Actually I think Helen Boyd put it nicely. "Not must in as eating or breathing, but more like in bathing, sleeping well and getting enough exercise. Crossdressing is not necessary to a person's survival, but it does seem to be necessary to his well-being." Or you might say it's the difference between existing and living.Virginia wrote:Does that not lend to a comparison of basic human needs, food, clothing, shelter or the "fight or flight" scenerio?
Well like many other things I assume the level of desire is a spectrum. We all know folks would dress every day if they could (or at least they say they would), and others who only feel the need to dress every couple of months. So it's reasonable to assume there are some who merely fantasize about doing it, but have no interest in actually doing it; those who desire to dress but who may not have done so for whatever reason but would if they could; and those of us who actually do it.Virginia wrote:The desire is there, it would appear to be ingrained but it is up to the individual to act upon it...
Perhaps the 'desire/need" is just stronger in some than others??????
Which is one reason I think it's a combination of biological (for some), psychological and social factors that have to be sufficient to achieve critical mass, as it were, to start dressing.
Likewise, with the issue of going out, for some people fantasizing is enough to satisfy them (which is fine), some desire to do so, and some actually get out and do it. To do it, does require a tolerance for risk-taking -- and often there is an adrenaline rush the first times out (or other times when you pushing boundaries, such as going to a new area). I don't think we do it for the rush, but it's a definite side-effect.