Monday, September 30, 2013

You Can Make A Difference!

Tomorrow starts Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Awareness Week (October 1-7).  You ready to make some noise?  It may take stepping outside of your comfort zone a bit.. but I believe it's worth it.  I'm still surprised that so many people have never heard of trich.  And surprised that there are still so many suffering alone.  You can make a difference in someone's life just by sharing your story and spreading awareness.     
Your Ecards fliers | Search Results | CMYBacon difference, you, inspirational, inspire, encourage, white, crazy, art, Useless, fliers, make, can, will, i will, inspiration, Paper, black and white, b&w, typography
Pic via Your Ecards

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Heather's Trichy Journey

One of the best things about opening up about having trich is realizing that you're not alone.  Not only am I not alone, I am in the company of some wonderful people!  I "met" Heather when I was a part of an online support group called Trich Support.  I recently asked Heather to do a guest post and share her trichy journey with us...
  • I don't remember the exact moment that I started pulling out my hair. I know that I started being bothered by body hair when I was about 11, and I started shaving my arms, legs, underarms, toes, belly, and private areas soon after.
    My hair pulling started off slowly when I was about 12, but after a few months, it became noticeable. I always wore my hair in a low ponytail, parted down the middle. My aunt was the first to notice my missing hair, which was pretty obvious, considering that I had an inch wide gap along my part. She pointed it out to my mom, who told me to be more gentle when brushing my hair, and to make my ponytails less tight. Instead, I started wearing my hair in a high ponytail with no part, and pulling from the sides and top of my head.
    Over the next 13 years, I tried hundreds and hundreds of times to stop pulling. Every day I'd have a battle with myself. One part of my mind was telling me not to pull, that I could ignore the urges, but the other part of my mind was telling me to give in, that it would feel so good. I tried wearing hats, bandannas, and gloves, playing with silly putty and bubble wrap, rewards, exercising, eating better, seeing a therapist, taking medication, avoiding triggering situations (driving, watching TV, and reading), hypnotherapy, and acupuncture. I would sometimes go days or weeks without pulling. I once went almost a year, but eventually I would fall back into old ways.
    I have curly, red hair. I adored my hair, but I hated what Trich was doing to it. Almost every day I would have someone ask me why I never wore my hair down, how long it was, how curly it was, or why I always wore a headband. I always came up with some kind of excuse and changed the subject. Between making up excuses, trying to keep the damage covered, trying to keep my regrowth from sticking out all over the place, and dealing with the negative feelings I was having about myself, I was exhausted.
    Last summer, one of my best friends got married, and she asked me to be a bridesmaid. We’d been friends since birth, this was the first wedding I had been in, and she was marrying another woman. It was a huge deal. About a month before the wedding, she asked me what I’d like to have the hairstylist at the salon do for me for the big day. I had to tell her about Trich, and that I wasn't able to have my hair done with everyone else. This hurt me so badly, that I had caused so much damage to my hair that I was going to lose out on a special part of the day.
    I decided on that day that I would never give up trying to beat my battle with Trich. I went one day, then two, then a week, and then a month. I've now been pull free since July 20, 2012. I’m not sure what changed. I didn't change anything about my lifestyle or my day-to-day life. I told myself that I wasn't going to pull, and I haven’t. I had told myself this hundreds of times, but something was different this time. I still don’t understand why I stopped, but I’m okay with that. I’m not saying that it’s easy to “just stop”, because it obviously isn't. It makes me so angry when people ask why I couldn't just stop. Why can’t someone with OCD just stop counting things? Why can’t an alcoholic just stop drinking? It doesn't work like that.
    The thought of relapse terrifies me. I think about it every day, and sometimes I think to myself that it would be nice to pull just one hair. Sometimes I find myself touching my hair, but I've always been able to get myself to stop. I think about how much damage I could do in such a short period of time, and that really scares me. I think that even if I never pull another hair in my life, I’ll always be thinking about it. I’m going to take it one day at a time, and be grateful for the success I've had.
    Trich has hurt me in a lot of ways. It took away my self-confidence and my desire to socialize. I spent a lot of time thinking I was crazy and weak. The time I spent trying to suppress my urges exhausted me, and I don’t even want to think about the money I spent on trying different techniques to reduce my pulling. All that considered, Trich has given me a lot. I've met some wonderful people through online support groups, one of whom I consider to be one of my best friends. I’m more understanding of people who are going through different kinds of struggles, and I try to reach out to help them. I’m confident and I believe in myself. And I believe in you too.

Thank you, Heather, for sharing your trichy journey with us!
So proud of you!
  

Tuesday, September 24, 2013



My friend Jody shared this quote the other day- and I loved it!  The quote comes from her day-to-day calendar for 2013 called "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... and It's all Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson, Ph.D.

"I believe you and I both deserve nice things and a good quality of life.  I think it's admirable to do your best and to always be attempting to do even better.  However, there's an enormous distinction between doing your best and always demanding that life be better than it already is, or having a prerequisite that things be different or better before you allow yourself to feel satisfied -- with you, life or with other people."
Pic via Amazon. 

Friday, September 20, 2013

Putty

Remember the Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty that I mentioned before (here)?  Well, they just posted that they are having free shipping through Sunday, September 22.  Just use the coupon code "SEPT2013" until 9/22/2013 at checkout.

And hey, if you have a trichster in your life- this would make great gift for them.  Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty even does gift wrapping- how cute!
Pic via Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty
Once again, I didn't have enough time to take a shower before dropping my son off to preschool.  But can I drop him off without make-up?  No.  So I put on my eye make-up for those few minutes where I'd have to be seen by other people... just to come home and finally get a chance to take a shower.  How nice would it be to run out without make-up and not care?!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Spreading Awareness

As many of you know Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Awareness Week is coming up (October 1st-7th).  And did you know that the Governor Patrick of Massachusetts has, for the 7th consecutive year, proclaimed Oct 1-7 2013 to be Trichotillomania Awareness Week in the Commonwealth?  How cool is that?!?  Want to see the same thing happen in your state?  Here's what TLC shared in their page Raise Awareness of Trichotillomania, Skin Picking & Related BFRBs:

Secure a Governor or Mayoral Proclamation declaring Oct. 1-7, 2013 for BFRB Awareness Week
Visit your state/city website for information on how to secure a proclamation. Here is some sample text:

Whereas, Trichotillomania & Skin Picking Disorders impulse control disorders that cause people to pull out the their hair and/or pick at their skin; and,
Whereas,Trichotillomania & Skin Picking Disorders are estimated to affect at least two percent of the American population; and,
Whereas, For many, the psychological impact of Trichotillomania & Skin Picking Disorder can be severe, including intense feelings of shame, isolation and loss of control; and,
Whereas, Research into treatments for Trichotillomania & Skin Picking Disorder has grown over the past 20 years, however no one treatment has been found to be effective for everyone; and now therefore be it,
Resolved, That I (governor's name), Governor of the State of ___________________, do hereby proclaim the week of October 1, 20013, as Trichotillomania Awareness Week, and I encourage citizens to become better acquainted with this disease and it's consequences.

Passing this along

TLC posted this today:

Need brochures for Awareness Week, a new tangle or spinner ring? What about some resource books? Or Clinical Training DVDs?
Save 15% on Books,Fiddles, Jewelry & DVDs at http://store.trich.org/

Enter Discount Code: fall13

Offer expires 9/30/13. Not valid on TLC Membership

Monday, September 16, 2013

I love the verses found in Philippians 4:6-7.  It is such a great reminder, so I had to share it (I've also added it to the bottom of the sidebar). We don't need to worry about anything- just talk to God about it.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Last night I had a dream that I was practically bald.  And it freaked me out.  It was one of the dreams that feels so real and even when you wake up it takes a second to realize, "Phew, it was just a dream!"  Anyone else ever had a dream or nightmare about trich?

Friday, September 13, 2013

It's almost here

Trichotillomania & Skin Picking Disorder National Awareness Week is coming up.  For the week of October 1st, what are you going to do to help spread awareness?
trichotillomania awareness, dermatillomania awareness
Image via TLC
Check out TLC's suggestions here.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

For my birthday today, I'm giving myself...

One Week Pull-Free!
I think it's going to be a good year!  
And yes, that's my littlest in the pic... apparently she thought we were being hand models :)

Thursday, September 5, 2013

It's 9 o'clock on a Thursday morning and I haven't pulled a single hair, lash, or brow yet.  Heck... why not try to go for a pull free day!?  Every day is a new day, right?
  

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

With and Without Make-up

One eye with make-up and one eye without.
Pretty obvious which one is which (click to enlarge).
Only my husband and kids see me without make-up on a regular basis (well, and you guys have seen your fair share of pictures too).  Some of my other family members may have seen me without, but that's extremely rare.  And I don't go out in public without make-up and even my closet friends haven't seen me without.  And yes, I know most people look a little different without make-up... but I feel like a totally different person- a very unattractive person that I wouldn't want people to see.  I wonder what my kids think (they're 6, 4, and 2)... can they tell a drastic difference like I can or do I still just seem like Mom either way.  Hmmm??  
  

Just wanted to pass this post along to you all (Josie posted this after the Mrs. America pageant).