I almost stayed away from this one because it seems to deep to tackle, and I'm not quite smart enough to sort through it. Here's my shot, though.

"The other story?" I'm sure it happens, but you won't read it here because whoever "grew out of it" just wouldn't care anything about hanging around this forum anymore.

Without slicing this issue too thinly, as much as you read the stuff on here with fear and dread of becoming too much like us, realize a little about who we are. First, take away our one similarity, that to one extent or another we all like dressing like women. I know that's a stretch, but hang in there. Without knowing us, what do you think you have left that defines us as a group? Probably nothing! I tend to think of us as a little more compasionate than the norm, maybe even smarter, maybe even more financially successful. But maybe not. It doesn't matter. If your fear is that you'll become like me or like anyone else on this board, then you have little to fear. You'll be you, of course! Whether you view this thing of ours as a blessing or a curse, you'll find your own balance with it, just like the rest of us have.

Will you do it forever? Who knows. If you don't want to you don't have to. You'll probably cycle through a lot of interests in your life that at the time you're doing them it seems like you'll do them forever. If you were on a golf forum you probably wouldn't find any who'd quit that either. (And before anybody chastises me, yes, I know it's more than a hobby!)

You see snapshots of peoples lives on here. Keep in mind that most, if not all, of us have very well adjusted and fulfilling lives outside of obsessing over our hair and makeup. That's just the only snapshot that merits discussion on this board. If it turns out that you crossdress for the rest of your life, whether that's a blessing or a curse, that won't be everything you are. It's not everything "we" are. This is just a snapshot.

One other thing... I've been accused of being overly analytical. You, sweetheart, have redefined overly analytical. Thanks for getting that off of me!