What is Transvestic Disorder?      

A transvestic disorder in which a person has a strong desire to dress in clothes of the opposite gender, causing marked distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Note that transvestism does not mean that every person who cross-dresses has this disorder. To diagnose, the person must either suffer emotional distress or develop marked impairment in social relationships, occupation, or other important aspects of his or her life as a result of the cross-dressing behavior.

The disorder typically has an adolescent onset and can initially be associated with sexual arousal about wearing such attire. However, it is not simply an attraction towards different clothes; rather, the level of distress and interference posed in life defines the disorder.

Symptoms of Transvestic Disorder

Transvestic disorder is characterized by having the following symptoms:

• A person has a strong urge to dress like the opposite gender.
• This impulse is very disturbing emotionally. The individual may have feelings of shame, guilt, or anxiety about cross-dressing.
• It is also a fact that some people are sexually aroused by dressing in these clothes, which can increase personal distress.
• These feelings and behaviors do not occur only occasionally but over at least six months.
• They may go to extreme measures to hide cross-dressing, however, due to the fear of judgment or rejection.

Causes of Transvestic Disorder

Several factors may contribute:

• It is possible that very early experiences in life, such as early cross-dressing or specific patterns of sexual arousal, may play a role.
• In others, the behavior is initiated by sexual arousal associated with wearing clothes of the opposite sex, thus creating an even greater desire to cross-dress.
• Repeated cross-dressing over time, associated with emotional or sexual relief, can crystallize the behavior into a firm habit or compulsion.

Treatment of Transvestic Disorder

Treatment of transvestic disorder includes several methods such as reducing stress and enhancing the quality of daily life. Conducting therapy—specifically, techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy—assists patients in controlling their negative feelings by learning unhelpful thought patterns. Medications may be prescribed for anxiety, depression, or obsessional symptoms.

Dr. Rahul Mathur
Consultant Neuropsychiatris