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Hi!

I am finding that my gender dysphoria comes and goes. Is there such a thing as "temporary dysphoria?"

Quote from: treeseeds on January 11, 2025, 09:33:32 PMHi!

I am finding that my gender dysphoria comes and goes. Is there such a thing as "temporary dysphoria?"

It's always there, just not always bothersome. Some days, I don't notice it, and other days, it really depresses me.

Quote from: treeseeds on January 11, 2025, 09:33:32 PMI am finding that my gender dysphoria comes and goes.

I've discussed this with my therapist a few times, and he always reminds me to reflect on what might trigger or alleviate my dysphoria. In the beginning, there were many things that triggered it, but understanding his advice has helped me manage it better over time.

Hi Treeseeds

Like Lori said it comes and goes and the same thing happened to me, to a certain extent. Not dysphoria though, just thoughts or doing things that I liked to do as Sarah.   

However, during the eighties the wanting and longing grew and finally in Feb 1989 I changed my life around.  If and I'm surmising that if I had not changed.  Then I could have ended up suffering from dysphoria.

Embrace the things you like to do and more than likely the dysphoria will subside.  Just like Lilis mentioned above.

Take care and all the best.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@treeseeds @Lori Dee @Lilis

Think of dysphoria as like frustration. Our gender is incongruent with our birth sex, so while we are experiencing things incongruent with our gender identity, our frustration builds, then when we are experiencing things affirming our gender identity, frustration fades. When we are sufficiently distracted, we aren't aware of the incongruence, so frustration doesn't increase.

So, at busy times we may not be aware of frustrations (dysphoria) but then we might do something which is triggering our frustration (dysphoria) and maybe then we might do something affirming which will reduce frustration. Our dysphoria rises and falls with how aware we are of triggering or affirming things, but it can be neutralised while we are distracted with other things.

Dysphoria need not be anything painful, it can be just an unidentified background feeling, sometimes called 'noise'. It can be just not being able to enjoy things fully, and anything up to debilitating feelings or urges. We learn to identify it by trial and error on what triggers it and what reduces it. Once you understand it, you can recognise what to avoid to minimise attacks, and what to do to reduce them.

hugs,

Allie

Quote from: Allie Jayne on January 12, 2025, 02:11:47 AMThink or dysphoria as like frustration.

I love this analogy and explanation, Allie. It gives such a clear mental picture.

Quote from: treeseeds on January 11, 2025, 09:33:32 PMHi!

I am finding that my gender dysphoria comes and goes. Is there such a thing as "temporary dysphoria?"

I was dealing very intense dysphoria at the end of the summer. I couldn't put one foot in front of the other that's how bad I felt. Then, it went completely away. Gone. However, it's come back in the last few days. I feel fortunate that's only just mildly annoying now.

It sounds as if your dysphoria has different levels, such as the temperature or the tides.
It is always there but does rise to an irritable level before falling to give you some relief.

I can understand through my own real life experience.


Hugs,

Chrissy

Quote from: Allie Jayne on January 12, 2025, 02:11:47 AMThink of dysphoria as like frustration. Our gender is incongruent with our birth sex, so while we are experiencing things incongruent with our gender identity, our frustration builds, then when we are experiencing things affirming our gender identity, frustration fades. When we are sufficiently distracted, we aren't aware of the incongruence, so frustration doesn't increase.

So, at busy times we may not be aware of frustrations (dysphoria) but then we might do something which is triggering our frustration (dysphoria) and maybe then we might do something affirming which will reduce frustration. Our dysphoria rises and falls with how aware we are of triggering or affirming things, but it can be neutralised while we are distracted with other things.

Dysphoria need not be anything painful, it can be just an unidentified background feeling, sometimes called 'noise'. It can be just not being able to enjoy things fully, and anything up to debilitating feelings or urges. We learn to identify it by trial and error on what triggers it and what reduces it. Once you understand it, you can recognise what to avoid to minimise attacks, and what to do to reduce them.

hugs,

Allie

I like this.

I tend to use a less... elegant analogy. For me it's like an abscess on a decayed tooth. Without treatment it flares up occasionally when the bacteria find an outlet. You look and feel disfigured. Like a monster.

Then after a few days it disappears seemingly without a trace. But it doesn't go away. It's lurking around inside. It moves to different aspects of life, rather than physical, but sometimes it flares up again and when it does, it's the only thing you can think about. To the point you want to claw your own skin off.

Transition is the root canal of the soul, lol.

Quote from: Sephirah on January 21, 2025, 02:11:53 PMTransition is the root canal of the soul, lol.

💕😅👍💕