- Date posted
- 5y
- Date posted
- 5y
I’ve had this theme for awhile now. This is one of my favorite articles on it: https://medium.com/@jemima.s/tocd-why-we-re-seeing-transgender-themes-in-cases-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-bf4b869a3817
- Date posted
- 5y
Thank you. I agree that I ruminate a lot on being trans. The thing is I was born male and have gendered issies since i was a child. I started presenting more as a woman (even though I didn't necessarily identified as one) in high school and felt amazing; it was the first time infelt like i had a voice of my own. Presenting as a man gives me intense fear. Now since I decided to transition, I'm struggling to identify with a trans identity, which has led to an ocd attack. Im so confused
- Date posted
- 5y
What erp could I do?
- Date posted
- 5y
I see! Well this theme can go more than one way. People who aren’t OCD can fear they might be trans. Trans people can fear they might be cis or simply not trans “enough.” Do you have access to an OCD specialist? Having a professional help set up a proper ERP hierarchy would be best.
- Date posted
- 5y
I don't :(.... A lot of this occured when I decided that I wanted to medically transition. I know I dont like my male body, or what it means to be a "guy." Ive always wanted to appear more as a woman. Like I said, when I started presenting, I felt like I had a voice of my own. My ocd flare up started when I noticed male pattern baldness, and it freaked me out. I would take like 5 pictures a day. This sounds more like BDD, but my fear associated with itnis that ill go back to looking more like a man. Its sucks because I'm uncertain if I fit a trans identity, or would be comfotable with it, but at the same time, I'm uncomfortable with male presentation and my male body. The best relationship ive ever had with my body was a couple of years ago when I lost a lot of weight and feminized my body through exercise. I was happy for once with feminine appearance. Im stuck in an uncertain limbo space right now that has caused me to have harm ocd, schizophrenic ocd, health ocd, and I guess trans ocd
- Date posted
- 5y
I started seeing an OCD Specialist about a month ago. We just set up my hierarchy, so I’m a bit new to this still. She simply had be reflect on all of things that trigger me: situations, objects, clothing, places, people, topics, words, etc and then list them out. I have a ton of avoidance behaviors especially so I made sure to list everything I’m avoiding because of anxiety. I also came up with some scripts ideas (scenarios I often imagine happening and fear but that we can’t physically play out in real life, like transitioning, for the purposes of ERP.) Then I sat down and ranked how much anxiety each would cause me if I faced it from 1-10. This week, she gave me two exposures to do, both are 3s. I’m supposed to track and log my anxiety to them over the week and we’ll review it in our next session. Perhaps you can start like this? Sit down and write out your triggers (it’s okay if there are a ton.) It certainly sounds to me like the issue isn’t the question of whether feminizing yourself is right or makes you happy (it obviously does!) but how the label of “woman” or “trans” makes you feel. I can relate! When I’m not focused on labels I’m far less anxious, but when I start labeling I also start feeling suffocated, like I’m being put into a box that’s simply too small for me. I’m terrified that I’m not “actually” a woman because I see so many ways in which I feel/act non-womanly when I start defining that label rigidly. Black-and-white thinking and all-or-nothing thinking are common cognitive distortions that contribute to this. One common exposure I know of is simply to write the words or labels you fear on post it’s and carry them around with you (like in your wallet or purse.) Write “trans” and carry it around for the week. When you remember it’s there and you get anxious, try to resist doing any compulsions (including mental ones like mental checking, or trying to “figure out” your OCD or theme.) log how anxious it makes you feel each time and track it.
- Date posted
- 5y
Also, if “trans” as a label doesn’t fit you, you don’t have to use it. And you can still medically transition anyways. There are plenty of other labels out there (non-binary, agender, demi girl, etc) but honestly, the label isn’t that important. What’s important is being happy with who you are and pursuing whatever clothing, lifestyle, or medical interventions that make you feel most you.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 23w
I am a man from the Netherlands and I am in my early 40s. When I was 36 years old I became diagnosed with ADHD. At that period of my life I already have had treatment for borderline personality disorder. I might have an impulsive nature due to my ADHD, though unlike many people with BPD I don't act impulsively but I am hindered in my life by indecision and perfectionism. It wouldn't surprise me if I turn out to have OCD. Thanks to a blog from NOCD in which transgender OCD was described it became more clear to me my doubts and anxiety of possibly being a transgender + a coward because of remaining in denial for that, is more likely the cause of OCD. I noticed as well I made progress during the years, because of course it didn't take my doubts away, however I was able to believe dealing with uncertainty probably contributes more to my well-being than finding the answer of my doubts. This specific type of OCD keeps coming back, because it is a fact that I as a homosexual man am very insecure about my masculinity. I had experienced an unsafe childhood with emotional neglect from a mother with autism and also emotional abuse from a father with definitely traits of a narcissistic personality disorder. As an only child who also turns out to have ADHD I felt chronically lonely and grew up with the belief I was a complete failure: not only my actions were wrong, but also my thoughts and emotions. At school I was an outcast. I felt unsafe everywhere. I often escaped into daydreaming and fantasies, because for me it was the only way to bare the reality. As a child I was introvert, anxious and feminine. That's why I developed a feminine alter ego of myself in which I could escape in my fantasies. However I didn't develop an identity align with my biological sexe. When I hit puberty I became worried about it. I was convinced I eventually have to come out of the closet as a transvestite or transgender. I really didn't want that; I wanted to have a stable self-identity align with my biological sexe instead of regularly pretending to be a woman, because I am not a woman. However as you all know very well the suffering is about not having control over yourself. When I was 17 I decided to look for a psychologist, because I definitely didn't want to waste precious years of my life. I assumed a psychologist can help me, because I definitely am not the only homosexual man struggling with his masculinity and sexual orientation. I felt so much ashamed of myself I repeatedly held myself back explaining my problems, though I forced myself to speak up my mind; after all he can't help me if he doesn't know what it's all about. I was very disappointed he replied with "What are you complaining about? Count yourself lucky you live in the Netherlands where you can be yourself." He was bringing up my perfectionism: in my perception he did so because he refused to admit he couldn't help me, so by bringing up something else he still was able to profit about my suffering. Looking back to it now I can understand why he responded like that. Still I think it's disrespectful, because I feel treated in such a way like a disobedient dog that has to learn to obey. I have had a lot of therapists and they regularly responded similarly. What I find striking is that my perfectionism and worrying is one of the first things they notice, but it doesn't occur to them that I may have OCD. I have now signed up for another treatment and at the intake I indicated that I suspect OCD in myself and am open to following exposure therapy, but so far they just don't seem to take it seriously. Over the years, my fears have become less strong. By that I mean that it no longer leads to panic attacks and street fear. The more confident I feel, the more comfortable I feel with my masculinity. But when I feel less good about myself, I get doubts again and especially shame and guilt. It makes me hesitate going to the gym (in the past the gym was too much confrontational) and I cannot at myself in the mirror. I am quite sure my so-called borderline personality disorder at least partly refers to complex PTSD. Actually I don't care anymore which name is assigned to my problems. I just want to be helped. I understand bringing up fears like "Am I transgender or not?" doesn't help me. However it doesn't help me either if they refuse to respond to me. Then I feel like it's some kind of test to observe if I am able to figure it out on my own, and if not then I cannot get better.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 17w
This obsession is new, but feels so much more grounded and it’s so anxiety inducing. Since the ocd started I’ve lost my sense of self and confidence. I got soocd and it slowly turned into be doubting my identity on whether I want to identify or dress masculine or feminine. I don’t feel good in the clothes I would typically wear out before I’m constantly overanalyzing how I’m feeling , it makes me really anxious and like I’m preforming. So then I started doubting if I would rather dress masculine and it’s extremely anxiety inducing and idk if it’s the ocd now but it feels like that’s how I want to dress.. that’s not what I associated with at all before the ocd but now it feels like that’s what would make me feel fully confident and loose in the world, does anyone else experience this??
- Date posted
- 12w
2 nights ago I saw something on my phone and it has now spiraled into me scared of being trans or being gay because i don’t want to be… now i have a huge fear of what if i am gay and am attracted to woman or what if im not comfortable in my body and want to turn into a man. It’s freaking me out - my ocd always makes me question my character! Has anyone experienced this 😩
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