Question for the thinkers and legal brains:

Is a TS who starts transition 24/7 with change of name and informing all family, friends and legal/business connections still gender dysphoric?

It strikes me that once living in the new situation the gender dysphoric label is redundant although of course the difficulties of 24/7 living might need input from various therapists.

It just struck me that a TS is only gender dysphoric while stuck in birth gender mode.

Your thoughts please.

precisely.   I've told my legal team to use this argument.

Cristine,

You give a very logical explanation to gender dysphoria.

I am...therefore, I am

For me I would say I became considerably less dysphoric once I'd started transition, but I don't think I was "cured" until I'd healed and become fully functional after SRS.

I don't believe there is any point at which one automatically loses their dysphoria though, it's just how you feel, and everyone has different experiences and takes their own path to the ultimate destination of feeling normal.

xx

It is clear that simply living the correct gender role is sufficient for some TS. ("non-ops")   The actual body is not as important as the lifestyle.  For others it is absolutely necessary.  Since we have trouble understanding ourselves, how can those with so little experience with us do so?  We each have our personal dynamics that help determine what we Need.  A family can outweigh our desire for a fully-feminized or masculinized body; by that I mean we are happier overall without SRS.  For  others it is a matter of life or death to be "right" and only SRS and FFA will suffice.  Being retired is another landmark for some transwomen to feel free to "cross-over".

I do not believe that transition starts or ends with the RLE.  I think most of us could use a therapist for a while after SRS.  There are always emotional landmines to face.  If you are stealth, will your new life find you in angst about discovery, lying to new friends, trying to improvise those girlhood stories all GGs have.  These can impact anyone....unless they live like Lucy does.  She has avoided them by being herself, openly and proudly and comfortably.  That is because she is Lucy, not because she is TS.  Sadly, few of us are that together after our childhoods/lifetimes.  We can use help, even with the words used by others to deal with us....or rather our insurance companies.

As a psychology student I'm not sure if there is a good answer to that question, at least I don't have it. It goes along with what I have wondered about other diagnosis though.

I have a major issue with the labeling a person based on their illness. I have alsoheard that with many disorders there is no cure. It seems for those who are therapists there is much to be gained by such disorders never being cured.

I personaly feel that it does not matter about the label and that the disorder being cured is not relavent to the individuals lifeas far as what or who they are. Disorders should not determine who the person is or how they are treated.

While it may not be much help here is my two sense.

I needed counselling after surgery.

Shortly after surgery, I had a pulmonory embolism and two small strokes. Those events made me feel like I was going to die. I was frightened out of my wits and felt like I was trapped. The counselling certainly helped me.

Perhaps we all have our own set of "unique" cir***stances.

"The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore."

Hiya! x

I would say that I was gender dysphoric while i was struggling to change my life to how i wanted it to be from where i was at the time. Now, I would say I am very happy because I have the knowledge that the things I still need to change I have created the posibility for them to happen and its just a matter of being patient. I wouldnt say I was yet cured but I am definately content with my progress. Am I still gender dysphoric? I would say no.

I have just finished therapy for six months now. It was CBT to help me overcome the psychological trauma of idiots and my family. In the waiting room I got chatting to a number of other girls, as you do, and none of them were having therapy because they are trans, some girls wernt trans. Everyone was having therapy because of other issues whether they were trans related or not.

To me, it just seems that therapy to improve ones general mental health is a very positive thing to do for self development.

I was chatting to someone in a bar and I explained I was having therapy to improve my general mental health and they replied "Are you having therapy to help you cope with being trans?" I replied "No, I'm having therapy to help me cope with stupid people asking stupid questions about me being trans."

take care

Penny

x

 Penny, most of what you said makes sense - but I question why you needed to answer that person in the bar in such a way as - "No, I'm having therapy to help me cope with stupid people asking stupid questions about me being trans."

 It sounds like the person was asking an honest question, yet your answer to that person clearly indicated that you are highly defensive when it comes to matters involving Gender and Gender Validation.

 A dress fits better when it doesn't come with a "chip on it's shoulder strap"

I am not yet 24/7 , but it seems  the Original question asserts that Gender Dysphoria is predominantly   dependent on how you feel about yourself and express yourself  .  I think that a transgendered person becomes less dysphoric the more they can move on the journey from accepting youself to defining yourself [ I think Wendy is strong in doing this] . However the other side is the reaction  and  acceptance  by society and other people , which we cannot control or predict  , [so not unreasonable to be defensive ] after all we have all probably got very different everyday living cir***stances even though we have something in common

Hiya Donna, The person was being disrespectful. I'm usually quite pleasant until someone gets on my tits! lol. I dont have any chips because I ate them!xxx

penny, I guess a person must always be a mind reader to give you whatever you believe is respect.

 You mentioned you were having CBT to treat a trauma, yet you tell this person in the bar that you were having therapy to improve your general mental health? CBT is not the normal therapy to simply improve one's "general mental health"

A simple "No" to that person would have been appropriate.

Perhaps that person is more insightful than your think

Doanna

Thanks for your lovely empathic support instead of simply criticising every post I make, oh, hold on a minute!

I'm sure you are perfectly capable and mature enough to say "No" to someone; however, I am perfectly capable telling someone to shove off with delicately placed undertones of sarcasm.

Considering CBT is exactly designed to improve one’s general mental health I can only conclude that you don’t have a clue what you are talking about {INSERT SARCASM HERE}.

Go ahead and criticise me some more and let’s see how far you can take this pissing contest!!! I'm sure your perpetual need to criticise people makes you feel a whole lot better.

I believe the biggest difference between you and I is that I have had therapy!

Hopefully this thread will get banned so I dont have to listen to your diarrhea.

Penny,

1) I did mention I had therapy in my first posting.

2) FYI - note I used a NHS site for your convenience.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cognitive-behavioural-therapy/Pages/What-is-it-used-for.aspx

Quote

"When cognitive behavioural therapy is used

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be used to treat a number of different mental health conditions, including:

• obsessive compulsive disorder


• phobias and panic disorder


• post-traumatic stress disorder


• depression


• eating disorders (for example, anorexia and bulimia)

CBT can also help:

• anger problems


• habits (such as facial tics)


• drug and alcohol abuse


• relationship problems


• sleep problems

CBT is also used to treat people with chronic health conditions, such as arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome. Although CBT cannot cure any physical symptoms, it can help people who have long-term conditions to cope better with their symptoms."

------------------------------------------

The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets.

Doanna