Passion Project
Trichotillomania
How it Started
At ten years old, I began struggling with a disorder called Trichotillomania. It is a mental disorder where you have the desire to pull out your own hair. At first, I felt alone, lost, and scared. Since that time, I have learned some coping skills to help me. This journey has in no way been easy. I have had good days and bad ones, however, through this process, I have learned that more than anything I want to help others. Many have asked me, "What would you say to your ten year old self?" In response, I wrote about my experience with Trich. Read my full story here.
Pics
The Project
To represent the difficulties that I have faced, I decided to create a piece of art made entirely out of hair. I contacted HairClub, a company that donates free wigs to children struggling with hair loss due to Cancer, Alopecia, and Trich. They gave me several samples of hair.
To track my progress and help bring awareness to Trichotillomania, I created an Instagram Account. Check it out here.
My Next Project
My vision for this project has shifted into something new. I want to start knitting again. To give some context, around the time that I was really struggling with Trich, I learned how to knit. Knitting kept my hands busy and away from my eyes. It was a way for me to replace the negative behavior with a positive one. For my next project, I want to knit a blanket. This will help me keep my hands busy in times where I am feeling overwhelmed and anxious. It will continue to revolve around a topic that is so important to me, and also bring positivity and light to others by showing that they can overcome those hard things that they are battling.
