Category: Neural Pathways
What is Peace?
After two-plus years of instrospective soul-searching, I think I have determined that my heart and mind are ultimately yearning desperately for peace. At the end of every neural pathway, be it trichotillomania, food addiction, shopping, alcohol, spiritual flagellation, or simple control-freakiness, is a sense of relief, be it ever so momentary, from my fear and anxiety. I often equate “peace” … read more
And then there was JOY
So many wonderful things have happened since I last sat down to write. Its been forever and a day, I know, but its only because I’ve been so busy and, I suppose, content. The 18 month anniversary of the great head-shaving incident is upon us, and amazingly, I am still not pulling out my hair. … read more
Just Breathe
On December 13, six months after shaving my head, I wrote about the meditation practice I use to get past the urge to pull out my hair. Step One: Close my eyes Step Two: Breathe Deeply… Little did I know that just one month later this would become a virtually impossible task. My workplace is … read more
183 Days
Close eyes Breathe deeply Relax your neck, shoulders, arms, legs… Ask the question: Why do I want to pull out that hair? Its been six months since I shaved my head, and I find myself becoming more and more aware of the physical need to pull my hair out. When I go too long between … read more
It’s My Prerogative to Change My Mind!
In very simple terms, because I need as many one syllable words as possible to understand science-y stuff, here’s how the brain forms neural pathways. (I borrowed all of this information from the link below, because they did such an amazing job of putting this in terms even my non-math/science brain was able to understand.) … read more
It’s a Jungle In There
I’d all but given up hope on ever overcoming trichotillomania, but as I listened to that man talk about neural pathways and porn, I knew I’d discovered a piece of the puzzle. Rick and I were mentors in a premarital counseling group. We, along with other long-time married folks, were paired up with soon-to-be wed … read more