quote: | Originally posted by nefardec
I'm actually pretty familiar with transgender neuroscience... constantly researching this stuff for personal reasons..
From my personal experience, the spatial thing has not been an issue, but you also have to remember I've been trained as an architect... I went to school for and spent several years of my life moving around maps in my head.
I will say that the emotional changes have been immense as you might able to gather from my postings here even. The major difference I can describe is that I experience emotions in a very direct and raw way now, no longer filtered through or controlled by my thoughts. As a result, when I become emotional, I have difficulty controlling the emotions even as I am conscious and aware of them, and even possibly how ridiculous they may seem to the thinking part of my mind... but I can only just ride them out and let them do their thing. The emotions also have more of a direct effect on my body and health as well.
I didn't think this would happen, but my music taste has changed significantly, mostly in that it has broadened a lot. A major part of this, though, is probably related to the fact that in general I have pulled up my roots so much in some aspects of my life that the destabilization has resulted in the uprooting of other aspects of my life. It's just a lot easier for me to experiment with things, take risks, change.
Otherwise as far as visual things go, I had a performance review at work yesterday, and everyone agreed my design work is the best it's ever been. I don't really attribute this so much to neurological changes as much as just finally really being happy and excited about life and all its adventures.
Actually there are studies* that show that a transgender brain is more similar to that of its 'subconscious' sex than its 'given' sex. ie, a transgender woman's brain (eg moi) has more in common structurally with a cisgender woman's brain than a cisgender man's brain - from birth. This creates a cognitive dissonance (called gender dysphoria) that almost all transgender people are aware of from a young age (myself included). The hormones really have the effect of dissolving this cognitive dissonance and also improving self image and confidence through physical changes. As far as neurological changes go, I imagine they probably have some effect on the growth of the brain, but obviously like all the changes ascribed to hormone replacement therapy, there is more effect the younger the patient is.
*I can link you if you wish |
This is really fascinating. It's probably hard to tell how much of this comes from actual hormonal changes and how much of it comes along with feeling liberated (coming out of the tranny-closet), but either way, it must bring an interesting feeling of freedom that you hadn't felt before.
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