Able and Disabled

TW: Trichotillomania, Hair Loss, Anxiety Hello All! As it does for many, this period marks the beginning of exam season for me. I don't really talk about trichotillomania as a separate or independent, partially due to the fashion in which I was diagnosed and partially because for me personally my trich is closely related to my anxiety disorder. Trichotillomania is an incredibly complex and misunderstood condition. Translated as 'hair madness' is normally seen as quite manic or purposeful behaviour. For me sometimes it is. Sometimes when I am particularly stressed or overwhelmed I have a need to pull and it can seem quite aggressive. However, the majority of the time my trich is just me sitting at my desk with my hand in my hair (p.s. sorry but also not sorry if you ever sit next to me in the library and the table ends up covered in hair). For me playing with my hair has always been a comfort, as a child I would constantly be chewing on or fiddling with my hair. When I

Hi! My name is Freya and I am currently a 19 year old university student studying in London. Tibetan, part of my degree, is my main love and if you ever meet me I will most probably want to teach you how to say "There are many yaks in Tibet"in Tibetan (btw it's བོད་ལ་གཡག་མང་པོ་ཡོད་རེད།།). Beyond my studies I have many other interests including photography, drag and of course my eternal love for Elton John! I am a complete human with many passions but I am also someone who has always strongly identified with the word 'disabled.' Disabilities and other diagnosable challenges have had a constant presence in my life. Over the last 17 years I have been diagnosed with a handful of things, all at different points in my life, namely mild cerebral palsy, mild hearing loss, anxiety and most recently dyslexia. This is not to say that I am defined by these words or any diagnosis, as I have made evident I am much more than my medical complications. However, many of these thi