Article: You may be playing with your hair without realizing it. If you are trying to change a behavior you must stay present and aware of all your behaviors. You have prepared yourself to make a change and now you have the opportunity to follow through with your intent and gain confidence. Slowing down and limiting the number of tasks you try to simultaneously perform will help you improve your awareness. Tell yourself things like, "Okay now, remember I am wide awake and paying attention and I'm not going to play with my hair." Set a start date and identify all the action steps you will be taking to stop your habit. A well-laid plan will increase the likelihood of your success. You will have goals to achieve and ways to accomplish them. Don't leave anything up to guess work. You know what you want, and if you don't know how to get it, you can and will figure it out. Realize that playing with your hair is a common affliction, but it may have developed into an addiction. Most behaviors are measured on a continuum, which ranges from slight to moderate to severe addiction. If playing with your hair has become an uncontrollable habit that causes problems in your personal life, then perhaps it's time to do something about it. Although you should rely upon a professional to render an official diagnosis, you can evaluate your behaviors and decide the level of care and action you would like to take. There may be instances when others may disagree with you and want you to take stronger action. On one end of the scale, you find mild cases that resolve on their own or require simple strategies to stop the habit. On the other end of the scale are conditions such as trichotillomania, a disorder that involves repeatedly pulling your hair out from your head, eyebrows or eyelashes. This extreme condition can leave a person with bald spots and skin irritations that interfere with daily life. This would affirm that you have an addiction and definitely need help to control or eliminate the behavior. Extreme hair playing is oftentimes associated with other disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression and anxiety. It may be necessary to seek treatment for these other conditions, which may result in solving your hair playing addiction. There are multiple resources available to you through groups such as, the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association. Help is available and could be the best thing you've ever done for yourself. Introspection is the process of directly attempting to access your own internal processes. When you figure out how and why you react the way you do to people and things around you, you will solve many personal struggles. Only you can do the work that it takes to find the answers to these questions. Analysis can be difficult, but it can put you on a clear path toward change. Getting the help you need is a brave and courageous thing to do. It will contribute to your desire to live a full and happy life. With the right tools, you can make that happen. Every small success and large success is an accomplishment, and represents that change is happening. Identify those things that you find rewarding so you will be ready to celebrate. When you enjoy the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of your hard work, it will motivate you to continue. If you make it successfully through a particular event that would normally cause you to play with your hair, congratulate yourself. Even the smallest change is important to recognize.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Stay alert and aware of your behaviors. Design a plan for change. Determine the level of your affliction and need for help. Seek professional help if you are struggling with making a change. Reward yourself when your plan is working.