stress and anxiety
Question:
hello My name’s Elisabeth. I’m 25, and from Toronto. After reading everyone else’s heartfelt messages I decided to write mine as well, in hopes someone can offer me some advice. My situation is very strange. I’ll try to be brief. I have literally become obsessed with my hair.
<snipped for space Hi, Elizabeth. Your problem doesn’t sound strange to me. Though I don’t obsess on my hair, when it doesn’t look right it can ruin my day. The more I fuss with it, the more anxious I become. I’ve also noticed that the more anxious I am, the worse my hair looks. I don’t know if this is real or imaginary. Don’t laugh — sometimes it seems like excess electricity is making it stick out like Bozo hair. It probably looks normal. Maybe I’m just picking out something real to blame the free-floating anxiety on. I can understand how this could become obsessive. I wonder if exposure therapy would work. It works for many people with obsessive-compulsive disorders. If you want to try it, please talk with a professional about the possibilities. (It’s good to have someone in your corner when you’re working through it.) It could be that after learning that life is okay even when the hair doesn’t look perfect will ease the anxiety. Much luck to you, Welcome to asap, Anita
Response:
hello My name’s Elisabeth. I’m 25, and from Toronto. After reading everyone else’s heartfelt messages I decided to write mine as well, in hopes someone can offer me some advice. My situation is very strange. I’ll try to be brief. I have literally become obsessed with my hair. I know it sounds crazy, but its true.
It doesn’t sound crazy to me. <snipped middle of message I have a feeling it might be Body Dismorphic Disorder, but I am not sure. Does anybody have any advice??
I am not a doctor, and I have not heard of body dismorphic disorder, however, from what you have said it’s possible you have some version of an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This is closely related to the other anxiety disorders. I know Toronto has a good medical school (McGill? can’t remember the name right now) and that’s where I would call. Ask them for referrals to someone who specializes in anxiety disorders. I have heard that some people with very specific obsessions have been "cured" with medication alone, but for many a combination of medication and therapy is needed. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure therapy (for specific phobias) have been found most useful for people in this group. Medication is not necessarily indefinite, a lot of times it is used to stop the spiraling thoughts until you can learn how to do it yourself. You might find it useful to read old posts on OCD and CBT. Let us know how things go. Lori from SF Madness takes its toll. Please have change.
Response:
My name’s Elisabeth. I’m 25, and from Toronto. <snip My situation is very strange. I have literally become obsessed with my hair. I know it sounds crazy, but its true.<snip I’m an intelligent young person with many ambitions for my future, but I am constantly wrestling with the physical, (being so stiff all the time) and emotional (extremely low self esteem) problems that come along with having this crazy obsession. I have a feeling it might be Body Dismorphic Disorder, but I am not sure. Does anybody have any advice??
Hello Elizabeth. You came to the right place. Nothing you can say here about your emotional/physical/mental problems will sound ‘too crazy’ ot ‘too strange’ I am no shrink, but I think it sounds like Obsesive Compulsive Desorder. Have you been to a psychiatrist? I am sure, he/she can tell you exactly what it is and help you overcome it. As you said, you are very young and have your whole life ahead of you, so get help and you’ll see how different life can be 
Rosita Welcoming Elizabeth to ASAP
Response:
hello My name’s Elisabeth. I’m 25, and from Toronto. After reading everyone else’s heartfelt messages I decided to write mine as well, in hopes someone can offer me some advice. My situation is very strange. I’ll try to be brief. I have literally become obsessed with my hair. I know it sounds crazy, but its true. When I get out of the shower and try to style it, it never looks right, which leads to massive panic attacks, and sometimes even agoraphobia. When I go out in public my neck is very stiff and tense, as I do not want to move my head around too much to upset my hair. I avoid situations like sleepovers, or weekend getaways with friends, because I can’t let anyone see the way my hair looks in the morning, or let them see me start to panic as I start to style my hair. If I have to go out, I spend between 1-3 hours on my hair, trying desperately to get it to look ‘normal’. It is seriously affecting many areas of my life. The hardest part is, trying to hide my problem from everyone. It is too humiliating for me to discuss this with anyone, for I’m afraid I will be laughed at, and ridiculed, and called vain. I can remember always being sensitive about my odd looking, frizzy hair, but only in the past 5 years or so did it really start affecting my life so severely. I’m an intelligent young person with many ambitions for my future, but I am constantly wrestling with the physical, (being so stiff all the time) and emotional (extremely low self esteem) problems that come along with having this crazy obsession. I have a feeling it might be Body Dismorphic Disorder, but I am not sure. Does anybody have any advice??
