| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #14786 is a reply to message #14769 ] |
Tue, 22 January 2008 15:29   |
Anonymous  |
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I think the most painful thing is that I'm unaccustomed to dealing with this problem. In my teen years I struggled with sexuality, but I never felt like this. I always had my identity, I was never this consumed. The years afterwards were peaceful.. so I'm basically used to being happy. This problem has thrown a wrench into my mind.
By the way, no doctor would advise a transition after feeling this way for 6 months. Isnt is 2 years?
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #14819 is a reply to message #14786 ] |
Tue, 22 January 2008 19:27 |
Anonymous  |
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| Anonymous wrote on Tue, 22 January 2008 18:29 |
I think the most painful thing is that I'm unaccustomed to dealing with this problem. In my teen years I struggled with sexuality, but I never felt like this. I always had my identity, I was never this consumed. The years afterwards were peaceful.. so I'm basically used to being happy. This problem has thrown a wrench into my mind.
By the way, no doctor would advise a transition after feeling this way for 6 months. Isnt is 2 years?
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Two years is the length of time a transition must be observed by a psychiatrist (therapist) prior to genital surgery. The transition stuff (name change, social change, hormones, other procedures) are largely completed during this time.
You may spend as much time lost in the woods beforehand (by your count 6 months thus far) as you like, but it probably isn't productive. Even if you spend another 18 months lost in the woods, it won't count for anything once (if) you do start transition.
Take Care,
Stephen
[Updated on: Tue, 22 January 2008 19:29] by Moderator
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #17374 is a reply to message #11256 ] |
Wed, 06 February 2008 13:06 |
trans_mag
Messages: 167
Registered: December 2007
Location: Ottawa, Canada |
Senior Member |
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Contrary to some of the responses already posted to your question... Yes, there are hard-and-fast pre-requisites for a diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder.
This is the clinical authority to which all competent gender issues therapists, endocrinologists and other treatment providers refer:
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) [formerly: Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA)] Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders
"The World Professional Association for Transgender Health's Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders articulate our organization's professional consensus about the psychiatric, psychological, medical, and surgical management of gender identity disorders. Professionals may use this document to understand the parameters within which they may offer assistance to those with these problems. This document may also assist you with your research and understanding of the current thinking of professionals.
This is the sixth version of the Standards of Care since the original 1979 document."
http://wpath.org/Documents2/socv6.pdf
See, especially, section III Diagnostic Nomenclature - The IDC 10:
"The ICD-10*. The ICD-10 now provides five diagnoses for the gender identity disorders (F64):
Transsexualism (F64.0) has three criteria:
1. The desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex, usually accompanied by the wish to make his or her body as congruent as possible with the preferred sex through surgery and hormone treatment;
2. The transsexual identity has been present persistently for at least two years;
3. The disorder is not a symptom of another mental disorder or a chromosomal abnormality."
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* International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
"ICD-10 was endorsed by the Forty-third World Health Assembly in May 1990 and came into use in WHO Member States as from 1994."
***
Hope this helps clear up some of the confusion.
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #17471 is a reply to message #14786 ] |
Thu, 07 February 2008 05:48 |
trans_mag
Messages: 167
Registered: December 2007
Location: Ottawa, Canada |
Senior Member |
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The WPATH SOC recommends a 1-year (minimum) RLT/RLE prior to surgery. Different legal jurisdictions have different requirements, though, influenced by community standards and political considerations -- especially where the cost of some or all of the procedures, medications and psychotherapies are covered by government health insurance. In Canada, RLT/RLE is generally 1 year. In New Zealand, it's 2 years, minimum. Different again in the U.K. and Heli-land, as we have already heard elsewhere on this board...
If your primary therapist adheres to the WPATH SOC, you can expect to undergo at least three months of psychotherapy before you are referred to an endocrinologist for appropriate hormone treatments.
And they'll *implore* you to give the hormones at least three years to work before you even *sit down to consider* extraordinary measures such as FFS, body sculpting or hair restoration. It's amazing what the hormones can do! Granted, being patient about my transition is the *hardest* thing I've *ever* had to do. For one thing, I had to wait a year to start hormones because I had to resolve other issues in my life. But, after a year on hormones and a little over six months of full-time living, I'm now seeing very positive indications that my journey will have a happy ending. Enough positives to encuroage me to keep going, anyway...
Your own personal progress, logisitcal circumstances and financial situation will determine when you go full-time and how soon after your RLT/RLE you can (afford to) go for surgery.
And it's also worth mentioning here that any competent gender issues therapist will insist that you resolve any other outstanding issues in your life before you tackle your trans issues. Lots of people seem to think that *all* their problems are rooted in their unrequited transness and that all the other problems in their lives will vanish in a poof of fairy dust the moment they emerge from the anesthetic after surgery -- as if those other issues were all just a bad dream. But that's usually *not* the case. Especially with stuff like clinical depression. Stress and fear and a whole host of other things associated with years of living The Big Lie might have triggered depression initially, but once it's clinical -- i.e.- has become a chronic condition based out-of-balance brain chemistry -- you still have to keep taking those meds after SRS.
Also, the way you see yourself may change significantly after surgery, but others will still see you largely as they did before -- however that might have been. And those who disapprove of your transition may disapprove even more strongly after you've taken the ultimate irrevocable step...
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #18032 is a reply to message #11256 ] |
Sun, 10 February 2008 22:33 |
| Anonymous |
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Thanks..
From the age of 15-20 I battled a lot of mental disorders that were tied to sexuality (I thought). I was midly depressed, and had some social anxiety disorders. When I started medication, the quality of my life improved by leaps and bounds. Were the drugs covering up my problems or did they actually treat a genuine condition? I wish I knew. Past 8-9 months have been bad - initially I suffered from severe panic and depression.
I'm getting better I think. I'm calmer now, and I can evaluate the situation a little bit better. I signed up for some free therapy at a GLBT center, and I'll be hearing back from them shortly.
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #32398 is a reply to message #11256 ] |
Tue, 13 May 2008 10:55 |
| Anonymous |
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Since when is liking anal sex a requirement of being gay?
Just stop filtering your actions and be yourself.
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #58362 is a reply to message #11377 ] |
Mon, 18 May 2009 19:29 |
 JoannaM 
Messages: 168
Registered: April 2009
Location: Socorro, New Mexico |
Senior Member |
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| Dharla wrote on Sun, 30 December 2007 12:43 |
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You're allowed to be different
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and on that "when do you know?" question. SOME people NEVER saw it coming! It was either buried so deeply.....or Denied....or brought on my chemical imbalances.....who knows....maybe hormone changes?
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Boy didnt you tag that one Dharla, 50 years for me before I got much of a hint. Burried under the mask of doing what society expected of a male, work, marry, bring forth the next generation; somewhere in that mix i think I was told that gender == biological sex (BEEEEEEEEEEP wrong). I tried dressing, much to the distress of my partner and all that did was open the flood gate to the underlying issue.
Now on the verge of starting the change ('mones begin june 12) my partner has decided that she no longer wants me as her partner, thats ok the more I think about it the more it will be the most liberating thing to happen. She doesnt want to see me dressed, though I do and (understandably) doesnt want me in bed with her.
My attraction to females is changing and the old definition is not having much play anymore.
Love ya all
just my $00.10 worth
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #58373 is a reply to message #58362 ] |
Tue, 19 May 2009 02:02 |
Derrie
Messages: 21526
Registered: October 2007 |
Senior Member
BL3D
Chief Instigator
First Officer |
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| JoannaM wrote on Mon, 18 May 2009 21:29 |
| Dharla wrote on Sun, 30 December 2007 12:43 |
| Quote: |
You're allowed to be different
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and on that "when do you know?" question. SOME people NEVER saw it coming! It was either buried so deeply.....or Denied....or brought on my chemical imbalances.....who knows....maybe hormone changes?
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Boy didnt you tag that one Dharla, 50 years for me before I got much of a hint. Burried under the mask of doing what society expected of a male, work, marry, bring forth the next generation; somewhere in that mix i think I was told that gender == biological sex (BEEEEEEEEEEP wrong). I tried dressing, much to the distress of my partner and all that did was open the flood gate to the underlying issue.
Now on the verge of starting the change ('mones begin june 12) my partner has decided that she no longer wants me as her partner, thats ok the more I think about it the more it will be the most liberating thing to happen. She doesnt want to see me dressed, though I do and (understandably) doesnt want me in bed with her.
My attraction to females is changing and the old definition is not having much play anymore.
Love ya all
just my $00.10 worth
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WOW!!!!
I've said some brilliant stuff haven't I????? 
Thanks for dragging this up Joanna.....although it brings up some very strong emotions.
Doing your homework are you?
Attraction....hmmmmmmm........mine hasn't changed....matter of fact, it has intensified.....EXTREMELY....."validated" is a good term to use for it. I am now validated.
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #58417 is a reply to message #58416 ] |
Tue, 19 May 2009 14:40 |
JoannaM
Messages: 168
Registered: April 2009
Location: Socorro, New Mexico |
Senior Member |
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hmmm talk bout genderphuck, a male lesbian. No hon, i wasnt 
as for sports, I really never was and still arent much of a sports fan. I used to water ski but went into hibernation all winter. However my jobs were all the heavy physical type, hypermasculine as I like to call them. Looking back on it now it was all part of the mask, of wanting to fit in and do what was expected no matter how much it confused me.
Which half was the real me, the one I never let anyone see; too scared to admit that there was something differenct about me. Too scared to admit but knowing that there was something different. Tried burying it, denying it, hoping, praying that it would go away (guess what it didn't).
[Updated on: Tue, 19 May 2009 14:45]
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #63468 is a reply to message #11539 ] |
Fri, 17 July 2009 20:56 |
| Anonymous |
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that is really nutty. of course as a post op you can serve in the armed forces normally. so your birth certificate isnt changed yet big whoopin deal. you need to grow up.
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #63489 is a reply to message #11288 ] |
Sat, 18 July 2009 06:21 |
| Anonymous |
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ahh true selves. that horrific pathetic disgusting book that connotes transvestism with transsexualism all just happy parts of the same spectrum.
gag vomit puke. NO f-in thanks
the last goddamn thing a questioning T needs to read is how they are just one more flavor of a transvestite.
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #64020 is a reply to message #11256 ] |
Thu, 23 July 2009 19:56 |
pumpkin
Messages: 662
Registered: July 2009 |
Senior Member |
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| Anonymous wrote on Sat, 29 December 2007 18:03 | Ive been dealing with gender issues for almost 6 months now. Since the 'what if I am a woman' thought popped into my mind, my life as become consumed by this issue. At the beggining I was launched into a total panic. I was extremely depressed and suicidal (and I posted many threads on here)... Since then I've calmed down and sort of continued my obsessing, but I'm at least functional now. At this point I'm really trying to decide how valid this problem is.
I dont really fantasize about being female. Rather I try to ask myself questions and gauge the response. 'Do I feel jealous of women?', 'Would I be happier as a woman', 'Is this what I really want?', 'Am I uncomfortable as a male?', 'Do I belong with females?'.
So - what are some basic common demoninators, criteria, etc, that a person must/should have to be diagnosed with GID?
I didnt experience gender problems as a child, I dont know if I hate my body, I Dont feel jealousy towards women or feel that an overwhemling sensation that I 'belong with them'. What to do? Keep living this way until something sorts itself out?
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If you don't feel like being a woman in any respect, why is wondering whether you're a woman driving you mad? Just curious.
p.
[Updated on: Thu, 23 July 2009 19:57]
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| Re: Prerequisites for being TS? [message #96259 is a reply to message #96258 ] |
Mon, 05 April 2010 20:54 |
Derrie
Messages: 21526
Registered: October 2007 |
Senior Member
BL3D
Chief Instigator
First Officer |
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| jaiyen wrote on Mon, 05 April 2010 22:44 | | jessie_c wrote on Mon, 21 January 2008 19:59 | Hi M,
I found that my dysphoria became seasonal the longer I denied it. For me it was wintertime, Dec - Apr when it was worst. For the last couple of years before I finally faced it I barely made it through the winters then I got better through the summers and thought I'd beaten it again. Then one winter it got too bad to ignore.
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wow, this is sooo me too.....wonder why its so seasonal? maybe we are just very distracted in the summer and occupy ourselves with other things.
idk about you, but for me, in the winter months i was both super uncomfortable with my body and also very much feeling like a female and desiring to look how i felt....
now in the summer, i was still super uncomfortable with my body, but i didnt feel as female or something like that. maybe it has to do with our body differences becoming more apparent in summer and we get hopeless about ever looking female.
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Are you familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder? (SAD)
My worst months used to be January and February....now that I understand how it works I try to get outside more and it hasn't bothered in in about 20 years.
AGAIN....like so many things that alter our life experience.....it's about hormones and chemicals. Serotonin levels tend to drop in low light months....those are your "feel good" chemicals. Without them you become more depressed and your worst nightmares and worries come to the fore front.
Outdoor activities and lots of fresh air and sunshine help dissipate these bad feelings.......its easier to push your problems to the back burner.
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) I just never wanted a man to see my naked body or touch it.....it just seemed....unnatural.........phew..... 
