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Any advice?

Started by Alyssa Rae, April 11, 2014, 12:31:31 AM

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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Alyssa Rae

I hope after giving some information, I can get a clearer idea of what I need to do.  I've been dealing with transgender feeling for what seems like my entire life.  The first recollection I have of these feelings was at age four.  They didn't stop either.  As a child, any occasion that came up that would allow me, no matter how vaguely, to act or dress like a girl, I jumped at.  I remember every time I did, I felt scared, but overjoyed at the same time.  Being a child, I didn't really understand the feelings at all, and never proclaimed to anyone how these moments made me feel.  As a teenager, the feelings continued to simmer.  I would put on women's clothes when I was home alone and scour the internet in search of answers.  In a short amount of time, I stumbled upon this website, as well as many others.  While doing so, there was always this fear of getting in trouble or getting caught.  I was always so scared, because I didn't want to hurt anyone if they found out.  One day I made the mistake of not deleting my browsing history and unbeknownst to me, was caught by my mother.  After she let it sink in, she confronted me in the car.  This leads to, what I believe, to be the worst mistake of my life.  Due to the anxiety and fear of being caught, I made an elaborate story up about how I was researching to help someone at school who felt that way.  Whether she believed it or not, I don't know, but she never brought it back up.  After that incident, I forced myself to try and bury the feelings and was overly cautious from there on out.  I managed to cope by engaging in activities I enjoyed to keep my mind occupied.  At age 19, I met an amazing woman (I was always attracted to women) and moved away from home.  For several years, the urges and feelings were, for the most part, subdued.  Roughly a year ago the feelings started to creep back in and even intensified.  Then, just about a month ago, I finally told a friend from work and just last week told my cousin.  I'm 24 now.  I'm still living with the same woman and her daughter.  The thing I fear the most is hurting anyone, if I were to come out and openly acknowledge this.  I'm also afraid that I've waited so long, that I've created more collateral damage than there should be.  We own everything jointly.  Aside from her, the majority of my family and presumably most of my friends wouldn't accept me.  Strangely enough, I've spent large portions of my life helping other people with their problems and keeping my own inside on the back burner.  It seems like now that I've finally told someone, that the urge to be a woman has increased (didn't even think that was possible).  It's all I think about when I'm alone.  Once I acknowledged it, my inner voice even changed, without me being consciously aware of it.  My thoughts speak in a female voice now, which was weird, yet comforting at the same time.  I guess what I need to know is, has anyone else experienced anything similar?  Am I really transgendered?   
Someday, the dream will end
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Jessica Merriman

First, A big warm welcome to the family here! :)

Second, your story is so much like mine and 90% of the others here. I can relate totally to all the feelings, confusion and guilt you talked about. I have felt female since age 8 and now after 40 years have passed began transition just last year. I got to what many here call the live or die moment. True Gender Dysphoria (which I think personally you have) will never go away, but become more intense every second of every day. I tried to bury mine in my career and still struggled every single day. It affected my health, mental processes and every facet of my life. The most important step I took was admitting to myself I was different and accepting it. The second thing was finding a Therapist with gender experience who started me on this wonderful journey. They are so invaluable to a successful transition! I lost a lot including a 16 year marriage and some friends, but what I have gotten in return greatly overshadows the losses. I am at peace completely for the first time in my life. Just know you will never be able to forget about it and over the years it will affect you greatly. I knew it was time to act when I started to ask the same things you are. Find a way to make peace with yourself and find a good Therapist to guide you on this journey.  :)

Please review

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Alyssa Rae

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on April 11, 2014, 12:42:27 AM
First, A big warm welcome to the family here! :)

Second, your story is so much like mine and 90% of the others here. I can relate totally to all the feelings, confusion and guilt you talked about. I have felt female since age 8 and now after 40 years have passed began transition just last year. I got to what many here call the live or die moment. True Gender Dysphoria (which I think personally you have) will never go away, but become more intense every second of every day. I tried to bury mine in my career and still struggled every single day. It affected my health, mental processes and every facet of my life. The most important step I took was admitting to myself I was different and accepting it. The second thing was finding a Therapist with gender experience who started me on this wonderful journey. They are so invaluable to a successful transition! I lost a lot including a 16 year marriage and some friends, but what I have gotten in return greatly overshadows the losses. I am at peace completely for the first time in my life. Just know you will never be able to forget about it and over the years it will affect you greatly. I knew it was time to act when I started to ask the same things you are. Find a way to make peace with yourself and find a good Therapist to guide you on this journey.  :)

Please review

Thanks for the welcome, and it's nice to know I'm not alone.  Part of me wishes I was though, as I know how excruciating this can be. 
Someday, the dream will end
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Jessica Merriman

Last I saw we had over 10,000 members here, so yeah, you are by no means alone. This just includes those who have found us as well. Think of all the people who feel this way and don't have a clue why they do. Boggles the mind, doesn't it?  :)
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Alyssa Rae

It's definitely wild to think.  It's also nice being able to feel comfortable while talking like this.  I wish everyone with these feelings could find their way here.  It's strange, but even knowing there are people that can empathize and really care, helps take the burden off. 
Someday, the dream will end
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Jessica Merriman

After you get 15 post's and can use the PM function contact me anytime. I will help however I can! :)
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Alyssa Rae

I'd also like to point out two other major insecurities I have.  A major one being the financial burden of transitioning (assuming it's right for me, but I can't see how it isn't), the other being that just like my dad and grandpa before me, I'm losing my hair.  I know it's vain, but that's another thing that's been causing me untold grief. :embarrassed:
Someday, the dream will end
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Kara Jayde

Welcome Alyssa! I'm 26 and only just discovered the truth about myself over the last month or so, after repressing it for the majority of my life. I am now facing the uphill battle or seeking therapy, hormones, and the willpower to open up to my family and friends about this, just as a start. I know how you feel, and just wanted to say we're all there for you ^_^ and one thing that I keep realizing the longer I'm here, is it's never too late to be yourself...

I have a slight receding hairline as well, and apparently HRT can help reverse that a little, but if you're losing a lot of hair, you may need to get hair implants.


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Jessica Merriman

HRT has been known to help some hair regrowth. As far as cost a lot of people stop at HRT and never get SRS. Sometimes HRT is enough to get GD under control. :)
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Alyssa Rae

A few more details about myself would be
I've always enjoyed many "stereotypical male" activities, such as video games, baseball, and professional wrestling.  The latter causing me to make another mistake, being that I have a shoulder tattoo like Randy Orton.  Also, despite most of my friends being gamers and the like, I built up an arrogant persona, though most could see through it.  I'm just not sure that it was normal.  I believe it was just another coping mechanism. 
As far as physical traits are concerned, height definitely isn't an issue for me.  I'm only 5'7, and while most guys hate being short, I was always secretly happy about it.  My posts are getting a little jumbled up now, but I think it's because I'm excited that I'm finally able to get these things off my chest!   :D
Someday, the dream will end
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Alyssa Rae

I'm just overjoyed I can finally talk to other girls that have dealt with this too.  I really appreciate your input.
Someday, the dream will end
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Evienne

Your story is very similar to me. I have felt the same way since little, except I am only 18 right now. I have always feared to tell anyone, especially my father, who is very religious. I know inside he will not accept me, but I know inside I am trapped. I have not been caught yet, despite continuous secret cross-dressing, but sometimes I wonder if I should. Then I would be more pushed to tell I guess. But about your situation with this girl. I do think that if you truly love her, and she loves you too, then telling her that shouldn't ruin your relationship. If it is true love, then she should be able to accept you still. And even if you told her, and it would sadly ruin the relationship, there are still many others out in this world, and those who will love you for who you are inside. That's what I think at least.
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Ticking Time bomb: 533 days
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Sincerely Tegan

Gosh Aly,

You might as well be telling my story. I can relate to so much that you're talking about- the sneaking around, the burying of emotions, the fear of getting caught, the resurgence of dysphoric feelings after marriage. That's all me. And I can ABSOLUTELY relate to the whole 'living for others, putting your own issues on the back-burner' thing. I think that's a lot of us, quite frankly.

Well, you're not alone anymore. PM if you'd like to chat. Like I say, I can very specifically relate to what you're going through.

Sleep well,
Tegan
"You get what anyone gets. You get a lifetime."
-Death, Neil Gaiman's Sandman
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Ms Grace

Hi!

Quote from: AlyssaRae89 on April 11, 2014, 01:17:41 AM
I'd also like to point out two other major insecurities I have.  A major one being the financial burden of transitioning (assuming it's right for me, but I can't see how it isn't), the other being that just like my dad and grandpa before me, I'm losing my hair.  I know it's vain, but that's another thing that's been causing me untold grief. :embarrassed:

Sadly it is an expensive process. If you can get yourself some solid employment it will help no end, easier said than done I know.

As for the hair, talk to a doctor about Finasteride it helps in many cases to slow hair loss. Minoxodil is a lotion for the scalp and can help to restore hair over several months (depending on how far it is gone to begin with). 
Grace
----------------------------------------------
Transition 1.0 (Julie): HRT 1989-91
Self-denial: 1991-2013
Transition 2.0 (Grace): HRT June 24 2013
Full-time: March 24, 2014 :D
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Alyssa Rae

Thank you everyone for all the support and positivity.  Once I am able to, I'd love to pm all if you and talk more in depth.  It's strange.  I've only been here for a few days, but I can already tell this is a group of some of the most wonderful people to walk this earth.  I'm so thankful. :)
Someday, the dream will end
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