So I've never really been an anxious person but I feel like the past month I've had some small..."bursts" of anxiety. I wouldn't call it anxiety attacks since I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near clinical anxiety but I've noticed that in some situations my heart starts racing, the thoughts get stronger, I get in a bad mood (either sad or upset) and it's almost like I want to get out of there. This has been happening more since I started therapy so in my mind it's like a chicken-egg what came first question. Am I getting more anxious because I started therapy and therefore I'm digging deep on my transgender feelings so if I stop digging it'll go away OR is anxiety a normal part of the dysphoria that is only happening now since the dysphoria gets worse within time and therefore the therapy can actually help me control it? Thoughts?

To be expected. Dysphoria will do a lot of horrible stuff like anxiety, and you are just scratching the surface. In therrapy you will have to face a lot of feelings. Tho, at the end of the road a brand new car await to ride you life with <3

One of these days soon you are going to make an enormous life altering decision and day by day you are coming closer to it. Anxiety? You wouldn't be human if you were totally relaxed about this. The most difficult thing for me was stepping out the door as Dena for the first time. Add to that the years of baggage you have accumulated which increases what you feel even more. Dysphoria will get better when you have the right combination of HRT and your new life however you define it. This is the reason I say I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

Sometimes our subconscious tries to defend the status quo with anxiety. As said above, it's to be expected when you're making progress. Deep down, your mind wants to go back to what it had before. With your persistence and therapy, this will subside.

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Quote from: RandyL on April 15, 2017, 10:22:21 PM
Sometimes our subconscious tries to defend the status quo with anxiety. As said above, it's to be expected when you're making progress. Deep down, your mind wants to go back to what it had before. With your persistence and therapy, this will subside.

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OMG Randy this was me for the longest time!!! you took the words right out of my own experinces.... teach me to be as bright as you ok !!!

Haha, I learned it all from my wife, a Licensed Professional Counselor. She can't counsel me, but she gives us a head start in working through our own issues. Or my issues anyway

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Quote from: RandyL on April 15, 2017, 10:22:21 PM
Sometimes our subconscious tries to defend the status quo with anxiety. As said above, it's to be expected when you're making progress. Deep down, your mind wants to go back to what it had before. With your persistence and therapy, this will subside.

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This would explain something to me.

I've had a few of the "bursts" or mini attacks that Charlie Nicki described.  They didn't start until after I started HRT and seem accompany a down mood swing.  Don't last too long and don't get anywhere near an actual panic attack but sure feels like one could be starting.





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Thanks everyone for your input! It's really helpful.

This is totally natural.  Transition is a metamorphosis, a rebirth.  And birth is always painful.