Crossdressing as a stress relief

[Asew]

I was browsing a crossdresser's blog and one of their posts really struck a chord with me and I wanted to share:

WHY CROSSDRESSING IS RELAXING AND RELIEVES STRESS
http://www.mycdlife.com/2009/04/why-...elieves-stress

I never thought about it, but lately having to conform to certain male standards is a stressor in my life now. I have accepted my crossdressing and wish to wear a skirts more, but my wife wants to slowly let the kids know so in the mean time having to put on pants every morning really bums me out.

[MarinaTwelve200]

Yes, long ago I discovered that CDing was "a vacation from myself"----on further analysis I discovered by becoming "Not Me" AND a "woman" seemed to release all my stresses--I could "totally unwind" and relax. Marina had None of my worries and concerns (not that I was particularly "burdened", mind you, but what I had simply "melted away"---and the woman aspect further released the normal "manhood" pressures and obligations. I am able to get a CD "FIX" every couple of weeks or so. Where I take a nap, a few photos and "get off", and I am "good to go" until next time.-----------I find a lot of CDers are like me, and others are somewhat different.----but hey, to each his/her own.

[Gillian Gigs]

Yes, CD'ing is a stress relief for me also. I like what Marina says,'I discovered that CDing was "a vacation from myself",' that sums it up nicely. I think that is why some join theatre groups, so they can be someone else for awhile, and they can play at dress up at the same time also.

[Sami Brown]

I find it decreases stress when I stay home. I am still working on it decreasing stress when I am out, but for now doing that increases my stress. I do believe that will reverse with practice.

Sami

[Cassandra Lynn]

Reads like a text book case of "i'm transgendered and living as my birth sex is uncomfortable for me', which also sounds like a fairly good description of mild dysphoria; but that's just my opinion and I don't wish to offend.

I've never been more comfortable in my own skin than I am now. Once I decided many years ago, that I am trans and that living as a non-binary person is the only way to freedom and peace of mind.

One persons 'relaxation and stress relief' is another's acceptance of gender variance and living right.

Just a thought though.

Cass

[Steph_CD_62]

I know I crossdress to relax too, but have really never figured out why it does relax me. It is hard to explain to my wife why it relaxes me when I don't know why either. My wife has made comments when I haven't dressed for awhile that I seem out of sorts.

[Jaymees22]

I find that it's the best stress reliever ever. It's too bad it doesn't work for everyone.

[Beverley Sims]

I find it calming dressed as a woman.

[bridget thronton]

I think I like the vacation idea

[Krea]

I guess that i feel less stressed when CDing. I certainly feel much happier expressing myself as i really want to be, rather than being the person those around me have deemed that i should be.

[Rayleen]

Yes it sure does, so as shopping for new feminine clothing .

Rayleen

[Queen Bridget]

I also find it very soothing and relaxing.

It's like masculinity is a weight on my shoulders that I have to keep up to make society feel comfortable. So when I dress up the weight is gone and I can finally feel how I like to.

[Stacy Darling]

Definitely is "Dress Relief" for this Girl!

I don't look for the answer to why it is stress relieving for myself, but just go with it now.

Stacy!

[biancabellelover]

I definitely feel calmer and less stressed when dressed. I’m still relatively new to this, but would consider Michelle to be another aspect of myself, as opposed to taking a holiday from myself (love the analogy, btw).

Michelle.

[NancySue]

Absolutely, especially after something athletic...golf, tennis, biking. A shower, shave, lotion, then slipping on sheer hose...ahhhhh. I love wearing a bra, too, all mine are underwires. My wife teases me. She can’t wait to take hers off nor does she wear hose. I tell her, she doesnt know what shes missing...comfort wise. She just smiles and shakes her head.

[Lisalove1976]

100%, taking time for myself and letting go of all the daily responsibilities has got to be the most motivating factor for me... being able to live everyday all the time like that would definitely increase my life expectancy.

To dream....

[marika_jaye]

This may seem silly, but I feel more productive when I crossdress. Simply putting on a skirt and some cute flats makes me want to get off my butt and accomplish things. I can't explain it, but there it is.

[rian]

crossdressing is not just relief to me it is a survival mode ...a need and a must ...without it I'm lost and i think all of us are .

[LilSissyStevie]

Yes, it's all ...er....um...."stress relief" {cough} for me. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Sandy Storm]

Huge stress relief for me, it allows me to escape the world I live in everyday, allows me to forget all the male things and disappear into another world...sighs and the more comfortable I become as a CD with my wife and friends the more I really relax and forget about my stress

[Asew]

Yes, long ago I discovered that CDing was "a vacation from myself"----on further analysis I discovered by becoming "Not Me" AND a "woman" seemed to release all my stresses--I could "totally unwind" and relax. Marina had None of my worries and concerns (not that I was particularly "burdened", mind you, but what I had simply "melted away"---and the woman aspect further released the normal "manhood" pressures and obligations. I am able to get a CD "FIX" every couple of weeks or so. Where I take a nap, a few photos and "get off", and I am "good to go" until next time.-----------I find a lot of CDers are like me, and others are somewhat different.----but hey, to each his/her own.

I am not sure if personally a vacation from myself applies to me since I still feel like myself. But I definitely agree how when dressing I am no longer burdened, and released from the manhood pressures and obligations. And besides, my last few vacations required vacations after the vacation when handling my three sons and in-laws.

Reads like a text book case of "i'm transgendered and living as my birth sex is uncomfortable for me', which also sounds like a fairly good description of mild dysphoria; but that's just my opinion and I don't wish to offend.

She wrote this article while identifying as a crossdresser and now identifies as a trans woman. I still found value in her blog being "just" a crossdresser.

I guess that i feel less stressed when CDing. I certainly feel much happier expressing myself as i really want to be, rather than being the person those around me have deemed that i should be.

This is where I am at now

Huge stress relief for me, it allows me to escape the world I live in everyday, allows me to forget all the male things and disappear into another world...sighs and the more comfortable I become as a CD with my wife and friends the more I really relax and forget about my stress

I hope to get there.

[countrygirl]

It's a great way to relieve stress. I really enjoy bringing Amanda around. It does wonders to help my stress levels.

[SuzyZahn]

Its my `alternative` reality, which is more about feelings and emotions and less physical/life stress it seems.

[Millisense]

Hi, I know this thread is 2 months old but it's what prompted me to join this site so I feel compelled to respond to it. My apologies if such a late post is not welcome! I had read that same blog Asew, and hadn't thought about it much either. To me crossdressing is a definite stress relief; I call it the Bull Durham Effect. For those who've not seen that movie, there's a scene where a baseball pitcher is having trouble with pitch control, so he wears a garter belt under his uniform so as to not overthink his performance. It works, he spends his time on the mound thinking about the garters and is able to pitch naturally, and well.
I have the same switch-off of my brain when I put on a bra to drive home from work, or especially before bed (when the stress thoughts love to race), when I put on my chemise. I think about the clothes, how great they feel, and my real life fades to black. Thank you for compelling me to join

[Piora]

crossdressing is not just relief to me it is a survival mode ...a need and a must ...without it I'm lost and i think all of us are .

Pretty much the same for me. I only have the time to dress at the weekends, since I work full time and I'm too tired when I get home every night. I can last through the week without dressing, but I think about it a lot during that time.

I recently experienced the worst (or the best depending on your perspective) case of the Pink Fog in at least the last 10 years. What's a notch up past the Pink Fog? The Pink Blizzard? Hurricane? Anyway, I ordered quite a lot of clothing from Amazon. One or two things have started to trickle in, and I'm looking forward to the rest coming. On my drive to and from work, I have found that just thinking about clothes that I love that I have already, and the ones I have coming, seem to have the same effect on stress relief as actually wearing them. I never underdress, so I don't get the benefit of that while at work.