Behavioral Health?

[LeAnnL]

Is CD a health issue or is it just a behavior? Does being CD cause a split personality disorder? If CD is not a behavioral health issue why would it be a topic for therapy? Hasn’t Homosexuality been removed from the list of personality disorders? If so why is the more common behavior of CD still being considered a topic for therapy? My understanding is that a practice that hurts no one else but is pleasurable to the participant should be considered normal. Then the only issue is acceptance of self and sensitivity to the feelings of others. Comments of CDs SOs and GGs welcome.

[DonnaT]

Is CD a health issue or is it just a behavior? Does being CD cause a split personality disorder? If CD is not a behavioral health issue why would it be a topic for therapy? Hasn’t Homosexuality been removed from the list of personality disorders? If so why is the more common behavior of CD still being considered a topic for therapy? My understanding is that a practice that hurts no one else but is pleasurable to the participant should be considered normal. Then the only issue is acceptance of self and sensitivity to the feelings of others. Comments of CDs SOs and GGs welcome.

It's not a health issue. Instead it is listed as a psychological issue by the American Psychiatric Association' s DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), from which homosexuality was removed.

There's not a consensus of trans and non-trans individuals/professionals with respect to CDing, or any other trans characteristic, being removed from the DSM.

[CJ]

Hi all,

LeAnn,

Crossdressing made the list of (mental) health issues because psychological distress often accompanies the behaviour (as was the case with homosexuality); guilt, remorse, shame, depression, unmanageable anger, suicidal tendencies, etc. Homosexuality was removed from the list of "mental disorders" in the 1970s because the medical (psychiatric) community finally recognized or acknowledged that much of that personal distress was caused by the intolerant reactions and attitudes of other members of society rather than by the behaviour itself. With the incipient release of the new version of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistic Manual (DSM, version 5), people who are transgendered or who exhibit non-traditional gender behaviours are fighting a similar fight, i.e., to have the psychiatric community realize that much of our distress is due not to our wearing of women's clothes per se but to the negative reactions of those around us when we do so.
Gender dysphoria, crossdressing, transsexualism, and other assorted transgender behaviours are, in and of themselves, quite harmless and have nothing whatsoever to do with so-called "split personality" disorders (disassociative disorders). Contrary to those unfortunate people suffering from some form of disassociative disorder, most of us who have a (here, female) alter ego are only too well aware of "her" presence and of "her" influence in and upon our lives. If and when we seek therapy in regards to our transgender behaviours and compulsions, we usually do so in order to find ways to better cope with our distress, not usually in order to "cure" ourselves of anything. With this in mind, we could say that our "rigid-roled" society could benefit from a good dose of "tolerance therapy" itself.

There are many threads on the forum that deal with psychiatric and medical attitudes towards gender dysphoria. Just enter "DSM" as a search term on the forum's Search page to read a few of those threads and posts.

Hope this helps.

Love,
CJ

[Amelie-Laveau]

If and when we seek therapy in regards to our transgender behaviours and compulsions, we usually do so in order to find ways to better cope with our distress, not usually in order to "cure" ourselves of anything.


This is the same way people with DID are treated. They don't find a cure for themselves, they try to live with the disorder the best way they can,, I have DID. The Psychiatric people could write a book about me,,,,lol

[LeAnnL]

this will lock soon. thanks all lookers and voters. right now this chat is my only therapy. had a great weekend. thanks to all chatters. oh by the way i am no godess