alone? When you dress do you also get a feeling like all your troubles have just gone away and you can focus a little better on life?

[happy2cd]

You are not alone. I find that dressing helps purge the stress. I also find that browsing a catalog can help too. Or walking through a store and just looking/touching the clothes and thinking about them, can be a release too.

[Denise01]

I too find that when i am Denise, i am more comfortable and way less stressed.

When i go on Vacation as Denise 24/7 usually for a month, I find that i am way more relaxed when i return home and able to get back to the daily routine more easily

Denise

[Rebecca Sue]

I think that dressing allows the dresser to step outside of the false sense of self created by the world-at-large and that the dressing "session" can be liberating to the point of being a spiritual experience.

[danielle_from_cal]

[SIZE=4]Dressing certainly helps me get through stressful times. It is often a complete escape from the "real" world. But many times I dress when I have little or no stress. I just makes me feel better.[/SIZE]

[nina1947]

Sometimes over analyzing isn't worth it. You had a wonderful time and it reduced your stress, sounds, great, Nina

[Lorileah]

Lori definitely gets stronger with stress. I went years only dressing totally two or three times a year. Now i want to dress all the time. Maybe it is because I feel that as a female I will be protected more from the harsh reality of the times. I always feel freer when i am dressed and especially when i attract attention.

[unwritten2108]

Sometimes over analyzing isn't worth it. You had a wonderful time and it reduced your stress, sounds, great, Nina

If only I could stop over-analyzing, Nina. Bad habit on my part...

[Audrey34]

I'm the same way. When I'm stressed I sometimes dress up. Unfortunately when I'm extremely worried I can't even get the urge to dress!
-Audrey

[trannie T]

I go out dressed when I can, most of my outings are planned well in advance witn no regard of my stress level. I do not feel more relaxed when I am en femme but do have a feeling of being complete.

[Maia C]

I'm more relaxed when dressed. Someone once told me that resisting the urge to dress - even unconsciously - only adds to the stress. When things pile up in life some of that stress needs to be released. And the pile is more like a mountain these days...lol.

Maia

[unwritten2108]

Yeah this build up for me began back in September, but it was faint. I just started to think about it in a vague sense. But as the year ended I was thinking about it more and more as my stress lingered. And by that point I had to do something, so I made that decision to dress again. And turns out it was the right one.

[Shannen]

If only I could stop over-analyzing, Nina. Bad habit on my part...

Well... as long as we are over-analyzing....

I think there are 2 reasons it relieves stress for me.

1) The classic "female" role playing removes me from being "in charge" and having to make all the decisions.

Don't get mad at me for saying it.... I'm not saying that women are weak or anything!

I just really "dislike" it when every decision is left to me! After spending 8 hours at work solving problems, I don't appreciate having to make every decision within 5 minutes of getting home! I know there are many reasons the decisions are left to me, one probably being that she wants me to choose what I would enjoy for dinner for example... but wouldn't it be nice to be in that role of not having to make the decisions???

So I "escape" from my "reality" by becoming another person, but I don't choose to impersonate another male... I choose the female because the feminine qualities appeal to me! I don't want to go out and be a tough guy, I want to go out and be a woman who is soft, pretty, ...something to be "protected" from the harsh world.

..am I digging a hole here?

2) I'm convinced there is a chemical aspect. Endorphines... even the adreniline rush has physical impact. Heck, it's not the same as that first drag on a red, but the end result is pretty close! It would be interesting to take my blood pressure and pulse while dressed to see if there is a change...

[MissConstrued]

So I "escape" from my "reality" by becoming another person, but I don't choose to impersonate another male... I choose the female because the feminine qualities appeal to me! I don't want to go out and be a tough guy, I want to go out and be a woman who is soft, pretty, ...something to be "protected" from the harsh world.

..am I digging a hole here?

I'm totally with you there. Sometimes being an extreme male gets to me. But as long as I get some girl time in, it's all good.

Insert Asian/Buddhist philosophy, Yin-Yang, balance, light & dark side of The Force, yadda yadda.

[Tasha McIntyre]

Definately a stress relief in a big way. I don't ever venture past my front door, so I can't comment on being out and about but just being dressed in the loungeroom watching a DVD, or surfing the net is a wonderful experience. The feeling of well being and serenity from being dressed is enormous to me.

Cheers

Tash

[CDPAUL]

I was thinking the same thing. I have had a very hectic last 5-6 days finally had a chance to dress and get out (nothing fancy) but towards the end of the evening it was like a big cloud cleared away to bad it was already time to get home before i knew it. I slept all night long got up this morning and i feel great

[Kate Simmons]

Maybe but I think it's mostly "mind over matter." You can get the same effect from most any past time or hobby if you are really that much into it. The stress doesn't actually go away , just gets pushed to the background for awhile.

[New Jen]

My CDins is almost entirely stress based. There were years when I didn't engage in it at all, didn't even think about. I had gotten to the point where I had figured it was a phase that I had gone through. Later, recently, things have not been going well for me on many fronts and it's made a resurgance.

[Tashee]

I'm totally with you there. Sometimes being an extreme male gets to me. But as long as I get some girl time in, it's all good.

Insert Asian/Buddhist philosophy, Yin-Yang, balance, light & dark side of The Force, yadda yadda.

this 1 is me to a T.

[Kathleen Ann Trees]

Reading between the lines, and sometimes directly seeing them, it seems to be common among us that urges to dress wax and wane. Since having a "disagreement" with my wife late last year, I haven't been dressing (much). But my desire to dress (thoughts, daydreams, distracted focus) right now is pretty high. It seems once I start, for a while, I'm consumed by it. Then eventually, the urges quell.

When Cyndi came out after 11 months, did the desires continue?

Kathleen

[Cary]

Definately a stress relief in a big way. I don't ever venture past my front door, so I can't comment on being out and about but just being dressed in the loungeroom watching a DVD, or surfing the net is a wonderful experience. The feeling of well being and serenity from being dressed is enormous to me.

Cheers

Tash

I couldn't agree more!

[Jess_cd32]

....... When you dress do you also get a feeling like all your troubles have just gone away and you can focus a little better on life?

Absolutely 100%!
I really believe this truley does reduce stress, the last time I dressed two days in a row my BP dropped from the 140-150 range into the 120's for the first time in a long time. I think I need to start dressing daily.

[ukxdress]

So it seems many of us can release some stress by dressing - it works for me. So what do others (non x-dressers) do to relieve stress ? Do we use stress as a reason, or an explanation for us wanting to dress ??
Sometimes, when I'm in a really good mood, feeling very relaxed, getting dressed is the 'icing on the cake' for me...............So do both ends of the spectrum casue me to dress. Oh no it's all getting too heavy, I'm off to buy a new bra

Coleen........

[unwritten2108]

Reading between the lines, and sometimes directly seeing them, it seems to be common among us that urges to dress wax and wane. Since having a "disagreement" with my wife late last year, I haven't been dressing (much). But my desire to dress (thoughts, daydreams, distracted focus) right now is pretty high. It seems once I start, for a while, I'm consumed by it. Then eventually, the urges quell.

When Cyndi came out after 11 months, did the desires continue?

Kathleen

Of course after I did it I had that feeling that I wished I was still dressed or that I went out longer since I loved how I looked, but overall I know I'll get that chance to dress again. I don't know when, and I don't really have a countdown set. Right now, I feel fulfilled and content.

[Karren H]

Nahhh... 1) I don't get stressed out hardly ever... And B)... I just like to look pretty!!