Testosterone and aggression

[JohnAlex]

It drove me crazy how many people told me this was going to happen to me after I start T, people who didn't know what they were talking about, people who were like "Didn't you see what happened to Chaz Bono when he went on T?"

But now, a month and a half on T, I think it's slightly possible something like this did happen to me.  My emotions just sometimes, seemingly randomly but lasting all day, will be all out of whack.  Like I just feel so irritable, everything annoys me.  Yesterday was the worst because I actually felt aggression, which I've never really felt in my life before.  It got intense enough that I could tell I wasn't "normal", I was about to start seeing a therapist again, when I suddenly remember what those people had told me, and wonder if there's was any connection between being emotionally unstable and my hormones changing.
I emailed my doctor about this just now, but I probably won't get a response for a few days, so I thought I'd also ask in here, see if anyone heard of anything similar.

[Tay]

When I was on the wrong injection frequency/dose, I had a similar thing. I used to call it "Day 17", every little thing would drive me crazy. Then I switched to injections every 14 days and it disappeared, now I would say I have the same temperament as I used to, just experience anger in a slightly different way - more intense but over quickly, less brooding.

[Jayr]

Mhmm. I'm worried about that too. But I think it's a case by case kinda thing.
Because I know plenty of guys that actually became calmer once on hormones.
It's all case by case. You did the right thing messaging your doc.

And tell those people your name isn't Chaz Bono.

[Stealthy]

Eh...I had some MAAAAJOR anger issues going on at the beginning of my female puberty (around 8-11), and that's a reason why I'm non-T, albeit a very minor one. I did some absolutely horrific s**t and was constantly angry at everyone and the littlest thing would turn me inconsolably violent, and I don't want to introduce even more hormones and go through that whole stage again.

[Natkat]

I had an discussion with another transguy, who said, that the agressive point wasnt proved and it might as well just be steryotype.
the point is, if you tell someone before a test that men will be less good or better on this, then men will likely be less good or better than this cause they belive so and feel fine about it. and even if they arnt told they know from the steryotypes that its how it should be
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its like if you go to a classroom where nobody wants to be a virgin, ask how many who is a virgin and then expect a honest answer to a test.
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so all basic all gendertest or steryotypes should be taking lightly.

I do belive testotorone makes you more annoyed, and in that fact it can also means more angry or agressive,
but its very typical tenneger thing when homones and the mood.
I dont see it as being very big like I turned into a monster from taking T, in fact I became less agreesive cause I started to relax more in my own body.

I do think those people are overreacting, I mean yeah you might become alittle annoyed, but if thats enought to make you typed as being "very agressive" then you should manly keep away from, all teen guys who homonel are experiencing the same changes as you are.

but just my opinion, as I said I didnt became very agressive on T, actually less, but I had experiences where I feared to tell people if I had been very upset and done something "agressively" cause I belived they would type it out as "its just cause you are on T" where I would be like.. "no its because I was very angry T or not"

[Kreuzfidel]

Whether or not T exacerbates agressive tendencies is just conjecture.  There are the anecdotal reports of "T rage", but the mechanics of why and how T causes this, if true, are vague.  I have personally felt more calm on T.  I have to wonder if some of the cases of increased aggression are related to the fact that so much of the emotional self is somewhat free from the burdens of "I need to be on T" - leaving a space that was formerly occupied with fretting about starting transition, which now has new things to focus on like life's little annoyances.

[tvc15]

I wish this was more acknowledged by the trans male community. Regarding aggression the overwhelming consensus seems to be "oh yeah that's just a myth and when you start T you will feel less aggressive, not more." This was not my experience. Though, when you think about it, you're getting a surge of hormones in your body, and going through a second puberty... who's to say the emotional effects will be the same in everyone? Is it that far-fetched to believe starting T might actually make you feel more angry and aggressive?

The way I see it, feeling comfortable in your body has nothing to do with how you react to situations that provoke you... they are independent of one another. I felt so zen after my first shot, and way more comfortable with myself than I ever was. But after a bit of time I went through what could be described as "roid rage". Granted, I doubt taking hormones would make you behave in any way you aren't already "programmed" for. I was reading old journals of mine and realized I always was kind of aggressive and angry in certain circumstances, so it's not like T made me some hulking monster. It's just that for a good couple of months I could get super aggressive at the flick of a switch, whereas before it might take a lot to finally get me to act that way. I've mellowed out now, which is a huge relief. The dosing might have had something to do with it too. Unlike many guys, I was never on a consistent dose from day one. It was slowly ramped up over the course of several months. My body might have been trying to tell me to pick one hormone or the other, not keep it in a state of constant flux. John Alex, I would not worry about this, I'm going to say it's normal, but pay attention to your overall mood and see if changing your dose might help--if not, ride it out for a few more months and see if you simmer down naturally.

[wheat thins are delicious]

I became more aggressive after T, but that was a good thing and I'm glad it happened.  What people seem to forget is that aggression doesn't equate anger.

[Natkat]

I guess theres not much change in my agressive level before or after T, it really depends on how much an a*** people are.
but even if I get very angry, I rarely do them any harm. I often have the.. "your not even worth me" kind of attitude if I get very angry, which mean I dont even feel like wasting my time on beating them up XD

[geek]

I guess theres not much change in my agressive level before or after T, it really depends on how much an a*** people are.
but even if I get very angry, I rarely do them any harm. I often have the.. "your not even worth me" kind of attitude if I get very angry, which mean I dont even feel like wasting my time on beating them up XD

haha these days i want to fight  but like before i would get sooooo angry, its just a different kind of anger for me. it doesn't help that now i feel i can take on the whole world - after virtually living my whole life locked in a room

[insideontheoutside]

I would consider doseage or frequency a factor. Unlike someone born into a properly functioning male body, trans guys are relying on injections of a certain amount in a certain frequency of a hormone that would naturally be produced (if you don't have any diseases or anything physically wrong with you) at a certain rate by the body itself. Basically, it's guess work for the doctors of trans people. They're going by "average" levels, etc.

For me, what I'd call, "too much T" didn't just make me feel aggressive it made me feel like crap and it put me into a state of rage - that kind of adrenaline pumping feeling before you know you're getting into a physical fight or something.

There's probably a "just right" level for you but might take some experimenting to find it. 

[Ayden]

I haven't had an increase in aggression perse. I have always been a little blunt though, and people just take me like that. I think it depends on the person, but I can see how it could potentially make someone more aggressive. The again, I haven't had a lot of the side effects that are supposed to come along with it. I've physical changes, but mostly i am just really goofy and laugh a lot more.

Hope thinks settle down for you. I don't think it is unreasonable. Your dose might be off a little.