Personality change on HRT?

[LunaDarling]

Hola yall! so i guess its time for my every once in awhile question for the board. im sure this has been addressed before, but im not gonna dig for it. this time im curious about psychological changes and personality change once starting HRT. anyone notice a change in leadership skills and assertiveness? abilities surrounding typically male skilled activities? like.... men are typically better at math and woman at english. do these mental changes take place? sociability? temper? passivity? ive heard many times that E makes you emotional, but what does that mean? what kind of emotions? does it just widen the spectrum of emotions? what male traits diminish over HRT? see im starting E in october and some of my family, friend and personal concerns are surrounding the idea that the person i am will never be the same and in a sense my male form will be mourned. some insight would be greatly appreciated. Much Love!!

[stefan37]

Your main personality characteristics will like remain the same. You brain chemistry will be altered and you may notice subtle changes. Your view on your sexuality my change in time. You may become more emotional in that when you get sad or happy tears may flow easier. Your genitals will shrink and may become inoperative in that obtaining or maintaining an erection is difficult or impossible. your ejaculate will most likely at some point be nonexistent. You will lose boatloads of muscle mass and strength. In the end it comes down to how much are you willing to give up to allow your inner self to take control and become the person you want to be. The physical changes you have no control over. You can not pick and choose which male traits you keep and those you do not. Personality wise you can allow yourself to grow as woman or continue to wage the internal struggle and try to maintain your malesness. When it comes to family and friends we sometimes want to remain close, try to bury some of the changes we experience and acquiesce. This usually leads to more internal conflict and distress. Your male form will hopefully disappear along with the male traits you have learned over the period of your life. You will be mourned as you change into a different person. You may not notice so much or think you are changing but those close to you will notice a change and their reactions are unpredictable.

[Melisamy]

I am not and have not been on HRT, but I have had many friends and clients go through it. In every case but one I have seen, the person on HRT has changed psychologically. I have seen a general mellowing, and a change in basic outlook on life. I will give 3 quick examples; First a business partner went from a real ass/go getter to a nurturing care giver. As Kevin he would close a deal and not give a shit who he hurt so long as he was a success. As Kelly she cared more about dinner on the table and keep things smooth at home. Second Keith a close friend and later business partner, went from one of the most driven motor cycle mechanic to a guy who gave up everything for his daughter. 3rd (the one that did not change) I knew always as Amber, she was a mean guy and turned into a nasty bitch of a girl.

While this small sample does not give the final answer, it shows what I have seen. I own TG Miss, and quite a few girls have started out their transition at my salon or visited during the early goings. By far the changes of HRT in 99% of them has been dramatic. I would not say the changes are for the worse in any way, but they have always been a calming and toning down in over all personalities.

Melisa Amy Ellis

[Inna]

Imagine Apple machine running on windows software, then at one point a new Apple software is introduced. Such is the best analogy although extremely simplified. The latest scientific knowledge points to brain rewiring of neuro-connections after introduction of a "NEW SOFTWARE", a hormonal shift.
Hormone replacement is simply such new software, it tells the cell what it wants it to do, such as it regulates its metabolic state. Hence a fat redistribution, thinning bone, muscle loss.
With cognitive rewiring, the new essence of being emerges.

[Shapeshiffter]

From my point of view. {2 1/2 years on hrt} everything changed for the better. Nicer person. More open. I cry at the drop of a hat. I love it. And so do the people I work with. I was a real as--ole.

[groove67]

I will say it has just brought out into the open all my feelings i have felt for years. I am calm, content and very at peace with whom i am. It has been nothing but 100% positive for me, as i am becoming whom i have felt i was most of my life. I look at it that i do not have to pretend to be a man anymore as i am becoming the woman i always felt i was.

[arbon]

ive heard many times that E makes you emotional, but what does that mean? what kind of emotions? does it just widen the spectrum of emotions

Its like you experience emotions more intensely.

A lot changes, some doesn't. The changes come slowly, they are subtle over time it seems.

I wish they made me smarter lol. Nope. I actually feel that they have decreased some of my ability to concentrate some - like I used to be able to devour books but now I struggle more with reading for any length of time. It could just be age to, I don't know.

Calmer yes. Less aggressive. More comfortable around people yes - I don't know if that is hormones's or that because I feel more a at peace with myself from not having to try to being a guy.

Lots of positive changes.

But a lot of things are still the same to, mostly still have all the strengths and weaknesses I had before.

[KellyJameson]

The temperament you were born with will stay or re emerge if it has been denied.

"You" does not "disappear"

Think of a black and white picture that is now shown in color. Same picture but different colors.

Leadership and assertiveness belongs to both sexes but there are subtle differences in how they are expressed and carried out.

You can lead from inside which is more likely how a woman leads or from the outside which is more typical how a man leads.

In general men and women related to "humanity" differently. The energy they carry is different.

Males are territorial and think in terms of "power displayed and experienced by ownership"

They have a different relationship to physical space than females do. Males like to take up space and this is instinctive.

Males and females compete differently and for different reasons as well.

A male is more likely to compete to assert dominance similar to marking his territory and to experience his inner power of masculinity as power and its "projection" He feels "alive" when he competes in ways very different from the female.

Females are more inclined to tend and befriend so they wrestle with fairness and competition and this can cause them internal conflict and guilt.

Competition when provoked by a perceived threat is different between males and females. The what and why that threatens females versus males is different.

There is a slight advantage for males in the sciences due to evolutionary forces but more it comes from women not being supported in the areas of science but this is rapidly changing

There have been many brilliant female scientists, mathematicians and logisticians.

It is extremely difficult to point to differences between the sexes that operate across the board as "always male versus always female"

The actual differences are very much nuanced so the flavor is different between the sexes not the substance.

If temper means anger this is once again different between the sexes but a females temper can be just as ferocious as a males and actually the female is more dangerous than the male because nature has instilled in her predatory behavior related to protecting her young so if she feels like she is backed into a corner she will become very dangerous.

Anger as a reaction to frustration is different between the sexes.

Try to let go of logic because it will just confuse your mind. You will only see the truth by first letting your emotions emerge and than reflecting back on these experiences.

[sandra-leigh]

I haven't noticed much change.

I have had a lot of Depression the last decade. Whether due to that or for other reasons, I went through stretches where I would get angry or hurt faster than the drop of a hat, which was not like me. I would not say that the feelings were "for no reason" or "without good reason", but they came out strongly with regards to things I would emotionally have put aside or sighed at or laughed off before.

That sharp edge has gone away in about the same time-frame as I started HRT. But there were other things going on about the same time -- and it could be that my anti-depressants were acting more efficiently. In the balance, though, I think it could mostly be attributed to HRT.

The change I mention was not a change relative to "how I used to be": it was a change relative to the years of stark depression, which were also the years I discovered that I was a cross-dresser and later came to realize that I am transgender. Those were pretty big life changes, and part of those life changes was strong internal pressure to live in and explore in my reconsidered identity. HRT was, in part, a distinct step in the furtherance of my self-identity. It was thus not necessarily the medication itself: it might at least partly have been getting back to living more truly to myself and not letting others get me down about that identity.

[Kathryn Martin]

Female hormones do terrible things to males. You will likely lose all of your math skills, and instead of thinking about the world you will emote all over the place. Tears, fits of giggles will fill your days. Your temper will go to hell and you'll bitch at everything and anything. In fact you will become an entirely different almost unrecognizable person. You will become a social butterfly, hold your pinky out when you drink tea, and will generally be completely passive. You won't have to work anymore because your honey will provide for you, while you sit on the couch all day and pamper yourself. The changes can even begin when you are thinking about hormones, it's really uncanny.

[stefan37]

If only the above were true

[Angela Campbell]

Can I start asking for directions now?

[Jorja]

I agree with Kathryn. I am not any where close to the person I was born as. I just can't figure out why everyone calls me Bitch as I am passing by?

[kellycan27]

I hope I don't lose my math skills.... I am a CPA by trade.

[Marleena]

My hair grew back and I style it like a lady. I have a nice butt now and I'm going on a "D" cup. I have a feminine body now. My personality is still about the same but I have a more active imagination for sure.

[sandra-leigh]

I have a nice butt now and I'm going on a "D" cup.

My personality on HRT has not changed so much that I didn't just say to myself, "Holy S---! I want her recipe!"

[Marleena]

@ Sandra my nose grew real long posting that. I do like chocolate now and pickles. Personality is the same but much happier. That's the truth.

[Angela Campbell]

I think it is already established that chocolate will enhance ones personality.

[TeresaL]

Four months, and 36-26-36. Oh, and I giggle a lot. Teehee.

...and I'm prone to exaggerate.

[Marleena]

@ Luna, in all seriousness nothing much should change. You will still be the same person but better since it should help with depression which is triggered by the GD. Changes will be subtle and different from person to person. There should be a calming effect for awhile (the need for SRS could increase too). My pickles and chocolate example shows that I crave them from time to time whereas before I could take them or leave them. It is more likely just increased appetite and allowing myself to enjoy them.

[Badtranny]

Luna, the answer is a simple; I don't know.

Nobody knows. Every single person (who is actually doing it) had a different experience. Dosages are all over the map and everyone will be affected differently, some not at all. I got very little from HRT, though I think I'm beginning to see some slight changes finally after nearly 3 years and two of those on full feminization dosages. (max according to the Doc)

There were a few things HRT did for me in the first two years that's worth noting I guess. I gained weight that was more difficult to take off. My nails started splitting to the point that I must have gels if I want nice nails. My skin now bruises so easily my dog makes me look like a domestic violence victim. I started growing more hair on my chest, yes. I have to shave my chest every time I shave my pits. I barely had a hairy chest before. I'm sleepy a lot, I now have Iron and B-12 deficiencies. I didn't before HRT and now I do.

I could probably go on, but that's off the top of my head.

[Ashley D.]

Melissa hit the nail on the head.
I have friends that have been on HRT for years and seen little change.
I my self have been on HRT for 8 months and I've had huge changes both in mind and body.

[Beth-Lock]

Female hormones do terrible things ... You will likely lose all of your math skills, and instead of thinking about the world you will emote all over the place. ... The changes can even begin when you are thinking about hormones, it's really uncanny.

With me it wasn't my math skills, but my parking skills. Change of gender on my driver's licence helped me understand it. On getting my new driver's licence, I realized that I had gone to all that trouble and did all that paperwork, just to become officially a woman driver. That should have been obvious anyway, to anyone seeing me park the car.

[ReineD]

Well, if math skills disappear and literary skills improve, I'll eat my slippers. lol

BTW ... some of us GGs are already good at math and we think spatially too, so we have absolutely no issues with parking. If any of those things change, I think it's more a question of deterioration due to age than anything else.

[kellycan27]

For those who think that women can't park or drive safely.... Your boxers are showing!