Why You Want to Pay Attention to Dysphoric Thoughts in the Back of Your Head!
Dr. Z discusses things that may start arising in the back of your mind and why it's important to pay attention. This is especially relevant for individuals who continue to hope and think that behaviors they engage in—maybe feminizing, masculinizing, or crossdressing—have nothing to do with transgender identity or gender dysphoria.
It's very common for adults, especially older adults, when starting to engage in any kind of gender bending behavior (for sexual pleasure, peace of mind, or just enjoyment) to then hope it stays that way because adults know that struggling with gender dysphoria is not fun and that alleviating dysphoria for many involves elements of gender transition, which can be challenging and difficult.
The critical distinction: some people spend all their life enjoying this behavior because it's tied to another element and nothing more—for many, that element is sexual arousal. However, it comes a moment for some individuals where in the back of their mind they start having thoughts such as: "I enjoy this sexually, but now I'm starting to think what would it be like to live life as a woman/man? What if I woke up already fully presenting this way?"
When thoughts are no longer just about behavior but about living life in a particular gender, it's important to pay attention—they're telling you something.
