Re: Hair Pulling Tendencies
You guys should check out aroma on the topic.
I started pulling my hair probably around year 4 (ages 8-9).
I'd discovered that when I pulled my hair that it caused both pain and relief.
I don't think that I truly understood at the time that I was relieving myself from stress.
I mostly start to pull my hair unconsciously. When at home I'd rely on my mum to tell me to stop, because it's something that just happens.
Back in primary school I was given a "squish mesh ball" and that abated the trichotillomania (word for hair pulling). I'm aware that I don't have a diagnosis but it's a great word.
Then one day I handed the stress ball to a teacher who I trusted. They had long nails and the ball went pop.
I never got a replacement, just a sorry and so the trichotillomania came back.
It goes away in periods of low stress, or when I'm vigilant.
When I talk to people I'm not close with is exhausting, so I often fiddle with my hair.
I don't particularly like or want to pull out my hair because:
- It makes my hand oily (after using hair products)
- Patches of hair are gone or uneven
It's simply something I do.
Stress balls are pretty cheap, I'm gonna buy one.
It's a source of embarrassment that when I walk away from an area, there's hair everywhere on the floor around me.
Thanks to aroma for posting about this.
It's nice to know that, I'm not alone in doing this.