Do I have gender dysphoria because I'm depressed?

Or am I depressed because I have gender dysphoria?

Anyone else ever go round and round with that question?

Gender dysphoria is not caused by depression.  It is caused by a mismatch between the brain structures and the reproductive system.

So the possibilities are that your depression is caused by your gender dysphoria, or that they are unrelated.

Gender dysphoria is a very specific thing - so specific to the condition of being trans that for the vast majority of people it either never crosses their minds, or is never persistent to the point of seriously interfering with their lives. Other people would have less difficulty understanding us and our reasoning if GD was something most people felt at some point in their lives.

GD can make you depressed - in fact it almost certainly will if it's persistent and serious - but depression itself is usually either chemical or reactive. If it's chemical (i.e. clinical depression) there's no reason for it to spark GD. If it's reactive, it'd have to exist in response to something.

Quote from: Viktor on October 10, 2017, 02:45:45 PM
Gender dysphoria is a very specific thing - so specific to the condition of being trans that for the vast majority of people it either never crosses their minds, or is never persistent to the point of seriously interfering with their lives. Other people would have less difficulty understanding us and our reasoning if GD was something most people felt at some point in their lives.

GD can make you depressed - in fact it almost certainly will if it's persistent and serious - but depression itself is usually either chemical or reactive. If it's chemical (i.e. clinical depression) there's no reason for it to spark GD. If it's reactive, it'd have to exist in response to something.

I think my depression stems from my wife not accepting me.
She says things like "why did I do this to her?"
But I draw all my strength from her acceptance..it gives me a reason to cope with a crappy job etc..
So it's like a destructive circle..Making  her happy, makes me happy, but  also makes me sad