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15 Fidget Toys From BuzzFeed

| July 11, 2017

BuzzFeed has a great list of fidget toys that includes some you may already be aware of (fidget cube, tangles and spinners). I have some of them already actually but others I just need now! My favorites?

2. Fidget Dice

It’s like a fidget cube only with a more fun color palette. And a few different fidget mechanisms because it has 9 sides!

11. Fidget Pen

Sure I can use a free pen (thanks TD Bank) or a 25 cent pen rather than this fidget pen for $24. But I like the idea of having a bunch of other fidget tricks in a pen. The downside? Losing it like I lose all my TD Bank pens.

I also like the Monkey Ring, mostly because of the name. And texture.

The Parental Connection and BFRBs

| July 9, 2017

For people with BFRBs, having a supportive person in their life can make all the difference when in recovery. Parents, in particular, can be important parts of that support. Gessie Perez, an online trich advocate, writes in The Mighty about how her relationship with her mother helped her with recovery.

In particular, I really liked that she travelled to the TLC Conference to meet others in person. In particular, Gessie writes that listening to her mother speak about her experiences was an eye-opener:

Three years ago we were at a workshop for trichotillomania and related behaviors. My mom shared with the group that she felt a loss of my hair like she lost a part of her daughter — that her daughter was known for being the one with the beautiful curly hair, and for me to go from that to having bald spots was really painful to watch. I was sitting right beside her and I teared up when she said that. It was the first time I was hearing that; I didn’t know she had felt that way. However, it allowed me to see things from her perspective. I realized then that this was just as hard on her and she had her own struggles and emotions in dealing with this as a parent.

Yes, parents and other loves ones are struggling alongside those with BFRBs. It can be tortuous to witness a loved one who is picking their skin or pulling their hair compulsively. And not be able to do much about it.

It makes me wonder: What kind of help can parents give to children who suffer from BFRBs? Clearly being supportive and positive are important. What else can they do? How do you want to receive support?

OCD Linked to Brain Inflammation

| June 29, 2017

According to a new study, inflammation in the brain may be a factor with people who have OCD.  Researchers studied brain imaging from patients with and without OCD and found that people with OCD had more inflammation.

The results were clear: in the brain regions associated with OCD, individuals with the disorder had 32 percent more inflammation when compared with people without the condition.

It sounds promising for those with BFRBs since it is believed that BFRBs are related to OCD.

Slay Girl Society Interviews Woman About Trich

| June 28, 2017

Slay Girl Society has a pretty good article and interview with a woman called Kala who suffers from trich. From the article:

Because of the stigma around the disorder, people often call those with trich “crazy” or they don’t respect them or treat them as “lesser”. But Kala emphasizes that trichotillomania has nothing to do with intelligence, mental capacity or the ability to deal with stressful situations. “I am capable of living a full and successful life.”