Is it Just OCD?

[transgressingwaffle]

I finally came out to my mom and it went better than expected. She was more worried about my depression. However, she thinks it was my OCD that caused the transgender feelings and said the Doctors she called said it is quite possible as I have a severe form of mental OCD. Honestly it does seem possible if I started obssessing about it at such a young age and kept on doing so until now, it is quite possible I have just made myself think this. I'm going to a neutral therapist, one not versed in gender issues, but one who is not super conservative either. What do you guys think. Anyone know if OCD can cause this. Also, we are working on correcting my medication as we believe my taking it at random times during the day and sometimes missing a dose could have caused my body chemistry to go out of whack. The doctors my mother contacted by the way were from the mayo clinic and one was a clinical psychologist (the one who offered up this solution.) I am going to a regular therapist this weekend but I wanted to see if you guys thought I may not be trans. The thoughts about turning into a girl I do get does not make me feel bad like the other crazy creepy thoughts I get in my head, they actually make me feel pretty good sometimes. Otherwise I do feel guilty or at least I use to due to religious reasons and also being guilty of not conforming to societies standards.

[Ashley Allison]

Hi there Transgressingwaffle!

I have heard there is significant comorbidity with OCD and GID from some sources... In some senses too, there is significant similarities between the symptoms of OCD and GID.  Coincidentally, these same thoughts have pervaded my mind for the past month, are my feelings genuine GID or OCD? Or perhaps they are a combination of the two. That being said, there are medications that dampen the symptoms of OCD; I assume you are on them or your medical team has discussed them with you.  Naturally, I think either going on them or going off them would better elucidate what is the true source of your feelings.  On a more gross ethical level though, is so what if your feelings are from OCD or GID? What if, through different tests and determinants, it turns out the source of your feelings is from OCD but medically you can't manage it with conventional psychotherapy? I would tend to say that the source of the feelings aren't necessarily a determinant of future medical decisions.  It is your choice to determine how you are going to be treated through informed consent.  Again that being said, if you effectively can and want to manage this outside of the conventional GID therapy, personally I would do that if I had the choice... But that is only a personal preference

Hope that helps,

Allison

[Tori]

It is really nobody's business but your own if you are or are not trans. Please, do not rely on any therapist, doctor, family member or member of Susan's forum to make that decision for you.

If you are, you should know sooner or later.

As for OCD, I have never heard if it being a cause for trans feelings. I have heard of trans folk with OCD. I have heard transition has helped their OCD in some cases. I will not pretend to back that up with science since I have none.

The MAYO Clinic is famous, but I wouldn't trust their best pediotrist to operate on my brain. If they don't know trans, they lack experience. They may be fine. They may not. Treating trans patients is not brain surgery.

Every single trans person who transitions that I can think of, has obsessed over being trans. It does not mean we all share your OCD. What it means is obsession is part of it. OCD may amplify that obsession, I can see that as a possibility... just like gender dysphoria can amplify depression.

If you are adult or nearing adulthood, you should start considering taking a large role in selecting your own medical care.

[Aina]

I still not sure how OCD has anything to do with being transgender. Honestly starting to see this pop up a lot recently. I am wondering if this is a new way of saying - oh don't worry you just have OCD since I can't seem to see any scientific proof linking OCD with being transgender.

[stephaniec]

the only way I can see OCD involved would be if your confusing gender problems with cross dressing problems and your compulsively cross dressing which is a separate issue from dysphoria.

[transgressingwaffle]

I'm not cross dressing.... yet and the thoughts I have are over fantasizing about being a girl and sometimes about having coitus as a woman. The thing is I enjoy these thoughts and ever since I was young before I even knew what was going on I would pretend to turn into a girl (when I was about 5)

[Miss_Bungle1991]

I always have to roll my eyes when OCD (or especially Bi-Polar Disorder) is mentioned. (This isn't anything against the OP by the way) I just find it annoying that now both of those things are used as some moronic catch-all so they can throw medication at you. My mom trots out that stupid OCD card sometimes and I have to tell her that she has no idea what the hell she is talking about and she can't even name any actual OCD symptoms. Once I throw out a few things that I do that could possibly be an OCD related thing, she doesn't know how to respond and cops out by saying that she is joking.

Honestly, I wouldn't give a damn even if I had OCD. I live my life just fine and I don't have anything that "gets in the way" of living my life, so screw it.

[vlmitchell]

If you're a chick, you're a chick and no medication is going to help change that feeling. Look into yourself, see how you want to live your life, and decide for yourself what the truth is. I have profoundly gifted syndrome, OCD, bi-polar, addictive personality disorder... and I also happen to be trans. Whatever.

FWIW: all those other conditions got a whole world easier once I started addressing one of the primary underlying issues (I was trans and wasn't living honestly with my life.) Pop some hormones, get rid of the testosterone in my system and *bam* I felt a whole lot better about pretty much everything. It didn't cure anything but it did clear one barrier to me addressing the rest of my stuff.

[Tori]

Profoundly gifted syndrome totally sucks and kinda' rocks! I too suffer from it.

Victoria, let me take this opportunity to gush over your new profile pic.

(Tori gushes.)