By Anonymous - 05/04/2013 11:23 - Australia - Mackay

Today, I regretfully confessed to my parents I have trichotillomania. There was a torturous pause, followed by the question, "Are you gay?" FML
I agree, your life sucks 34 920
You deserved it 5 085

Same thing different taste

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Hold on while I google trichotillomania...

OP get some help for that! It's not good for your hair, it's pretty gross darn gross, and it's not very appealing for anyone to see! For those of you who are wondering: Trichotillomania- is the compulsive urge to pull out (and in some cases, eat) one's own hair leading to noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment

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carleybeak 21

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"I guess it's true what they say: Big feet... big rocket propulsion."

I must admit, though, that I'm surprised that NASA lets you play footsie with their giant, heaving payloads like that all day. Just gotta watch out for that re-entry!

You're no longer talking about my foot are you. Backstory: Alan laughs like cartoon characters while exercising his Admin privileges.

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Can we count rasta dreads as a single hair? We'll be getting closer to the difference through that.

He's got himself by the short and curlies...

Hold on while I google trichotillomania...

OP get some help for that! It's not good for your hair, it's pretty gross darn gross, and it's not very appealing for anyone to see! For those of you who are wondering: Trichotillomania- is the compulsive urge to pull out (and in some cases, eat) one's own hair leading to noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment

stevenJB 25

I kinda had an obsession to tear my hair out when I was in 3rd grade but I stopped. Thank god I did

My obsession to rip out my hair seems to only have a direct relation to my co-workers stupidity when I have to deal with it. :P

I'm sure OP was just doing it because they heard it was healthy. *headdesk*

ElementaryEdGuy 18

I pull out my eye lashes and rub their tips against my face.

TheRandomIndian 17

I pull out my pubes and rub them on your face

I agree OP needs help, but for themselves rather than because their disorder bothers other people. I have a related issue and trust me, we know its unattractive. It's humiliating and just as hard to quit as a drug addiction.

I'm not totally sure this is getting down votes. I thought it was pretty damn funny...

Trichotillomania is not like pulling out your hair because of frustration or just for the hell of it. It's classified as an Impulse Control Disorder in the DSM-IV, which in case you don't know, is the bible of Psychological Disorders. These people literally cannot resist the urge to pull out their hair and feel extremely guilty afterwards. Luckily, it can usually be controlled by a combination of talk therapy, SSRIs (type of drug), and in some cases, medical marijuana.

You don't have to call him gross. It's something they can't control. I have a friend who has it (but doesn't eat it) and she hates herself for it so try not to give someone more negative thoughts.

I used to twirl and pull my hair out. But I'd pull right behind my ears so I never noticed a problem. Until one day my mom noticed I had bald spots behind both ears. I didn't even notice it was getting that bad. I wore gloves all summer. And baseball caps. If you can keep your hands away from your hair it'll help. Won't fix it. But you'll have a harder time yanking it out.

Bing? Is that some form of Ancient Egyptian technology?

I really hope you manage to get past this. I know it's very hard to treat, like all impulse disorders but hopefully you'll get better! I know this won't help much but tell yourself that, as hard as recovery is, you'll never regret. It'll be as if you were a new, happier you! (:

Had the exact same problem in almost the exact same spots, as well as along my part. I bought some putty to play with, seems to have helped quite a bit.

EthanTheStrange 4

I pull out my eyelashed but Ive never done that!

How does pulling out your own hair make you gay?

narkill 13

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To be fair, 6. I wouldn't have known what it was if not for everyone here contributing and explaining exactly what it is. OP's parents may have been out on the spot and regrettably assumed what it meant.

Sounds like you don't play wikipedia shuffle enough.

Don't be a douche. Retarded does not mean stupid. And you are very shallow and STUPID to even use the word in a derogatory way

You fed the trolls. Don't feed the trolls.

I always thought the stereotype was that gay men had longer hair. Sounds like your parents are just very confused.

redmane 21

I've heard metal heads, hippies, 80's rockers. I don't think I've ever heard someone say that gay men usually have longer hair.

Like +2 I accidentally disliked -.- cannot change on iPhone

7- Amusing stereotype, but my brother's gay, and he shaves his head down to the skin. ;P

I don't blame you for this one. Many people believe that any feminine features on a man is an indication of homosexuality. I can see where you got the long hair/gay thing.

My friend is gay and has really short hair.

perdix 29

My dear perdix stupidity happens every day, if it only happens on Friday the 13th this beloved sight would be pointless

perdix 29

I was trying to say they confused his condition with "triskaidekaphobia," but that might have not been widely understood. To those who got it without this explanation, good on ya!

SHAMUS_the_WITTY 18

37 >Complains about stupidity >Misspells the word "site" >We must conclude that the pot is calling the kettle black.

@ myself feels like an idiot because didn't realize site was auto corrected.

Ross from "Friends" thought it was the fear of triscuts.

Why didn't you just say what the problem was rather than saying the name (which not everyone knows) then pausing? No wonder they didn't know what to say.

I concur. I had to look it up as I didn't know the name. It's like me going up to people and spouting off that I have misophonia so please don't eat around me. No one knows what misophonia is unless you have it! Why would people know what trichotillomania is??

#51 I agree. Unfortunately I have trich. I compulsively pull at my eyelashes. And I have misophonia too. My dad chews with his mouth open and I have to avoid slapping him every night at dinner.

True, but when you read/hear a word you don't know, does yoir mind go straight to "It must mean gay"?

RedPillSucks 31

misophonia: When you lose your phone and can no longer do everyday seemingly simply tasks.

109- so would Erectile Dysfunction be gotnobonia?

#59 My husband is a super loud eater and breather, needless to say we eat with the TV on and usually pretty loud lol. Sorry to hear you have both, I couldn't imagine having the compulsion to pull my hair out :(

#109, no, my mind wouldn't, and maybe yours wouldn't, but who's to say how other people's minds interpret things. Maybe they were already suspicious that OP was gay and thought this was his way of coming out of the closet. I am an avid reader and enjoy expanding my vocabulary, but unfortunately, most people do not share my view on it so I don't go walking around trying to sound like a thesaurus, and if I do let one slip I don't berate the person for not understanding me.

That's a horrible compulsion, please get professional help. I rip my eyelashes out it's a battle everyday not to.

I do that, too. It's awfully hard to avoid doing. I have to consciously remind myself that I can't and won't let myself pull my eyelashes out. I've had it for 5 years.

Wow, your post just made me realize I have the same compulsion! I never noticed it before but I pull out my eyelashes as well as my eyebrow hairs. Every day, several times a day.

9lashes 15

Eyelashes? Doesnt that hurt???? Dx

I'll pull a nosehair out every now and then if one gets unruly. THAT is pain, my friends.

I hear ya I gotta pluck one nose hair that tries to grow into my moustache so gotta do it -.-

I compulsively pulled my eyelashes out for over two years. It took a lot of work but I was finally able to move past it. I thought I had a handle on the trich. until I realized recently that I have begun to compulsively picking my legs. I am trying to stop but everyday is a struggle though it has gotten much better once I acknowledged the problem.

I did that to my eyebrows :/ I've forced myself to stop though :D now just to stop doing it to my eyelashes.....