Strollerderby

Dude, my parents cut my hair so short I couldn't chew it... I was mad as heck at the time but I guess it wasn't such a bad call!

Who chews their hair?! What a disgusting thing to do. Ick. I am soooooo grossed out.

It's a OCD spectrum disorder called tricotillomania. It's not something that people CHOOSE to do, but much like the obsessive hand-washing or counting, it's very difficult to control, even with medications and counseling.

Some scientists believe that tricotillomania is caused by a haywire grooming gene. That would mean that it is something that a hair-puller/chewer is BORN with, and last I checked gene therapy is still in early stages and there isn't a whole lot one can do if the sufferer has a particularly intense case.

Yes, it's disturbing and not "normal" but it's usually beyond a child's (let alone an adult's) control and a little less humor at someone's unfortunate circumstances would be more in line than calling someone gross or making fun of them.

So try not to be so narrow-minded and hurtful, maybe?

If I hear of a child chowing down on her hair and in the process accumulating a hair ball large enough to kill her I will respond in disgust. It is perhaps a sad thing this tricotillomania but unfortunately a very nasty sad thing that does nothing to stroke my sensitivity button. I just find it funky.