oo thanks for bringing up the sticker stuff. i never considered it, but i think i will now.

sending you positive vibes! hope you engage in a lot of healing and recentering activities that ward off your stress:) u deserve ur next sticker !

Thanks gulab! Very kind of you.

I DID get another sticker yesterday. And I'll get one today too dammit! :)

How does this sticker-motivation work ? :)

Generally using a calendar or drawing up a calendar for each month. My personal system is:
2-3 hairs pulled - smiley sticker
0 hairs pulled - star sticker
7 smiley &/or star stickers = small reward
7 star stickers = bigger reward
30 smiley &/or star stickers = even bigger reward
30 star stickers = biggest reward

SEEING your achievements in sticker form is super motivating. It's like an added reminder, something tangible. Try it!

Phew ok last night and today I've been on a major pulling spree. Mostly little easy to pull out hairs. EEEEEEEEEEEK. I think it's definitely a time of the month thing. Ack. I was perfect all day yesterday until I took off my bandaids late at night. Yeah.. That's a no no.

You got this, really, you do! Awesome work! Sticker motivation sounds wonderful to me...I even drew a bullseye with someone's name on it..., that made me laugh, simmering hands down to below shoulder level which is much safer for me!
Hugs!

I'm with you mideyebrow, laughter is the best medicine...Keeping things light and on the humorous side can be very therapeutic!
Confident, try going for a brisk walk when you feel like pulling- This changes the whole mood of a pulling spree, especially if your body is under tension of any kind. Hope you feel better soon.

Hmm funny shows are in order!

Thanks for the advice you two :)

I continued my pulling spree this morning but had the willpower to put on bandaids after about 10ish hairs pulled. Go me!

Yeah! You found the barriers- good job! How about those funny films? I like to experiment with myself- when a pulling episode sounds like a great thing to engage in...I like to get up from my comfort place and "change up the situation" and do something else in another room. Just get up from where ever you are and go do something else...Try it- Mess up that comfort zone!

Good idea :)

Eek I just realised I've been away for quite a while, a week actually.

Sorry, my mum had major surgery on wednesday so I've been at the hospital all day and night tues, wed and thurs, then every afternoon and evening fri, sat and sun. Exhausting. Got one sticker last week.

Am determined to get another sticker today. I will wear my barriers every single day if I have to.

You can do this. Hope your mum is doing well. Major surgery just takes out a lot of our reserve energry, so good for you with one sticker, and of course, you have the one we give you for inspiration!

Hugs, laughter, and tears because your sides ache from the sensations!

How is your family situation? I hope your mom is on the mend.
How are you doing? I hope you are staying strong!

She is doing well, still in the hospital, still in recovery, and will be for a while. Thanks for asking Nabby :)

And thanks Mid, yes I can definitely see it's taking a lot out of her.

Yesterday I almost got a sticker but forgot to wear my barriers to the hospital.

This morning I put my bandaids on after my shower and they won't come off until I go to bed. I'm so determined not to pull. And I have accepted barriers are the best way to achieve this at the moment. Today is May, a new month. I want 30 stickers. Yeah BIG goal. But if I wear my bandaids, it's achievable. And going by my system, this still allows me 3 hairs pulled a day if necessary.

I'm going to do this!

oh fark I just lost a post.

Wah. K I'll write again.

I just checked out my hair in detail in the mirror. I haven't done that in a while. Realised that the right side of my head is perfect, or at least 98% perfect. All hair grown in, all same length.

Left side, there is thinness and differing lengths to the top-front of the crown. There's a small section that's the right length, and the rest is varying lengths of very short to about 4cm. One thinnish patch.

It makes me feel very positive for some reason, that the damage is localised. It's also not as bad as I was making it out to be. Wet hair is definitely not my friend either! Even when my hair is fully grown in my hair when wet looks miserable! So I'll continue to check when it's dry every so often, but not when it's wet.

that sounds great! i'm glad that you're feeling positive about the growth.

Yes, its nice to see the growth! I feel the same with wet hair, it is hard to look at when wet because the damage is more noticeable. What I like to do is comb out then go outside in the sun and let it dry- then tie it up with a clip so as not to play with it. I think the more we obsess about the hair the more apt we are going to feel the need to pull- its better to ignore it and keep hand off.
Hope you are doing well....