I agree with Gretchen. Yes, crossdressing does relieve stress. Yes for some it can be an escape. But for many of us the stress it relieves is the stress of trying to pretend what we are not, that is inherently macho guys even if some of us do a great job of faking it! That it also helps us survive life stresses doesn't hurt. Some find relieve in the bottom of a bottle; others in a drug, yet others in extreme exercise or sports. Whatever floats your boat. When I can't dress, heavy exercise does it for me.
My desire to dress is inherent in me and allows me to express a very prominent part of my identity, femininity. Dressing has a double-whammy: relieves the stress of having to suppress this desire, and the stress of day-to-day life. The good news is that unlike an alcoholic or a drug addict, our particular form of relief still allows us to be highly functional. I work from home and can do exactly the same job dressed or in drab, can participate in conference calls, etc., when dressed. Try doing that in an alcoholic fog.
When I first discovered dressing, when I was young and horny, this discovery was tied to my sexuality in a big way. But now not so much. On rare occasions yes (maybe 1 or 2x per year), mostly no, the pleasure is sensual, not sexual. So its discovery was not as a stress-relieving tool, but a sexual gratification tool. That has been eclipsed now, and yes it does relieve stress in a big way. But the pattern is written on our souls by something different than stress relieve, and I happen to know in my case that it was written on my soul when I was a child.
I would find a therapist that understands crossdressing and gender issues.
