Maggies Hair Pulling Blog

I'm having a fairly normal week, busy at work, pottering about at home..... Trying to get the house properly tidy so that I can concentrate on more creative things! I don't think I've pulled many hairs today, maybe a couple at my desk but nothing significant. I wish every day was like this! It's been quite bad lately when I've been tired, I can't seem to resist touching when I'm sleepy. Odd. A friend of mine has recently become an NLP practioner and so tomorrow eve we have a telephone call booked to try out a few excercises! The idea is to reach your subconcious and it's good for me to keep trying these things :)

I haven't updated for a while as I have been a busy bee! A few hair related things I have been discussing and have found........... 1. A video on Youtube by a teenager called Rebecca Brown. She has trichotillomania and it demonstrates how frustrating the problem can be. Have a watch as she has done it really well! When I was her age there was no way I would have discussed it, I tried to keep it all a secret and so she is brave to have gone on the internet like this, click on the link below to watch: Video by Rebecca Brown 2. Hair transplants! A friend of mine that I met on a forum has now been pull free for about 2 years, she doesn't really know how she stopped but she has done amazingly! Because she has left her hair alone for some time she is now investigating hair transplants to cover a thin bit at the back that wont grow. It is basically a surgical technique which involves moving skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body to another. I didn't really believ...

Unfortunately my hair article is now being moved to November's Psychologies Magazine issue. The pictures were taken on a rainy day and apparently look quite wintry, they also have to jiggle articles around depending on themes etc. It doesn't really matter though.... There was recently an article in The Sun newspaper which is good, I know it has a wide distribution and so any public awareness is good! If you Google Trichotillomania and The Sun you will find it :) My hair pulling is still going on although weight gain is currently my biggest issue! Size 12 is getting tight! I know that the gym and less chocolate is the key, however the key is a bit rusty!! I also rather like wine! Worrying about things like this of course makes my hair pulling worse!!! The front is still thin, this whole hair business never seems to end! But the wekend is coming and that is always a positive :)

If the publishers have sorted it all out, then my hair article should be in next months Psychologies Magazine! I've just got my fingers crossed that work people don't see because I work with a bunch of developers and they might take the micky! :/ They also might not, but still! I had my volumiser tightened on Saturday, nearly a week ago now and next time I'm having more blond put in to it. Slowly changing colour! My hair isn't great at the moment but it's still growing because I can see the dark roots from when I had my own hair dyed a few months ago. Just need to leave alone..... I now have a busy weekend ahead! Train journey to London tomorrow and then off to a masked ball! :)

I still don't know why I can't stop pulling my hair out. I know it's wrong, I know that it might not grow back and still I pull. It's better than it used to be but I just want to stop!!! Sometimes I look in the mirror and find hairs to pull, knowing full well that I shouldn't. The hair at the front of my head is so thin! I can't imagine it growing back properly now. I still wear a volumiser and probably will for quite a while, at least that makes me look normal!! :( Although the hair situation always haunts me and is always there, I do mainly just get on with it! Next week i'm away in Greece and so hopefully I will be able to relax and focus on leaving well alone!! The sunshine will also be rather nice :)

I had my suspicions that someone I had recently met also had trich and now I know that she does! She has spiky hair on the sides and top of her head which is quite a good sign! I was out with her on Friday evening and mentioned that I pulled my hair and that I wear a volumiser . She then admitted that she did too! I had drunk quite a lot which made it easier to talk but I think I'm glad I did. She said that she just thought she was some kind of freak, she had no idea it had a name or was a medical condition! Hopefully she will now Google the subject and won't feel so odd. Like me she said that she has kept the problem secret for years and was worried what other people might think. It is interesting to now know someone else with this problem, I said that she is welcome to talk to be any time.

Every year there is a pic nic called tric nic. The one I have heard about is held in Regents Park in London. This year it on the 19th June. The lady who organises it ties a purple ribbon around 2 deck chairs so that you can identify the group, you can then just join in! I haven't been to one before but the general idea is to just meet up and mingle. I don't think it attracts a big crowd but it's still nice to know that there are other people out there that you can talk too face to face. I might try and go this year, I wonder what we will all talk about............ :) I have also discovered a good website this week: http://www.trichotillomania.co.uk Lots of registered users and forums to chat in. Although it's hard I must stay focused on trying to stop!