Stage 2 - Anger, Frustration and Depression

After the shock and denial anger can often be the next stage and the cold shoulder / silent treatment.

You will probably feel:

• Suspicion – what does he get upto?
• Scepticism – why is he doing this does he want to attract men?
• Frustration – why has this happened to me? Us?

The lowest point of the curve when anger starts to wear off and realisation that the change to the relationship is genuine sinks in. Communication and reassurance is key here as morale may at this point be very low affecting self esteem and self-doubt maybe anxiety.

Feelings may be hard to express from both sides of the problem and depression is also possible for both from this change to the relationship and also from the crossdresser in guilt of how this is affecting his partner.

You have to try to keep communication positive and avoid isolation and move past this stage using perspective.

There may be a tendency to fixate on small issues or problems often to the detriment of the discussion and any progress or agreement about crossdressing and may even cause argument.

You can gain reassurance that you are not alone and that others have and are going through the same or similar experiences it is crossdressing nothing more but an explanation of why one crossdresses must be given to a certain extent although for most of us we don’t know exactly why we do it.