hair cutting

[woody32]

Hi all

Not sure which heading this comes under but I seem to have a pattern where whenever things get stressful and my anxiety is at its highest I seem to have urges to cut my hair?? I know sounds trivial but in fact is not...i have cut it this afternoon, is a fairly short style and now have made a mess of it..i will have to wait for it to grow out before going to the hairdressers. It makes me feel so ashamed after but am on a kind of high when doing it? My son is the only one who notices, and has hidden the scissors in the past as gets so upset over it....so there you go, some more problems that anxiety brings!

thanks for reading

woody xxx

[Hope 2]

Hey Woody

Only 1 other person knows this ........ but I have really strong urges to shave all my hair off . One day I worry I will .With me it is when I am in the deep dark pit of depression . Hope it helps to know yr not on yr own . When I was growing up I used to perform some minor self harm techniques , one of which was twisting and pulling out fairly big chunks of hair , sometimes leaving bald patches .

Cheerio chuck
Hope xx

[Bunty]

Woody

I would go to the hairdressers to get it sorted out now. You can at least have a nice haircut even if its shorter than you want.

Buntyxx

[milly jones]

hi guys,
i have bald patch in 2 places at moment due to hair pulling. i think its ocd/ self harm. never had courage to talk to gp about it, keep it covered. i do it cos i'm punishing myself for being stupid.

i think that ur outward appearance looks normal when u have anx that ur mind wants others to know how ur hurting inside.

millyxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[woody32]

Thanks for all your responses. Its not that noticeable in that theres no obvious bald patches just is not even and I feel like Ive spoilt it somehow. I agree with Milly about OCD and your mind wanting others to know how you feel so you change your appearance...I too havent told anyone about it but I may tell my gp on next visit if I feel I can.

I get a very strong urge to do it before hand and after I get very depressed and though im not really harming myself physically I feel its a way of punishing myself also and adding to the low self esteem I have already.

Thanks again for taking the time to read and respond, its much appreciated.

Love to all

woody x

[worriedGrace]

Ever since I was a child I have tied knots in my hair and pulled it out when I am very stressed. I have had to make excuses to hairdressers about the bald patches. I used to bite my nails till they bled and managed to stop that in my 30's but the hair pulling returns in times of crisis.

[jesse08]

Hi, I suffer from this. About seven years ago, I DID cut all my hair off and it was sooo short I had to get it even'd out at a barber's. I looked like a skinhead for a long time. I had cut it in a very angry, raggedly and haphazard way. I've done this twice. It isn't a funny thing to suffer from. For me it is a form of self harm and self abuse. I haven't cut it off since then but in the last few days I have had the urge to cut my hair off, because I have felt stressed and my self esteem has been rock bottom.

I'm not sure what to suggest other than if you feel the urge, try to do something else; something physical like gardening or go for a walk.

[milly jones]

hey jesse, woody, pm me anytime if u need a chatxx

milly xx

[Hope 2]

Hi Woody / All

Been a real eye opener this thread , although I feel sad when I have looked over it .......... it is comforting to know others have similar thoughts and behaviours . I have had OCD since 2001 (unrelated) , only the urge to shave my hair off still is persistant .

Take care evry 1 xx
Hope xx

[Bill]

In case you're interested, there is a term used to describe the condition of someone who feels the need to pull hair out. It's called Trichotillomania and there are websites on the subject.

I also went through a stage where once I pulled out one hair, I found it hard to resist pulling out more until it felt it "safe" to stop.