Need Some Advise on an Unusual Anxiety Problem

[txdave36]

This problem has plagued me for over 20 years, and it's time that I come out of the closet and share instead of living in shame.


I suffer from severe anxiety, and one thing I do has a result is hair plucking. It started in high school when I was disgusted with all my hair growth. My dad was extremely hairy, and I got the same gene. I had thick hair growing out of my hands and knuckles. So I started pulling them out with tweezers. I found that I actually enjoyed the sensation. I became addicted to the sensation, pulling hair out of my hands, and then wrists. As I kept pulling out the stubble over and over, less follicles grew back. I still couldn't stop. Eventually, I created noticeable bald areas on my arms.

Family and friends begin to comment on it. I would cringe when I would here, "David, why do you shave your arms???" I couldn't tell them the truth. I tried to make up convincing lies, but nothing sounded good. I've tried many times to stop the plucking and grow the hair back, but now it is just little stubble.

Funny thing is I don't have a problem with my arms or even notice them until someone has to be a jerk and ask about it. It really has shown me how shallow our society is. I have a two inch spot on my arm that is hairless and people treat me like I'm a freak. Just two inches!


Anyways, that is my backstory. I would like some help in creating a good explanation for the bald spots. Every time I go to see a doctor, they ask about it. I have to lie. I never can come up with a convincing explanation. I told my last doc that I got laser treatment in an effort to get rid of my excessive body hair. I don't think he bought it. AFterwards, I realized that it would be weird for a place to laser just half of arm hair.

Ive tried telling people that I got the hair burned off in a fire accident. They don't buy it. SUrely there is some logical explanation I can give for the bald spots. I have become an embarrassment to my family because of this problem.

[Nausea]

For one thing, I think you ought to tell your doctor the truth. Doctors, after all, are sworn to confidentiality, so they aren't permitted to go around spreading your embarrassment. Moreover, they see plenty of weirdish things all the time - an anxiety-sufferer engaging in nonharmful compulsive behavior is unlikely to gross them out or surprise them.

Ideas? First off, I'd say that - beyond the doctor - why not just tell the truth? You say the bald spots don't bother you, so if someone asks about them, just explain: "Oh, when I get nervous I pluck at my hairs." The advantage to this is that you don't have to make up anything, others will get to know you more honestly, and once you do it a few times you probably won't be so concerned about strangers asking you about your bald patches. One thing you might discover as well is that a lot of people have bizarre habits not so dissimilar from your own. I know that when I mentioned at work that I have panic attacks, I discovered much of the rest of the office - including my boss - suffered from panic attacks in varying degrees as well.

If you really want a story, you could tell people that your hair "just grows that way", then fix them with a look to make them feel guilty for even asking. Of course, that might not work on family. Or you could take up swimming and tell them you shave for that - competitive swimmers actually do shave off all their body hair.

[doworkson]

Or you could say you are taking up lifting because a lot of serious lifters shave most of their body hair.