Alcohol and HRT effects on your emotions

[Charlie Nicki]

Last weekend was a long one for me, and I partied a lot. It had been almost 2 months since the last time I got intoxicated and I have to say both times I felt horrible the days after that (I still do since 2 days ago). Not physically but emotionally, I feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed, and doubting everything I'm doing about my transition. I've always felt this sort of guilt and mini depression (unrelated to transitioning) after drinking even if I didn't do anything wrong, but the past 2 times I feel it's been way worse, it has made me question my gender identity and if I'm doing the right thing. I don't know if it's the lower testosterone combined with alcohol that is making me feel worse (I'm one month on spiro, no estradiol yet). Well I don't think I'll get drunk again if this is how it's going to be...I was so emotionally and mentally stable before that. Any similar experiences?

[Kylo]

I'm taking T rather than taking it away and I notice my alcohol tolerance is about twice as much as it was before (I can put whole bottles of spirits away which is ridiculous), and I feel less lousy the day after. I don't drink that often and when I do it's usually because I'm not happy for some reason, which causes me a rethink of life while nursing a hangover.

Never felt guilty about it, maybe I regretted being so drunk I was a little too honest with some people sometimes, but otherwise I don't see much change between T and no T the next day. I suppose there's always a come down from it, but wouldn't say it extended to guilt and depression. Cannot say about the use of spiro or other substances with it but it would be interesting to know. T doesn't make me more emotional I find - it took away a lot of emotional hair triggers for me, so you might be experiencing the opposite effect.

[KathyLauren]

I had the same experience years ago, totally unrelated to HRT.  I realized that getting wasted was just no fun. 

Alcohol is a serious depressant.  It depresses just about everthing: inhibitions, coordination, judgement, reaction times, and definitely emotions.  Yes, it makes you depressed.  I found that the depression, especially after getting seriously drunk, lasted several days.

I stopped that kind of drinking for two reasons.  I scared myself badly driving one time.  Yeah, stupid, I know.  Don't worry, no one was hurt, no property or sheet metal damaged, no law enforcement involvement.  Nothing happened, but I realized it very well could have, and that was scary. 

And I realized that I just didn't enjoy it.  I drank like that only because it was expected of "guys" and I was trying to pretend that I was one.  While getting drunk might be fun, recovering, especially the depression, was not.  It just wasn't worth it.  So I stopped.

I still enjoy the odd glass of wine.  Just had a nice glass of Chardonnay a while ago, as a matter of fact.  But one is generally my limit, and two is my absolute limit.  It has been more than 35 years since I last had more than two drinks.  I have had one and a half or two drinks on maybe a dozen occasions since then.

I have not noticed any difference on HRT.