So if you've read my prior posts, you will know that I have tried every possible therapy technique to rid myself of my gender issues so that I could remain content as a man and not have to transition. This includes hyper-masculinization strategies like bodybuilding, combat sports, dating, and testosterone replacement therapy. Obviously none of those things worked, because of course there is no way to "cure" gender dysphoria. I'm not implying that gender disorders are something that need a cure, but I personally wanted a cure.

So then I matured enough to realize that I am going to have these thoughts for the rest of my life. That being said, today I brought up to my psychiatrist that perhaps these thoughts could be related to obsessive compulsive thoughts. He said that he did not know if they were the cause or not, but they could certainly be making things worse for myself. So I suggested we tried medicine for OCD such as paxil and we are going to begin within the next couple of weeks.

So my question is to you all....does anyone have any experience with treating gender dysphoria with OCD medication? Please keep an open mind that HRT or other treatments are not for everybody and that there may be alternatives more suitable to the individual needs of others.

there isn't a known cure for gender incongruence that isn't caused by something like disassociate identity disorder or schizophrenia.
psychotropic medication might manage anxiety but not treat the underlying and otherwise normal, desire to self express.

Well.....  As flan said you aren't going to cure GID with it but it may help your set of symptoms.

I take Paxil for anxiety and depression and can say while it is a great antidepressant and worked great for my anxiety, it dd NOTHING for my GID.

Perhaps you'd get a better response if you asked more generally if people thought it would help YOU and your symptoms than to say GID.

It could even be offensive to some because it could imply that this was just a bad habit one needed to break.

I'm just starting on this road myself and I had a dissociative disorder (caused by the stress of autism + being abused at school + GID) and even now, when my autism has become manageable and my dissociative disorder has been resolved, I still have GID.

In many ways it's worse now then before because during my dissociative state there was no coherent "I" that needed to get to deal with being transgender. Naturally I can't be sure, but I it would not surprise me that every time I started to come out of my dissociative state it might have been having to deal with GID that pushed me back into disassociation?

So I don't think there is anyway to cure or fix GID? Our gender identity is an inherent part of our soul; Or in technical terms: It's part of our incorruptible core program. Our gender identity is part of that which makes us who we are as unique individuals.

It will no doubt be a difficult process but perhaps you could find some other way to express your femininity; Some activity that was acceptable to you in your context?

QuoteIn psychology, sublimation is a mature type of defence mechanism where socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are consciously transformed into socially acceptable actions or behaviour, possibly converting the initial impulse in the long term.

I don't know why but taking care of my elderly parents seem to help, it removes the sharp edges of my GID?

hope you don't mind me posting here.  in my late teens i was diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression; i've taken a whole bunch of different medication and none of it had any affect on my gender identity.  it's only been since i've fully come to terms with it and accepted myself that my mental health has done a 180.  i don't have a high opinion of medication.  i'm aware that it's necessary in some cases and can help blanket symptoms one can't deal with, but it only masks these symptoms and doesn't address the underlying cause.  since GID isn't a mental health disorder, i anticipate that taking meds won't have much effect in ridding you of these feelings.

Quote from: Artemis on February 23, 2012, 08:45:30 AM
I don't know why but taking care of my elderly parents seem to help, it removes the sharp edges of my GID?

Is that because you were able to express a caregiving/nurturing aspect of your true self that wouldn't be acceptable otherwise?

I've been on anti-depressants for a little while, we'll see if I still need them when I'm further along in my transition.

Quote from: Jeneva on February 23, 2012, 09:08:24 AM
Is that because you were able to express a caregiving/nurturing aspect of your true self that wouldn't be acceptable otherwise?

I don't know if it would not be acceptable.... but it sure is considered uncommon and usually not seen as something to be proud of.

I recently said to one of my therapist that giving everything, this sure is the best that could have happend to my parents? I have become the ideal caregiver, The ideal blend of male and female: Tall, strong, patient, gentle, humble, and caregiving. Such are some of the joys of being intersex/transgender

Quote from: schism on February 23, 2012, 08:54:52 AM
hope you don't mind me posting here.  in my late teens i was diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression; i've taken a whole bunch of different medication and none of it had any affect on my gender identity.  it's only been since i've fully come to terms with it and accepted myself that my mental health has done a 180.  i don't have a high opinion of medication.  i'm aware that it's necessary in some cases and can help blanket symptoms one can't deal with, but it only masks these symptoms and doesn't address the underlying cause.  since GID isn't a mental health disorder, i anticipate that taking meds won't have much effect in ridding you of these feelings.

Sorry if my OP came across that way, but I am NOT trying to imply that gender dysphoria is just an OCD or a mental illness that you can cure. What I'm saying is that perhaps an obsessive compulsive disorder could be exasperating an already precarious situation.

My thoughts are that maybe OCD medication can make my gender dysphoria manageable so that I don't think about it all day long like I currently do.

I think it's worth a shot and I want to go to sleep at night knowing that I tried everything in my power to make things work as a man.

BTW, you look very handsome in your avatar, model-esque really.

I'm simply going to cut and paste my response from the other forum you made the same post in:

From a pharmacological perspective, I can't see it really helping - although you may get some placebo effects.. Not to mention side effects..

Find yourself a competent gender therapist, someone who knows what they are dealing with..

Quote from: kelly_aus on February 23, 2012, 05:59:45 PM
I'm simply going to cut and paste my response from the other forum you made the same post in:

From a pharmacological perspective, I can't see it really helping - although you may get some placebo effects.. Not to mention side effects..

Find yourself a competent gender therapist, someone who knows what they are dealing with..

Ah, the other forum. It's hilarious that I got banned from posting there. Apparently asking about alternatives to transitioning/HRT is "trolling." What a joke. Transitioning is not for everybody and I only want to pursue it as a last option.

Those are valid points. I'm currently searching online and saving up for a gender therapist.

Well I have OCD and I feel my GID is caught in a loop and it amplifies GID.  No meds have helped and I have moved to midpoint of genders without solution.

I still feel there is a solution that blends but it has eluded me.

Quote from: jdinatale on February 23, 2012, 06:16:01 PM
Ah, the other forum. It's hilarious that I got banned from posting there. Apparently asking about alternatives to transitioning/HRT is "trolling." What a joke. Transitioning is not for everybody and I only want to pursue it as a last option.

Those are valid points. I'm currently searching online and saving up for a gender therapist.

It's the last option for most of us.. But there's a reason we do it.. Over the years i tried a multitude of drugs, both prescribed and recreational, none did a damn thing - except make me to numb and too detached to care or function as a human, regardless of gender..

I'm not all that surprised you were banned, and being honest, I'm still not entirely convinced you are not a troll. It's been suggested on many occasions that you seek out a proper gender therapist, but you seem to have persisted in seeing what I would consider sub-par therapists, who clearly do not have the experience required to help you with your issues..

QuoteIt's the last option for most of us.. But there's a reason we do it.. Over the years i tried a multitude of drugs, both prescribed and recreational, none did a damn thing - except make me to numb and too detached to care or function as a human, regardless of gender..

+1

Quote from: jdinatale on February 23, 2012, 05:50:01 PM

My thoughts are that maybe OCD medication can make my gender dysphoria manageable so that I don't think about it all day long like I currently do.

I think it's worth a shot and I want to go to sleep at night knowing that I tried everything in my power to make things work as a man.

First many of drugs doctors gave to me "zombitized" me.  Some made me feel awful.  Addictive ones worked and doctors took me off them.  Being active and exercising helps.  I think some meds help but most of time doctors over medicate

Second in study of MTF's in Europe found 10% were mildly autistic.  Surgeons, engineers,  systems analysts and many other professions can have people that are highly functional and autistic.  Appears left handedness, mild autism and GID are linked in MTF's. 

Third no one can make you accept yourself.  You must accept yourself.  When you are ready you will do what you think is best for you. 

Fourth 90% of MTF TG's never fully transition and that makes sense.  If you are autistic before transition you will be autistic after transition.  If you have OCD (frequently a marker of autism) before transition then you will have OCD after transition.

Fifth transitioning brings on a whole new set of problems such as facing ridicule and rejection in society.

I think that intersex, GID, Autism, and everything related are developmental disorders (I hate the term disorder)? For some unknown reason, likely just chance, causes some uncommon. unusual, event to happen during our initial development and this sets in motion a whole sequence of consequences so that we end up the way we are.

Quote from: Artemis on February 24, 2012, 09:53:36 AM
I think that intersex, GID, Autism, and everything related are developmental disorders (I hate the term disorder)? For some unknown reason, likely just chance, causes some uncommon. unusual, event to happen during our initial development and this sets in motion a whole sequence of consequences so that we end up the way we are.

Intersex makes total sense.  In fact a number of years ago a couple of baby boys were cauterized and in error penis was burnt off.  Doctors told parents it would make sense to raise these boys as girls.  One "girl" told her dad at 13 that she hated having breasts, preferred to be with girls, and was a male.  She expected her dad to scream but in fact he told her what had happened and she became a boy and was happy.  Doctors have a 50% success rate when choosing gender of intersex baby.
.............

But I do believe one day our feelings will make sense to us and rest of world.  Also xy is far more unstable than xx.  We will continue to see an increase in TG folks.  Markers will be uncovered that actually can help people understand themselves and improve their lives.

a famous case, often quoted - by the time the kid understood what had happened, was too messed up mentally to ever cope and eventually committed suicide  (IIRC)

I also took Paxil for a brief time, and it didn't help me.

And as an aside, I can see that you're obviously going through hell with all of this...I'm really sorry for that. I hope that whichever path you take you manage to find peace. *hug*

Respectfully we all have our own fight with GID and I will not say your doing any thing wrong. I would explore as many avenue's for treatment as possible to make yourself comfortable and happy, in the end we all have to live with our choices.

I have been through the over masculine game, the 1 million hobbies game, the lets have sex every night game, and allot of denial and self doubt.

I haven't walked in your exact shoes, but have a similar pair

Hugs -