I think taking breaks is a good idea, especially in the early months of a program, and even long term, depending on your objectives.
Before your hormonal balance shifts decidedly to the estrogen side for an extended period, the effects of years of exposure to testosterone are still very evident in the mind and body. It takes time for those effects to fade and the new estrogen-induced changes to take hold. It's a confusing period in which our emotions jump back and forth between joy and sadness, feeling right and feeling conflicted. I certainly felt those swings throughout my first 6 months on PM. Not so much any more.
Part of what sustained me early in my program was knowing (believing) that I could always revert back to my old self if it became necessary. I reinforced that belief by verifying each month (at my 7-day break) that I still had male sexual function. It also gave my body a rush of testosterone to maintain the male side of my brain which, when deprived of T, tends to fade away. My female brain, on the other hand, in the presence of E was becoming more and more influential in determining my gender expression and emotional state.
I believe that PM's effect on the brain is the source of the 'slippery slope' you may have heard people warn about as one of the risks of pursuing NBE. As the female psyche grows and replaces the once dominant male psyche, one can experience a stronger and stronger need to transition to full female gender expression. If that change brings greater happiness to your life, it's unlikely that you will stop the progression voluntarily. The discipline of taking regular breaks can slow or even stop this progression without foregoing breast development that occurs only when E levels are sufficiently high.
Clara
Before your hormonal balance shifts decidedly to the estrogen side for an extended period, the effects of years of exposure to testosterone are still very evident in the mind and body. It takes time for those effects to fade and the new estrogen-induced changes to take hold. It's a confusing period in which our emotions jump back and forth between joy and sadness, feeling right and feeling conflicted. I certainly felt those swings throughout my first 6 months on PM. Not so much any more.
Part of what sustained me early in my program was knowing (believing) that I could always revert back to my old self if it became necessary. I reinforced that belief by verifying each month (at my 7-day break) that I still had male sexual function. It also gave my body a rush of testosterone to maintain the male side of my brain which, when deprived of T, tends to fade away. My female brain, on the other hand, in the presence of E was becoming more and more influential in determining my gender expression and emotional state.
I believe that PM's effect on the brain is the source of the 'slippery slope' you may have heard people warn about as one of the risks of pursuing NBE. As the female psyche grows and replaces the once dominant male psyche, one can experience a stronger and stronger need to transition to full female gender expression. If that change brings greater happiness to your life, it's unlikely that you will stop the progression voluntarily. The discipline of taking regular breaks can slow or even stop this progression without foregoing breast development that occurs only when E levels are sufficiently high.
Clara