MtF Estrogen and Mood Swings

Starting hormone replacement therapy with estrogen marks the beginning of a second puberty. It's an exciting yet challenging transition, as estrogen causes both mental and physical changes.

One of the most common effects of estrogen is increased emotional volatility, or mood swings. The highs are higher and the lows feel lower. Navigating intense new emotions can feel like being on a rollercoaster.

This article explores MTF Estrogen and Mood swings: how to stabilize mood and find balance during estrogen hormone therapy. We'll discuss strategies including controlling emotional highs, sitting with lows, and drawing on inner reserves of self-love.

With time and practice, transgender women can develop resilience to ride out hormonal mood swings.

The Rollercoaster of Hormone Therapy

When transgender women start estrogen hormone therapy, they often experience significant mood swings. The addition of estrogen causes changes in brain chemistry that can heighten emotions. Isolation and stress likely exacerbate these effects.

Mood swings during hormone therapy can feel like being on an emotional rollercoaster with steep ups and downs. Developing techniques to stabilize mood can help transgender women better manage these hormonal shifts.

Controlling the Highs

It may seem counterintuitive, but making an effort to control emotional highs can actually build skills for coping with lows. Think of emotions as a sine wave, with equal and opposite peaks and valleys.

When feeling euphoric, happy, or experiencing gender euphoria, gently work to manage and regulate the high rather than riding it to the peak.

Imagine yourself as the observer, watching your emotions rise like a rollercoaster. Mentally walk yourself up each step rather than zooming straight upward.

This practice of controlling emotional highs can strengthen abilities to navigate lows. Managing upward steps teaches how to carefully descend as well.

Sitting with the Lows

When mood swings downward into a low, accept the emotion rather than desperately try to push it away. Acknowledging feelings takes less energy than avoiding them. Affirm that the low mood is present without letting it derail productivity or well-being.

Continue engaging in meaningful activities while compassionately making space for difficult emotions.

The inner child often speaks up during periods of low mood. Give that part of yourself attention and love. Hugging oneself literally or figuratively can provide comfort. The inner child needs care when feeling emotionally depleted.

Loving Yourself

Remember that love can come from within. Self-love is a valid and healing act, despite dominant cultural notions that love must originate externally. With practice, deep self-love becomes more accessible.

Bridging the gap to self-love involves accepting one's own ability to provide it. True self-partnership acknowledges that internal sources of love matter as much as external ones.

Making this cognitive shift opens the door to managing mood swings with greater compassion and care.

Weathering the Storm

For transgender women on hormone therapy, mood swings are often an inevitable part of the journey. Ups and downs in emotions may continue for months or years as estrogen levels fluctuate.

Building resilience involves learning to ride the wave, controlling emotional highs, consoling oneself during lows, and drawing on inner wells of love.

With time, mood swings typically become less intense. In the meantime, be gentle with yourself. The storm will pass.