2 Big Reasons Why Transition is Not a Magic Pill!
I find it interesting to watch individuals contemplate starting gender transition. This is primarily due to the expectations people have about what gender transition will do to their lives.
Some, have realistic expectations and seem to have spend quite a bit of time evaluating what transition is and isn’t.
While others, express unrealistic expectations often seen as wishful thinking.
It is my job to help you realistically appraise what transition is, what it is not, and how it may unfold in your life given your:
current psychological state of mind
your inner resourcefulness to tackle challenges
developmental history
current age and health status
support system or lack of
access to financial resources
and other factors that influence the roadmap of your transition path
But even with realistic appraisal, many continue to feel and believe that gender transition is akin to a magic pill.
This is especially often seen in young adults. Who after spending a few hours listening to someones euphoric narrative of their amazing transition on YouTube, eagerly anticipate exact the same results.
Sometimes I even see this in older adults. Exhausted of living their lives with gender dysphoria they desperately hope transition is that magical pill they have been searching for.
Truth is gender transition is anything but a magic pill. It is a process.
Often arduous and long. Painful and uncertain.
As it slowly brings you closer to who you truly are. Liberating parts of yourself you never knew were captive. Till you start feeling the freedom of joy and happiness.
Here are 2 big reasons why transition is not a magic pill.
#1 GENDER TRANSITION TAKES TIME
Gender transition does not happen overnight.
Nor does it happen within a few months.
Thats because transition is a process. Both external and internal. And that takes time.
And believe me, time is your best friend as you need it to help your mind digest, process, and integrate changes that are taking place.
It also takes time for your body to partially or fully feminize or masculinize depending on your goals.
This is especially important for trans women who want to get breast augmentation. Because you need to allow time to ensure the optimum breast growth which will enable you to have extra skin to stretch around breast implants. Resulting in a more natural breast appearance.
Taking your time with gender transition helps you adjust psychologically to the ups and downs of hormone levels, especially when they drop or reach their peak.
Not rushing through gender transition helps you recognize that transition in many ways is a lifelong quest. As you wrap up issues related to gender dysphoria, often issues of social dysphoria come up.
This recognition prepares you psychologically for realistic expectations ahead and helps you confront potential challenges in responsive vs reactive matter.
#2 GENDER TRANSITION WON’T SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS
OK! While going through gender transition will alleviate and in some people, get rid of gender dysphoria all together, it wont fix problems you had prior to starting transition.
If you had financial problems, chances are they will follow you into transition and if you don’t start managing your finances, will actually add more problems to an already existent financial dilemma.
Problems at work won’t go away with transition, especially if you already don’t like what you do for a living.
Relationship issues such as martial problems will still be there.
And while coming out to your partner can shed a light on a lot things and ultimately can help you have a stronger relationship (depending on the state of potential erosion) it won’t solve all of your problems.
If you maintained unhealthy lifestyle, it will still be there once you start transition.
Sure you may feel more motivated to improve your lifestyle once you start transition, but it won't magically go away on its own.
Can you see now how transition is anything but a magic pill?
What transition really is, is a medical treatment with the help of psychotherapy to help you to:
alleviate or get rid of gender dysphoria
physically modify your secondary sex characteristics to match your true gender
psychologically help you accept and embrace who you are
and help you start living your life as yourself
Undergoing gender transition will liberate your mind and will help you better confront and deal with problems you have had prior to transition.
Most importantly it will help you feel more attuned to who you truly are. Leading to a more insightful and connected way of living.