[Rio_]

I got told by my mum a while ago that hair pulling is a form of self-harm, but I'm not sure if I agree...I don't pull because I want to hurt myself. Usually it's when I'm bored, or I'm studying (especially when I'm revising for exams). Is this self-harm, or something else? Am I on the right board?

it can be but it sounds like you link yours allot to anxiety?

[Rapunzel]

Hair pulling is called trichotillomania, and it is classified as an impulse-control disorder. It is only a disorder if it is significant enough that there is noticeable hair loss, you feel tension before pulling hair or if you try to resist, you feel pleasure or relief when you pull out hair, and *most important* if it is causing a problem or distress for you.

This board is a good place to post about it. So tell me, is hair pulling something that bothers you, or is your mum's reaction to it the main problem? I'm also wondering, if you do it when you are studying for exams, does it help with managing tension?

I have known several people who did have trichotillomania to the point that it caused problems for them, so I know that it can be significant. It comes down to how much you do it and how you feel about it.

[SerenitysWave]

<font color="purple"> For me hair pulling is more out frustration, a way to release tension.... But if it is done to actually feel pain then I would think it would be classified as self harm.... IMO it is a fine line and depends on the intent.... I am sure someone here can give you more info about the subject.... There are some greta resources out there and here at PC....
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[Rio_]

True, it does get worse when I'm worrying about something - it helps at the time, although I feel annoyed at myself afterwards. I'll take a look at the anxiety board.

[Rio_]

At the moment there's no significant hair loss (although I have thick hair, so it'd take a lot for it to be very obvious), but a few months after I started my mum noticed my hair was getting a lot thinner at the back, and I think that was when she told me about it being self-harm. I'm worried it's going to get that bad again, because I've got a lot to do this year - 2 Advanced Highers, 1 Higher, a grade 8 violin exam, driving lessons, and I'm supposed to get a job as well. I do feel tension beforehand or if I try and not pull - sometimes holding on to something helps, but not always. Like I said to esthersvirtue, it does feel like pulling helps at the time, but I'm always annoyed at myself afterwards.

My family's reaction is a problem, because I know they don't like me doing it, and I'm worried that people at school will find out as well (that is if they don't know already - I'm not sure how good I am at hiding it), but I hate that I do it as well - I shouldn't need to, there are plenty of people who are doing the exact same things as me and they manage! It does help with managing tension - it gives me a break from whatever's bothering me, like a question I'm stuck on.

I don't know anyone with trich, but compared to some of the stories I read on this site's page for it, mine is hardly serious. I still wish I could stop, though.

[Rio_]

It's the same way for me, SerenitysWave. I don't do it to feel pain, in fact a lot of the time it hardly hurts at all...although when it does hurt it can make me want to do it again, for some reason. I've looked at the page here and it was helpful...I'll see what I can find on other sites, too.

[Rapunzel]

If it bothers you and you can't stop, and especially as you are using it as a way to cope with difficult feelings and tension, you might consider therapy if that is an option for you. You will need to learn some other way to manage the feelings in order to be able to stop. We all have to cope somehow, right? Relaxation techniques can help a lot. There is a thread about relaxation in General that you could check out if you are interested.

Rap

[Rio_]

I'm not sure how easy therapy would be to find around here, but if it gets much worse it's something I'd consider doing. At the moment I hope I'll be fine trying to stop on my own (I've managed to be pull-free so far today ), but during exam-time it'll probably be harder - after the prelims had finished earlier this year I managed to stop for a month, but then when I started revising for the exams I started pulling again. Maybe because I've got more time before having to revise this time it'll be easier because I'll be more used to not pulling? (Hope that made sense.) Thanks for telling me about the relaxation thread in General, I'll take a look at it.