Ok, I have expierence with this subject, considering I am an active crossdresser, You should considering joining an online support group, such as crossdressers.com. But, at any point in the transgender spectrum covers alot of area, not just transexual(I am a women in a mans body) vs. Crossdresser(I am a man in a dress, and im happy) For all intensive purposes a crossdresser is transgendered to an extent, they connect to the feminine and self empowering feeling of emulating the female sex. So, your question is slightly redundant, because yes, You are transgender. From the sounds though, you are not transxexual. Also, you will learn that the need for crossdressing greatly goes and comes at times in your life. You may see not recall any specific reason as to why the urge goes away for weeks on end, then punches you in the face for three weeks, its natural, every crossdresser has been through this, and thats what makes you a crossdresser, not transexual. Also, a bit of a side note, I enjoy crossdressing on many drugs, but, I enjoy the act itself. I am comfortable with who I am though, and I understand why I have these needs.
Understand that crossdressing is a very effective way to treat stress. Think of all your maladaptive behaviors you engage in. I dont know you, so I dont know them, but a few of the common ones are, smoking cigarettes, alcohol use, drug abuse[abuse not use], outbursts of anger, obsessive thought. All of these things can be in any of our lives. Crossdressing is a form of releasing stress, having fun, and just bringing a smile to your face(if its your thing). It alone has helped me get out of a few rather sever depressions, has helped me deal with the only psychological addiction I have even suffered, and, in the end, crossdressing is still a part of my life, with the drugs arent.
Crossdressing will be with you for the rest of your life untill you get put six feet under, trust me. It will never cease completely. Also, crossdressing can have sever implications on a relationship, its honestly best to confront a person you have interest in a relationship with before you have sex with them. Any one worth knowing will understand your telling them your hobby not to force them into it, but, to protect them from the future pain of hiding crossdressing from someone. And trust me, waiting til later in a relationship to tell a lover that you like wearing the same cloths they wear will cause ALOT of stress...Alot. Some people, just can never accept and support you for who you are. Stay away from these people. They will harm your perception of yourself, and make you doubt what you already know about your self. And, dont ever agree to completly stop crossdressing to be with someone in a relationship/marriage. You may be able to keep the urge down for a year or two...maybe even five, but it WILL come back, stronger then ever. Aside from the self betrayal by signing away a personal freedom for the stric governing of another persons perception of how YOU should act, you will be HIGHLY unhappy.
What Cane2theleft said. And of course some drugs seriously enhance the senses and fire up the sexual drive, so if the erotic, sensual side of things is one of your motivations for dressing you'll perhaps be drawn to it more when under the influence.
Have to disagree a bit with Never Knows Best's statement that there's necessarily an identity issue here needing to be addressed, depending on what your motives are, and what you're trying to achieve. These definitions are my own, and not everyone will agree with them, but cross-dressing IME tends to be fetishistic, more about the erotic, sensual pleasure of female clothing or the taking on of a more sexually submissive role rather than an expression of an inner female identity, and as such is very different to transvestism, which is more about giving expression to a distinct female persona that can be very different personality-wise to the male self. The properly transgendered / transexual are a different category again in that they self-identify as a gender at odds with their physical self. There's a degree of overlap to an extent, mainly between the CD and TV categories, but they're reasonably distinct and seperate nonetheless. If you define yourself as a cross-dresser by those definitions there is no identity issue to be addressed. It's just a guilty pleasure, no more.
Are you uncomfortable with your drive to dress? Is it something you struggle with, or think you should struggle with? As I said, it depends where you're at on the continuum, but if you enjoy dressing and have no issues re: your real gender identity then knock yourself out. No need to overly think it. Let's face it, who among us can truly say we've never pranced about in a lacy basque with stockings and suspenders in our time and quite enjoyed our little selves doing it, eh? Not many, I'll warrant!
Im sorry, but the entire LGBT community will disagree with your defination or interpatation of a crossdresser. Most crossdressers are infact heterosexual males with no intent to being with another male while dressed. What you are describing there is transvestic fetishism. Like I said, the transgender spectrum CANNOT be defined with simple definitions, everyone has their own choices and wants. There is not concrete lines where CD vs TV vs TS falls, ever aspect overlaps with the other in every sense, the entire spectrum is fluid, To catagorize or sterotype any part of it is just silly. What you have wrote in your post is a serious slap in the fact to the LGBT community and transgendered people in general. Its not your fault, your malinformed, so you dont know any better, but this is part of the reason people lose friendships, family, and lovers when they come out and say, I am a crossdresser.
I know all this isnt the exact answer your looking for, but it seems to me your semi uneducated about crossdressing, sorry if i babbled.
