OCD

posted January 26th, 2015 at 4:16 PM

Some people have a form of OCD that makes them pull their hair out. One strand at a time. I have that. I have never told anyone. It makes me sound like a freak but I assure you it's a real medical condition. I have learnt to live with it. It's hard trusting your partner enough to tell them tho. People have been dumped for way more superficial reasons.

10 Comments

me to

Jan 26, 2015 at 11:12pm

I have it too. Sucks. I try to keep it to pulling leg hair in private

oh man I knew a lady that had this compulsion

Jan 27, 2015 at 12:49am

When I was in elementary school. It looked sooooo stressful and painful :(

Turtle

Jan 27, 2015 at 8:23am

this is another way to self harm. counseling helps, please consider it. you are only given a certain number of hair follicles per lifetime and you may cause irreparable damage if you continue. it is nothing to be ashamed of, some people cut, it is essentially of the same nature, avoidance caused by anxiety, and is a strange way to self soothe. you are loved :)

OP

Jan 27, 2015 at 8:55am

Me to - I've actually made with peace with it. It was just really stressful keeping this shame to myself when i was younger.

@ me to

Jan 27, 2015 at 10:11am

Been doing the same thing to my leg hair for 20 years. I don't need to shave much these days.

Epilady

Jan 27, 2015 at 11:58am

Been doing this for over 20 years. Started as a way to deal with anxiety when I was being bullied in elementary school. Never been able to find adequate help for it. So I pull. Used to pull until my head was half bare but I've got a better handle on things now so my hair just looks like i have a lot of fly aways all the time. Considering how hard it is to get mental health care in this country I rather just pluck out some hairs to self soothe rather than be put on drugs that will make me feel numb and get fat.

OP again

Jan 27, 2015 at 3:24pm

Thanks Turtle.
Epilady - there actually is no 'cure'. Some people go through stages where they don't pull for years but it always comes back. Wish i could stop for good.

Epilady again

Jan 27, 2015 at 5:05pm

It's really hard. It's like being addicted to a drug that's there all the time. I wish you all the best in overcoming your urge too pull. You should be able to confide in your partner. If they dump you over it that says more about them than it does you. No ones perfect. We all have things about ourselves that we'd prefer others remained blissfully unaware of.

2

Jan 28, 2015 at 12:48pm

Wow, I have this too, and it also started around 7th grade. I was so anxious and afraid, and from the very first pull it felt like a release. It never lasts though, so I pull & pull...
My Mom and sister used to call me out and berate me about it, sometimes slapping my hands away. I know they just wanted to help, but it was terribly hurtful and I felt so ashamed. Since then, I've always thought I hid it well, but recently my employer complained about it, calling it "distracting & disrespectful." I didn't even realize I had been pulling. I don't talk about it much, and most people don't bring it up.
Turtle, I appreciate your compassion, but you're misinformed about this being self-harm. I understand why you might see a parallel, but the actions are not necessarily related. With Trich, the "goal" is not pain or damage, but it does share the compulsion-relief aspect.