[OneRiffTooMany]

I would like to grow a beard without anxiety, paranoia and self-hate getting in the way.

I have a history of drug abuse in my teens and twenties and I guess I am paying the price now.

I am constantly on this cycle of shaving obsessively up to 4 times a day and then throwing all my and my wife's razors in the bin, determined to grow a beard.

I am not sure why I get the compulsion to shave. I usually feel happy when I first start growing my facial hair. Then it is as if I have to sabotage this feeling of comfort and happiness. I also get paranoid about what people will think of me if I have a big bushy beard. Basically, I make up reasons for having to shave.

I would really like some suggestions on steps I could take to conquer this behaviour???

[disguise123]

i dont have much advice but good luck!!

[lastyearisblank]

Some pictures for inspiration!

http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot...rd-weight.html

[disguise123]

i guess you need to look into breaking a compulsion (obsessive behaviour)
Maybe you should find something else to do every time u feel like shaving.

[Nola22]

Hi OneRiffTooMany,

Perhaps you could gradually lessen the amount of times you shave a day, starting by dropping just one shave, and moving forward from there?

Also, I am sure you're well aware that not everyone thinks negatively about those who sport beards, in fact, there are many of us who find it quite appealing. What does your wife think of the bearded look? Could you gain some inspiration from her (hopefully positive!) opinion of your face with a beard, or of facial hair in general? Would it help alter your perception of your beard if I again told you quite a few women find that look attractive? On the other hand, it's your face, and your prerogative to let it get a bit woolly, so what others think of it ideally should not matter.

As another approach, maybe you could try a smaller amount of facial hair at first as opposed to a full beard in order to get comfortable with it--go for a goatee as a beard test drive.

Best of luck, OneRiffTooMany. You deserve to be happy too, and I know that's a much larger issue. Hope growing a beard is one means by which you are able to attain some happiness in the near future.

[fight]

Why do you want to grow a beard?

[OneRiffTooMany]

Nola22= Thanks for your insight, like the username by the way, yes the other half is supportive she has big long dreadlocks, I have had a 6 month growth full beard on 2 occassions. But you know its all about being myself, I get into a rut being unemployed and stuff and I guess I prepare myself for the silly employment roles instead of my ambitions, I have a strange way of thinking. But Im confident the advices I been given from everyone have already sent me on my journey.
Fight: I guess the reason of growing a beard would be locking a door inside my head and throwing the key away. hahaa cheers