/feels/ - Advice & Venting

>when did you start?
the summer after first grade which has been 18 years that I've been doing this

>why did you start?
I had lice that summer so I started doing it because I thought I would be able to see if I had lice but it became a nervous habit

>have you ever been able to find coping skills to not do it anymore?
not really honestly

>have there been any moments that people looked at you funny because of it?
yes, my 4th grade teacher made me wear ponytails every day and now I have headaches if I have my hair up for too long, in 5th grade my teacher made me flip my card for touching my head, at one point in middle school, I pulled so much that a pile of hair was on the floor

>have you ever had bald spots?
yes, in middle school it got so bad that my grandma made me wear hats when she took pictures of me

>what's the longest you've gone without pulling?
I don't think I've ever gone long without doing it, I haven't had bald spots in a while but I do get scabs that I pick

>>113089
>when did you start?
When I was around 8/9
>why did you start?
Anxiety
>have you ever been able to find coping skills to not do it anymore?
I took escitalopram for years to help stop with it, and I was able to ween myself off it and not re-start the habit.
>have there been any moments that people looked at you funny because of it?
I had bald spots until I was about 20 so yes.
>have you ever had bald spots?
See above
>what's the longest you've gone without pulling?
I'm about 10 years clean now

> when did you start?
i think in 2017 or 2018?

> why did you start?
an eyebrow accidentally got tightly stuck in my nail and when i pulled it it was painful but kinda good. i pick my skin so picking my eyebrows was a similar fidgeting relief

>have you ever been able to find coping skills to not do it anymore?
honestly not really. but a few times when i had gotten my nails done i noticed i barely did it bc i was physically unable to

>have there been any moments that people looked at you funny because of it?
i wouldnt say my friends made fun of me but they pointed it out when they noticed. then i told them to keep poiting it out so i could stop bc i do it unconsciously

>have you ever had bald spots?
yeah lol but then i bought a black eye pencil and realized i could just cover the bald spot with it

>what's the longest you've gone without pulling?
no idea but probably not more than a few days. i dont think ive ever gone a full week without pulling

>>113089
>when did you start?
when I was 13-14
>why did you start?
combo of OCD and real bad rough patches when I was a kid
>have you ever been able to find coping skills to not do it anymore?
Yes. Almost a year ago my issues culminated into panic attacks, I thought I was having a heart attack on a daily basis. I took zoloft for a few months and picked up a book called Feeling Good (self help CBT) the apathy combined with the new coping mechanism pretty much stopped my pulling within the 2nd month.
>have there been any moments that people looked at you funny because of it?
Too many to count
>have you ever had bald spots?
My hairline resembled Mao Zedong's for years on end
>what's the longest you've gone without pulling?
eight months and counting.