Hey it's me again. I think I might be getting annoying with all the threads I've started. So this will be my last one in a while...

I don't know which category to put this so I put it on here. Does anyone else cut their hair when they're depressed or stressed? Every once in a while I'll have an urge to shave my hair off or cut it (I've never shaved it off before, it's just a feeling). When it occurs I won't be able to rest all day until I cut my hair. I never tell my mum and I put my hair up in a bun so she doesn't notice the slight difference in length. But I'd like to know if anyone else has this and if anyone can tell me why it happens? I don't know what triggers it but it just happens.

Numpty,

Part of my watch list of behaviors is cutting my hair. I have to check in with a couple different people before i do it to make sure it's not a mental thing, i.e. in response to some sort of crisis. I've never heard of this happening to somebody else so I'm so glad that you brought this up.

Please don't stop posting, keep right on.

love and hugs,
Tara

I have also cut my hair many times. Once I start thinking about it,there's no stopping it. I have never done anything too extreme to it,luckily. But, I usually always regret it.

[ladyjrnlist]

I've been known to wack it off when manic.

[AvidReader]

I've never cut my hair, but I wanted to say, Numpty, that you're not being annoying. Please keep posting!

[wing]

I have done the same thing many times, plus changed the color so often it gets like straw. It's a signal for me that something is up with my mental state.

[lastyearisblank]

Yes I do get an urge to change my hair when depressed. Or clean.

[HalfSwede]

Not annoyed by your posts at all (though I have worried about the same thing myself)!

Originally Posted by lastyearisblank

Yes I do get an urge to change my hair when depressed. Or clean.

I can definitely agree with the urge to clean things too. I feel like cleaning's the only way for me to have some order when everything else is going haywire. Though I've no clue why I cut my hair every so often. It literally feels heavy on my head and despite trying to wait till the urge goes away; it doesn't and at the end of that day I'd go to the bathroom and cut away a couple of inches and go for a shower. Though ultimately the urge is to shave my hair, but cutting it helps the urge go away for a while.

For everyone else: I'm really relieved to see that I'm not alone in this as I've never been able to find any information about this sort of thing in books or the internet. I kind of though I was on my own with this sort of behaviour so I've never told anyone about it outside PC. And I'm glad I haven't annoyed you all yet with my posts. I thought I may have been getting a bit carried away but you folks have been very supportive so far. So I really thank you all for your help!

[Perna]

I use to get my hair cut as part of a "disguise" when I was anxious. "They" couldn't get me if I looked different :-)

Yep ! In fact cut it recently....

I am getting good at it now lmao.

[Can't Stop Crying]

If I'm really anxious, I cut my hair too. I think for me it's about - well something has to change.

Ditto the keep posting remarks! Post away!

[disguise123]

yes me too! I cut my hair when im feeling ''off''.
And i change the colour alot too.
I just get so sick of 'myself'

[LivingMiracle]

I've never acted on the full urge, I often want to have all my hair off, but I tend to get it cut when I'm entering crisis mode.

Thanks for bringing up this. I never noticed how many others did it too.

Originally Posted by LivingMiracle

I've never acted on the full urge, I often want to have all my hair off, but I tend to get it cut when I'm entering crisis mode.

Thanks for bringing up this. I never noticed how many others did it too.

Me too!! I didn't think so many people experienced this sort of thing too!

[LazyLogophile]

I think that's a pretty healthy way of dealing with pressure, stress, depression...whatever. Why don't you go all out and just ask your mom for a makeover? It could be a good bonding experience for the two of you. Maybe something more dramatic will satisfy that urge for a longer time? It's just hair. It will grow back. If I had enough money I would be at the salon constantly, changing my hairstyle all the time. I had a girlfriend who was studying at the Aveda Institute and they used to practice on each other, so her hair was ten million different shades and all sorts of styles all the time. I thought it was pretty cool. You can't change much about yourself, other than your hair, so I think it's a totally normal impulse to want to exercise control of it. :-)

[PleaseHelp]

I cut mine when I feel like the rest of my life is spinning out of control. I normally take it to somewhat extremes. Like it'll be at the middle of my back and I'll chop it and it ends up at above my shoulders or to my chin. (I do it myself hair in ponytail and chop!)

Thank you for posting this. I seriously thought I was the only one who did this. Thank you.

[lxegirl]

yeah. i dont like to stay the same. hair is the easiest thing to change. i just cut it this week. i'll probably have new bangs next week. i want to dye it soon.

[venusss]

I don't mess with the lenght... but I play with the layers. My most extreme "good idea" was to chop the top layer to about 2 inch lenght... I am letting it grow now...

though I have overgrown bangs and manicure scissors. Shall I have some fun?

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

I don't mess with the lenght... but I play with the layers. My most extreme "good idea" was to chop the top layer to about 2 inch lenght... I am letting it grow now...

though I have overgrown bangs and manicure scissors. Shall I have some fun?

Haha! Go to the salon!!!

For everyone else: I don't really do mine for style though... I just twist my hair into a ponytail and scissor an inch or two off before going for a shower. It's not like I have a hairstyle right now so I guess it's not noticeable. My hair's just straight shoulder length and my natural colour. Even so I don't really know why I do it. I usually want to just shave it all off though I know that's not possible without being hospitalized my my parents. Hahaha! But cutting it gives me some relief as if my hair's holding some part of what's weighing me down. It's hard to explain but the urge comes out of nowhere. Last time I woke up from a dream where I did shave my hair and I really really wanted to do it so it could be a clean slate. I suppose it's psychological because I always want to wreck things and start again whether that be with binge eating or deleting my text messages, emails etc. like a maniac or trying to grow my nails only to clip them short and start again. Same with homework. I have to rip it all out and do it until it's perfect or give up on it altogether. But I suppose you folks are right in that I want to change some part of myself when I do do it.

[timrousbeastie]

This is really interesting. I get the same urges from time to time to cut my hair or shave it really short. I also have trichotillomania so I kind of justify it to myself on the grounds that if it's very short then I won't be able to pull, and maybe next time it will grow back thick and lovely. I've never thought about it more generally in connection with extreme moods so it is interesting to hear from lots of people here who apparently don't all have trich? I think I also have psychological issues of wanting to make myself deliberately look awful to match the awful way I feel inside.