Effects Of Hormones And A Psychology Question!

[Guest Tyler^^]

I have talked to my girlfriend about transitioning and such, and she is very supportive. But she thinks that hormones would change me as a person, psychologically. I told her I'll still be me, but I was hoping someone could verify this...?

I apologize for my poorly written question. It's past midnight, and I'm well out of it xD

[Guest Guardian]

Well, there will be some mental effects that Estrogen will supply... You'll be more emotional, for sure, and maybe your outlook, or perspective, on some things will change a little. Overall, though, you should still be yourself. if transition is really what's right for you, then you may end up closer to yourself than ever before.

That's assuming you're being yourself already, though. Some people don't get to be themselves until during, or even after transition... it's really sad, but very often, really necessary.

I'm sorry I couldn't offer a more solid answer for you, but hormones do affect different people differently. As they say, your mileage may vary! Be careful, and be well

[Sally]

Guardian is exactly right!

It will depend a great deal on how much you have been you and how much you have been acting like someone else.

Your basic personality does not change, but as you drop the male persona some of the things that you did to appear more masculine in your own mind will go away and these could be perceived as 'changes' while in fact they were always there.

My very good friend Lizzy (Elizabeth K) has been on HRT for a little while now and says that she used to be such an introverted person but now is very outgoing - not a change really - she was never introverted by nature but by fear (we always have known even when we didn't admit who we were and our minds set up protective behaviors to prevent detection).

The main change for most is in becoming more open and demonstrative in their affections, she should enjoy that!

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest N. Jane]

That is a question I can't really answer (but it doesn't stop me from commenting LOL!)

I started hormones quite young and grew up on HRT (with varying degrees of regularity) so I can't really say what was a result of the HRT and what would have happened anyway but it all made it remarkably easy to transition and slip right into a normal life..... just your plain average girl.

I shudder to think what it would have been like without HRT - it was the only think that kept body and mind together through my teens.

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Some stuff has changed since I started hormones (testosterone), but I'm still the same person. It doesn't completely rewrite your brain or anything. The predisposition to behaviors due to long-term learning is often a lot stronger than hormones. In my opinion, hormones have changed some things, but my basic personality is still exactly the same. Like others have said, I'm more "myself" now than before. The me that people new before wasn't 100% the real me anyway.

[Guest Elizabeth K]

HRT? Ive been on it a short time and it has given me a roller-coaster ride so far. I understand it will calm down, probably because I will acclimate.

I had an immediate change in self image, way too soon for the hormones to act, but it was the IDEA of no longer being a male chemically, and having all female hormones in my body. I nearly exploded in happiness! It was a thing I had wanted all my life and never expected to get. It DID change me, and I think it was a combination of the 'idea' which is psychological, and the hormones, which are biological. I also know that it was the fact that all I had suppressed my entire life was suddenly open to me, my birthright was at hand!

My results are rather fast on HRT - physically. This is not that common, but I am lucky I suppose. So I suppose the emotional effects are a bit early too. This is what I notice, personality wise, and I can't guarantee this happens to everyone:

Interconnectness - a sense of how I connect into the world, something I never knew existed!

Loss of male aggression, I still rage when someone cuts me off in traffic, but wonder what "I" did wrong, and feel like crying that someone could be so mean

ALL movies seem so real now, and I can watch them, child-like again, and laugh and cry where I would not do so before

I still get defensive when challanged, but unlike the male reaction of lashing out, I pull in and want to hide

And the most drastic? I am capable of crying. I can cry at the smallest things. I can cry for two hours, and I can cry myself to sleep.

You will like parts of HRT and you will despair at your new vulnerability. The male suit of armor disappears and you are almost naked to the world. I am now trying desparately to build up defenses, female defenses. My daughters are helping me with this.

Is it worth it - YES YES YES

We dual gender THINK we know what it is like to be a woman? It is TOTALLY different, emotionally than what we imagine. When the testosterone goes away and the estrogen starts to play, wow!

And Sally picked up on part of this, loss of my shyness. And I keep telling her, when she gets on HRT? "You just wait!"

I hope this help

Lizzy

[Guest Donna Jean]

Tyler......

Hello, Hon.....

Well , Lizzy covered it pretty conclusively....

But, bottom line your core being will remain.

It is almost a month for me and I have experienced many emotional things that I consider wonderful....If you consider that the movie WALL.E is worth crying over.....lol I cried like a baby!

Living as best as I could as a male I had a lot of anger and pain and angst....And upon coming out and accepting myself most of that lifted instantly...no hormones involved...

But now with the hormones I have become calm, happy and at peace....it is the most amazing place to be.

But the truth be told, most of it was in me to begin with, I just didn't express it....and the hormones have eased it all loose and given me a wonderful outlook on life.

Crying is the one thing that I love dearly...I'll put on my headphones and cry over a beautiful piece of music, a movie, a friendship........

You'll be the same person, but you'll be surprised at your capacity to experience things differently...seeing the same things as before, but from an entirely different perspective!

From my experience so far...most people going on estrogen change for the better, overall!

Hope this adds some insight into your question....after all..."One size does NOT fit all!"

BIGG HUGG

Donna Jean

[Guest Zabrak]

I felt a shift in my personality on HRT but I think it has more to do with feeling better about myself and more 'freedom' to act as I please.

[Guest Leah1026]

Like others have said, I'm more "myself" now than before. The me that people new before wasn't 100% the real me anyway.

Tyler,

You can use a simple Venn diagram to illustrate this. Take a look at this image:

http://hsc.csu.edu.au/maths/images/mc_images/M5Q2.jpg

The inner circle is the old you. The outer circle is who you are becoming. You're still the same person, but at the same time much more.

That said it wouldn't be completely honest to say you'll be the same person. But neither will your girlfriend. Transition will change BOTH of you.

[Paula ult]

Tyler,

During my 56 years before transition i was shy and introverted, after seeing my therapist and being on hrt a number of months i did have a shift, by that i mean I'm lots more outgoing and not shy, others see this change too and even comment on it. I am lots more emotional these days and can be laughing one minute and crying the next, but other than those I'm still the same person i was all those years. The real me was there all along just waiting to be let out.

Paula.

[Guest Nelly]

ALL movies seem so real now, and I can watch them, child-like again, and laugh and cry where I would not do so before

That would be great for me. I like movies but I allways see them as a movie. So I am not scared or afraid of the things I see in the movie. If I would react on hormons like you I would love it.

Greetings

Nelly

[Guest JCinDenver]

Here's what I've experienced since being on HRT for 2+ years.

I'm less aggresive & more passive. I rarely let things work me up, that would have set me off in the past.

My sense of humor has not changed at all.

I can watch TV & cry.

I race dragsters for fun. So my need for speed has not decreased. We start racing next month & I have just finished building my biggest & fastest dragster yet!

(How's 0-60 mph in 1.2 seconds sound or over 195 mph in under 7 seconds)

I do find my mind does tend to wonder more.

FYI Don't forget about the other effects of HRT. As your sperm count starts to fall, things will shrink also. Your sex drive will be vertually non existant. That will have a hugh effect on your relationship.

[Guest My_Genesis]

What do you all watch on tv and in movies that makes you cry?? lol. actually there is one movie that made me cry recently...can't remember which. I think it was "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" . I think sexual frustration makes me cry sometimes lol ...but seriously, that's happened to me a few times, it's the strangest thing

[Guest jayne anne]

Elizabeth,

This is my first post to this forum. I want to thank you for your insight and willingness to talk about this issue. I am just starting HRT next week and hope I can share my perceptions and feelings with you. I have always been the type of person who became frustrated and angry easily ever since my childhood. I also am not a very patient or accepting person of circumstances. I am a very accepting person regarding differences in people and have a "live and let live" attitude toward others. The other issue is that I have always been pretty much a loner all my life. I have never really felt anyone cared enough about me to be willing to accept me for just being me although I feel I have tried to reach out. It would be so good to have a best friend because I have never really felt I have had a best friend my whole life. I hope this forum gives me a chance to exchange ideas and information and allow me to learn from and help those who are willing to take me for what I am. Thanks!

HRT? Ive been on it a short time and it has given me a roller-coaster ride so far. I understand it will calm down, probably because I will acclimate.

I had an immediate change in self image, way too soon for the hormones to act, but it was the IDEA of no longer being a male chemically, and having all female hormones in my body. I nearly exploded in happiness! It was a thing I had wanted all my life and never expected to get. It DID change me, and I think it was a combination of the 'idea' which is psychological, and the hormones, which are biological. I also know that it was the fact that all I had suppressed my entire life was suddenly open to me, my birthright was at hand!

My results are rather fast on HRT - physically. This is not that common, but I am lucky I suppose. So I suppose the emotional effects are a bit early too. This is what I notice, personality wise, and I can't guarantee this happens to everyone:

Interconnectness - a sense of how I connect into the world, something I never knew existed!

Loss of male aggression, I still rage when someone cuts me off in traffic, but wonder what "I" did wrong, and feel like crying that someone could be so mean

ALL movies seem so real now, and I can watch them, child-like again, and laugh and cry where I would not do so before

I still get defensive when challanged, but unlike the male reaction of lashing out, I pull in and want to hide

And the most drastic? I am capable of crying. I can cry at the smallest things. I can cry for two hours, and I can cry myself to sleep.

You will like parts of HRT and you will despair at your new vulnerability. The male suit of armor disappears and you are almost naked to the world. I am now trying desparately to build up defenses, female defenses. My daughters are helping me with this.

Is it worth it - YES YES YES

We dual gender THINK we know what it is like to be a woman? It is TOTALLY different, emotionally than what we imagine. When the testosterone goes away and the estrogen starts to play, wow!

And Sally picked up on part of this, loss of my shyness. And I keep telling her, when she gets on HRT? "You just wait!"

I hope this help

Lizzy

[Guest CharlieRose]

Loss of male aggression, I still rage when someone cuts me off in traffic, but wonder what "I" did wrong, and feel like crying that someone could be so mean

I still get defensive when challanged, but unlike the male reaction of lashing out, I pull in and want to hide

And the most drastic? I am capable of crying. I can cry at the smallest things. I can cry for two hours, and I can cry myself to sleep.

Those are things that really appeal to me in testosterone therapy... I can't control my crying in the least with estrogen, and I am still very shy, unaggressive, unassertive. I don't expect it to overhaul completely (well, maybe the crying, right?) but it's still something I'm looking forward to.

ALL movies seem so real now, and I can watch them, child-like again, and laugh and cry where I would not do so before.

That's the thing that worries me. Movies are my passion. I get way way waaay emotional over them. It's how it's always been. I enjoy being able to bawl over them, even if it makes me feel silly. Just having raw emotion like that... it's an experience. I'm pretty sensitive to begin with, so maybe I'll still end up sensitive, for a guy, but I don't want to have that color taken away from me. I know this one guy who doesn't react to movies at all. He just sits there and stares at them. I'll be cracking up and say "Isn't that funny?" and he'll be like, "Yeah, it was." but NOT LAUGHING.

But then again I know another guy who laughs harder at most movies than I do, and he did cry during Milk. So it's possible, I guess, but I worry. At least the emotional things are reversible. I can just stop taking it and it'll come back. (along with the baby face, female hips and menstruation, but, it's an option)

[Guest Donna Jean]

Charlie, Hon.....

Don't ever apologize for having feelings! The world would be a much better place if people expressed their feelings....

And many, many women LIKE a sensitive man! It's society that tells men not to cry...a very unhealthy thing...the anger and stress that builds up and is not let out contributes to the fact that women live longer than men...women emote and release ....

I have found that crying is very good for the soul...

My wife likes to say that she has a weepy 16 year old on her hands now....LOL...

I hear.."What are you crying about NOW?"....

Do what you need to do, cry if you need to....A REAL man doesn't care what others think!

****HUGG****

Donna Jean

[Guest julia_d]

didn't read all the very good replys (beer and bank holiday)..

as somebody with a degree in psych.. yes.. things will change.

what will change depends on how you are made.. but they will change.

[Guest Melanieshaman]

My results are rather fast on HRT - physically. This is not that common, but I am lucky I suppose. So I suppose the emotional effects are a bit early too. This is what I notice, personality wise, and I can't guarantee this happens to everyone:

Interconnectness - a sense of how I connect into the world, something I never knew existed!

Loss of male aggression, I still rage when someone cuts me off in traffic, but wonder what "I" did wrong, and feel like crying that someone could be so mean-This will be a good thing for me, i have been trying to "cool it" behind the wheel-scares my wife sometimes

ALL movies seem so real now, and I can watch them, child-like again, and laugh and cry where I would not do so before-I cry all the time now! I can't emagine what a ball-baby i will be then lol

I still get defensive when challanged, but unlike the male reaction of lashing out, I pull in and want to hide

And the most drastic? I am capable of crying. I can cry at the smallest things. I can cry for two hours, and I can cry myself to sleep.Again, i cry alot now..sheesh

You will like parts of HRT and you will despair at your new vulnerability. The male suit of armor disappears and you are almost naked to the world. I am now trying desparately to build up defenses, female defenses. My daughters are helping me with this.

Is it worth it - YES YES YESGAWD I can't wait!

I hope this help

Lizzy

and yes thank you for the insight

[Guest CharlieRose]

Charlie, Hon.....

Don't ever apologize for having feelings! The world would be a much better place if people expressed their feelings....

And many, many women LIKE a sensitive man! It's society that tells men not to cry...a very unhealthy thing...the anger and stress that builds up and is not let out contributes to the fact that women live longer than men...women emote and release ....

I have found that crying is very good for the soul...

My wife likes to say that she has a weepy 16 year old on her hands now....LOL...

I hear.."What are you crying about NOW?"....

Do what you need to do, cry if you need to....A REAL man doesn't care what others think!

****HUGG****

Donna Jean

Aw, thanks Donna. *receives hug*

[Guest brenda lee]

I have talked to my girlfriend about transitioning and such, and she is very supportive. But she thinks that hormones would change me as a person, psychologically. I told her I'll still be me, but I was hoping someone could verify this...?

I apologize for my poorly written question. It's past midnight, and I'm well out of it xD

Tyler A big thank you for asking a question on HRT it has helped me in my strong desire to want HRT in the future. The question you ask ,was one of the ones I was wondering about .Please keep us posted sweetie.LOL Brenda Lee