Effects of HRT MTF: 4 Emotional and Psychological Implications
This article will delve into the psychological and emotional effects of HRT. As a quick recap, HRT is hormone replacement therapy, which many transgender people undergo during transitioning.
For transwomen, this typically includes the use of testosterone blockers and estrogen pills, which gradually lead to more feminine attributes. Without further ado, let us look at how HRT impacts an individual psychologically and emotionally.
While many effects are widely talked about online and are conveyed by the doctors, there are other changes that you might not be aware of.
However, please note that this experience is different for each transitioning person and should not be taken as a general rule. But some psychological and emotional changes are common for every transitioning person.
1.) Psychological Effects
It is important to note that while physical changes take some time, psychological changes begin to emerge within a few weeks of HRT.
2.) Sexual Drive
Many transitioning women have reported that their sexual drive has seen a significant dip once they began HRT.
This could be attributed to the gender dysphoria that one already experiences and the effects of the hormones as well.
Eventually, the drive does come back. Many people have reported that after they underwent bottom surgery, everything was back to normal. Your perception about your sexuality might also vary.
For instance, some women identified as bisexual prior to HRT, but after beginning HRT, began to identify as gay.
3.) Emotional range
As HRT essentially manipulates your hormones, you can expect to witness a greater emotional range. Mood swings are widely reported by people undergoing transitioning.
While mood swings might not fade away with time, you will over time be able to regulate them better.
Moreover, transitioning women reported heightened sense of emotions- when they were happy, they were the happiest; and this applied for low moods too. You might begin to feel more connected to your emotions.
4.) Self-confidence
Many transitioning women have reported that prior to HRT, their self-confidence was practically non-existent.
However, since HRT comes with a host of physical changes to align them with your identity, it typically results in increased self-confidence among most women.
Get ready to feel more confident in your own skin and your identity. It is also common to witness a significant dip in gender dysphoria once you begin HRT.
The reason for that is your body is finally in line with your identity and your social circle might also begin to perceive you as a woman. This would undoubtedly have a positive impact on your self-confidence.
In essence, HRT has several psychological and emotional impacts, not only because of the changing physical attributes, but also because of the way in which you begin to perceive yourself.
Finally being perceived socially as the gender that you have always identified with can also be relieving. HRT is a great option to mitigate the dissonance that you have always felt due to your gender dysphoria.
While the initial mood swings can be slightly overwhelming to some, the few months of discomfort is worth feeling like yourself and enjoying a deeper connection with your mind, emotions, and your body.
We hope this article has helped you understand what HRT will bring forth and brought you closer to a decision. Good luck!!
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