Crossdressing and Mental Health

[susan2010]

I know I had periods of depression and anxiety when I attempted to suppress by desire to wear womens clothing

[Larissa Cassandra]

I'm always struggling with my almost-constant urge/need to crossdress. My wife is supportive, but still wants me to be "the man she married." So I try to limit my dressing so she still gets to have me in male mode more than I would like to be in male mode. We're both retired, so together most of the time. So I'll usually wear pretty clothes around the house most days, and maybe a couple of times a week do my makeup and nails, and spend the evening as Larissa. Most of the time my wife will comment on my outfit or makeup in a positive way, but other times she won't comment at all, so I can tell she would rather have me back in male mode. So because I love her and value our relationship, I'll not only completely change back into drab, but start putting away all my femme clothes and beauty products out of sight (I WILL NEVER PURGE!). At times like that I tell myself (and sometimes tell my wife too) that crossdressing is "stupid" and I don't need to do it any more. I think my wife still worries that I might want to go trans all the time, even though I've assured her that I have no interest in doing so. Anyway, of course the next day, or even later that same day, I'll find myself in the pink fog and start bringing all my femme stuff back out as I wear it or use the various products I regularly use. I usually go back and forth like this 2-3 times a week, and that's what's "stupid!" I think I'm heading toward leaving all my femme stuff out all the time (unless we have company or house guests), so hopefully eventually it will be less stressful.

[Jade P]

Being feminine helps my mental state because it feels right and normal to be feminine sometimes. It isnt just bottled up inside. It also comes with challenges when your loved ones dont approve, but I cant just live for others. I would be completely happy with my feminine side if my wife would understand. She longer sees me as a man and she is not attracted to me for intimacy. That is the hardest part.

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That is perfectly stated and applies to alot of us!

For me, crossdressing is a coping mechanism for relieving stress due to gender identity dysphoria. Dressing/behaving as a girl, satisfies the cognitive dissonance in my mind from physically being male, but feeling like I'm supposed to be female. Doesn't seem to matter that the rest of my personality indicates that I'm male, apparently growing up believing god made a mistake, that I was supposed to be female, and that one day god would 'fix me', wound up becoming stuck in my mind that was what I am. No therapy has been able to change that, so I just deal with it the only way that I know works: Crossdressing.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Life is not Perfect, We just play the Cards that we were Dealt,

[Kitty Sue]

I absolutely have mental health problems. Coming to terms with my sexuality and cross dressing helped. However, for me my mental health issues are far beyond these two areas. I am on medications, I go to AA and I am in counseling.

Interestingly my mental health has improved immensely, due, I think to my marriage. I still have problems psychologically, but my wife has had hugely positive influence on my life. She brings balance which I lacked before. Prior to my wife balance was the point I passed going from one extreme to the other.