Does estrogen help with anxiety or other mood issues?

[Lexi Nexi]

I'm really curois as to what this is going to do to my brain. Anywys I was taking test because I was a cismale wth very low amounts and noticed it gave me:
drive
aggression
motivation
lessened my idiopathic  anxiety
Will estrogen do the opposite?
I'm on SSRI's for depression and anxiety and they kind of sort of work
I have been on every SSRIs, SSNRIs, the anti seizure mood drugs other thingss like abilify and welbutrin risperdone etc etc and none worked except the SSNRI's where I just about lost my mnd and came very close to going to jail for a very long time. Those drugs should only be used in ahospital setting I know at least 10 people who have had a bad reaction to them and every person I know who has been on the reports alot of crazyness. Anyways

I'm really nervous that this could mess up my mood. I'm not very emotional. Many describe me as "Asperger's like". I'm nice on the inside but to some watching who dont know me they think I'm a cold and calculating machine because I will often purposely leave my face and tone/pitch blank or emotionally flat so you can't get a read off me or I just use a pattern of facial gestures that you are expecting me to so I give you those to look at. You could give me a winning lottery ticket or tell me m best friend was dead and if I don't want you to see my emotions you won't not even micro expressions. I learned to do this for fun as a kid when a girl told me she read my facial expression and got an answer  before in school on some contest.

Anyways emotionally I'm kind of a strange person and wonder what will this hormone do to my "enigma that's lost its encoder wheels' brain? 

Oh and to the first person who gets it exactly right you get a fully paid trip to my house and use of fmri's and pet scanners to tell me how you did that. Hell if you get 47th place I'll send you a five thousand dollar prize.

[krobinson103]

Estrogen takes the edge off. You don't feel so driven, its harder to be angry and it goes away faster. I don't feel as competitive, and don't need to be doing something all the time. You feel emotions stronger and I became more sociable. I also feel more confident. I suspect its different for ever one though.

[Lexi Nexi]

Estrogen takes the edge off. You don't feel so driven, its harder to be angry and it goes away faster. I don't feel as competitive, and don't need to be doing something all the time. You feel emotions stronger and I became more sociable. I also feel more confident. I suspect its different for ever one though.

That is perfect! I'm committing that to memory so I can start to overly notice those things when I'm on it so it will form pathways in my brain in a way making the placebo effect become real. I hope it does all those things. That is almost exactly what is missing from my brain right now.

[rmaddy]

Things which changed for me on estrogen:

Diminished aggression
Diminished sex drive/interest
Broader emotional range, both in sensation and expression
Overall subtle increase in sense of wellbeing.

I saw no change in my levels of anxiety or depression.

I think the reports of estrogen as a mood altering drug are mostly a product of hype and groupthink.  The idea of HRT is to alter the body to fit the mind.  From reading here, one could easily get the impression that the primary effect is on the brain rather than the body.  I doubt it.

[krobinson103]

That is perfect! I'm committing that to memory so I can start to overly notice those things when I'm on it so it will form pathways in my brain in a way making the placebo effect become real. I hope it does all those things. That is almost exactly what is missing from my brain right now.

You don't need a placebo effect it comes on pretty fast. Personally I like it, suits me better.

[rmaddy]

Estrogen takes the edge off.

Valium takes the edge off.  Estrogen gives you a body more like the one you wish you had.  This can make you feel better.  Mostly though, you feel better as you transition because you give yourself license to make the sorts of physical and social choices that you prefer.

[krobinson103]

Valium takes the edge off.  Estrogen gives you a body more like the one you wish you had.  This can make you feel better.  Mostly though, you feel better as you transition because you give yourself license to make the sorts of physical and social choices that you prefer.

Is it a good way to change your mental state only? Probably not as it has many other effects as well. You want to be sure those are acceptable or you'd only increase your problems.

[rmaddy]

I guess I'm not being clear.  You report being less angry, more sociable and more confident.  I submit that these changes might just as easily come from being more content with your body and resocializing in the correct gender. 

The OP is wanting to know in what way estrogen can be a mood altering drug, and lists a litany of drugs taken in the past for comparison.  I don't think that we should see estrogen as such.  The rationale for estrogen therapy is not mood stabilization, but rather the development of body characteristics which are more coherent for the patient.   More coherence should lead to greater wellbeing over time, but transition in whatever form we choose is what ultimately makes us better.
 
People who are anxious before they start HRT will probably still be anxious afterward.  Don't look to estrogen to do the job of therapy.

[natalie.ashlyne]

For me estrogen helped me, it slowed down 95 percent of my anxiety took away a lot of my depression, gave me some self esteem I had non before, It calmed me down I am no longer anger at the world. So I think it can help.

[Dani]

Lexi,

I cannot over emphasize the dangers of experimenting with multiple psycho active chemicals that have not been fully tested. The worst case of a bad reaction is life force termination. Please stop doing this. Be more careful in what you put into your body.

To answer your original question, Estradiol will lower the aggressive nature of the usual male hormones. Many of us feel so good about this that we describe the feelings as mood elevating. Estradiol is not a mood altering drug. We have gender dysphoria and when we feel like we are in the proper hormone state, we feel so good that we describe our feelings as euphoric. What we feel is nowhere near the feeling anyone would get from any of the intoxicating chemicals, such as alcohol, MJ, or any of the other psycho active drugs. We just feel proper and we are at peace with the world. Once I experienced the Estradiol boost, I knew I could never be happy going back to being under the influence of Testosterone. 

No need to offer a reward for feeling proper. Life in the proper body and mind is priceless.

[jessica95]

Estrogen takes the edge off. You don't feel so driven, its harder to be angry and it goes away faster. I don't feel as competitive, and don't need to be doing something all the time. You feel emotions stronger and I became more sociable. I also feel more confident. I suspect its different for ever one though.

Sounds good for me. Estrogen sounds nice. Hard for me to say if its helps with anxiety issues etc since  i am not doctor

[Bari Jo]

For me it stops the voices.  I know this isn't the right word, since I don't actually hear voices, I'm not psychotic.  However the feelings of distress from GD are lessened considerably.  That's what the well being feeling is for me that people are describing.

Bari Jo

[DawnOday]

Welbuterin and Cetalopram seem to be taking care of that. However, the estrogen has made me much more aware and sympathetic. I am more willing to listen and seek consensus. I seem to be more focused. I no longer think much of anything about my genitals. I am not as prone to dressing to the nines and full makeup I am learning less is more. No I am not running around nude. I don't know if estrogen is doing that or just getting more information how to fit in. But I do want to fit in. As to Dr Leary's beliefs, I saw too many detrimental affects it had on people. Though I am not exactly a church mouse when it comes to booze and drugs. I did give them up 30 years ago.

[Allison S]

I just get angry less it seems now about 2 months in. I get over things quicker though I wasn't really much of a complainer to begin with. At least not compared to other people I know. But estrogen is one of those things that you won't know til you try it. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't but it really is different living it than hearing about it.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[Lexi Nexi]

I guess I'm not being clear.  You report being less angry, more sociable and more confident.  I submit that these changes might just as easily come from being more content with your body and resocializing in the correct gender. 

The OP is wanting to know in what way estrogen can be a mood altering drug, and lists a litany of drugs taken in the past for comparison.  I don't think that we should see estrogen as such.  The rationale for estrogen therapy is not mood stabilization, but rather the development of body characteristics which are more coherent for the patient.   More coherence should lead to greater wellbeing over time, but transition in whatever form we choose is what ultimately makes us better.
 
People who are anxious before they start HRT will probably still be anxious afterward.  Don't look to estrogen to do the job of therapy.

I don't know why I wrote about my past "use", i shouldn't have. How do I edit my post and take out the information? Can't find the modify post button.

[Dena]

I don't know why I wrote about my past "use", i shouldn't have. How do I edit my post and take out the information? Can't find the modify post button.

The ability to modify a post expires after 24 hours. Only  moderators get the forever modification button. If you wish to correct a problem in a post, use the report to moderator button on the post and state your request and a moderator will take care of it.