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TLC
Lori Broady, right, who says she is addicted to sleeping with her blow dryer, stands with her sister, Tawni Abplanalp.
Joan Raymond writes: Most of us use our hair dryers to, well, dry our hair. But Lori Broady, 31, turns the dryer on, sticks it in her bed, and falls asleep to the soothing sound of hot air. She’s been doing this every night since she was 8 years old, despite knowing she may burn herself or start a fire. This, of course, raises the question: Why doesn’t she just buy a fan if she needs a little noise to fall asleep? Turns out, it's not that simple.
Broady appears on the new TLC 12-part series, "My Strange Addiction," which premieres Dec. 29 at 9 p.m. Also featured are folks with other extreme behaviors like thumb sucking, toilet paper eating, "tanorexia" and even a guy in a relationship with a silicone doll.
What’s clear is that it’s not easy being human. And unlike some creatures that simply run in circles to self-soothe (if you’ve ever owned a Jack Russell Terrier, you know what I mean) humans can be very creative in our attempts to control our lives and relieve stress. “Nothing (people do) surprises me,” says psychologist Jason Elias, Ph.D., director of psychological services and clinical research at McLean Hospital’s OCD Institute.
You don’t need to be a Freudian scholar to know that some of these seemingly odd behaviors have a lot do with early childhood experiences and other factors that may make a person associate a behavior or object as pleasurable. But no matter what your addiction -- heroin, cheeseburgers or silicone dolls -- “the biology is the same,” with the brain releasing a little squirt of dopamine in anticipation of the reward, explains psychoanalyst Mike Dow, co-host of TLC’s "Freaky Eaters." The more a person begins to associate pleasure with a specific behavior, the more they want. Self-soothing is a problem -- and can even be considered an addiction -- when it’s self-injurious, affects relationships and interferes with a person’s ability to function.
It’s important to remember that self-soothing strategies, of the non-extreme variety, are actually pretty common. So the next time you’re in a meeting, look around and see if your colleagues are twirling their hair, clicking a pen, or rubbing a pant leg (hopefully their own). All of these behaviors are self-soothing, says Elias, “but we consider them more acceptable than sucking on a thumb.” Or, for that matter, taking a silicone doll out to dinner.
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What guy doesn't like to aim the blow dryer at their sack? Very relaxing
LOL - I've busted my husband doing that more than once....
A guy from Wisconsin, (figures) who used to work with me, told me he was in LOVE with his vacuum cleaner. He had a very bizarre ritual. I don't like to think about it.
Let me take a wild guess and say this girl is single.
These people have adopted unusual "self-soothers," not meant to be sexually arousing or exciting, but rather to induce release of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin into their brains to calm themselves.
A more typical self-soother is thumb-sucking. Other common methods are clinging to a blanky, pacifiers, repetitive behaviors like rocking, eating comfort foods, using alcohol or drugs, and having rituals (e.g. bath and a story before bedtime). Masturbation is also a widely used method.
The people in these stories have just adopted strange, and sometimes dangerous, self-soothing routines. If their methods are harmful, then a doctor could recommend antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, counseling, or habit replacers.
Well said. They also call it Self Stimulating (Steming is what we call it at home) It is seen alot with kids that have Autisum
HEY MAN...if you've got some sort of a problem with my sweet silicon doll-baby, it's only because you haven't met her yet. Give her a fair chance, will ya?
She wouldn't be so much of a problem if you cleaned her more often.
Is it weird that I use the same toothbrush on my teeth AND to scrub & clean my chocolate starfish???
A toothbrush, really? Ouch!
I really..really hope that we're not thinking of the same kind of starfish :(
Chocolate Starfish.....HA!
Does your chocolate starfish have teeth? Have you considered an electric toothbrush?
wtaylor: Ha ha ha !!!! Nice !! Eeewwwww......"chocolate starfish" is a phrase you don't hear much on these posts.....thank you.
UGH!
BTW...that's not chocolate.
They are going to have a woman that likes to eat laundry soap. Is that even safe?
I don't know, but I imagine she has the cleanest toilet in town ;)
The articles states that the girl slept with the blow dryer since she was 8. Who lets their child sleep with a hair dryer at 8 or at any point for that matter?
Parenting problem. They have been enabling her. Big mistake.
Like I always say, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to give birth. Have you ever warches the show "Cops". A great example of really good parents. Ha!
Thank you Mommy1. That's exactly the point I was thinking of. This addiction had to start somewhere and it had to be with some sort of parental complicity if she started doing this at age 8.
Anyone knocking the hairdryer thing should GET A LIFE. I would bet that your "parenting skills" are LOUSY!! And your opinions are worse yet!! She is hurting no one. Live and let live. Try telling me what I can or cannot do with my hairdryer, fan, etc. and I will make it fit somewhere you won't want it. Now go back to watching soap opras and feeding your fat judgemental face. :)
Nowadays you need a degree to work in childcare. How humankind every survived without our modern techniques, I'll never know. Imagien childbirth without Lamaze or any kind of sedation? Women have nursed their infants since the beginning of our time, but now they have to make a big issue of it, when it's only natural! Childbirth has been natural for a million years, givo or take.
It's experts that confuse every issue that ever comes up. Turn off the expert button and use common sense.
will, FYI leaving a hair dryer on can burn you. My stepdad wouldn't even let me let a hairdryer touch towels or anything "flammable." It's a fair concern as to why parents would let their kids sleep with something IN their bed that could burn (you know, like HARM THEM) or even start a fire. Two months ago my hair dryer cord exploded while I was using it, causing sparks that would have probably made a fire had it been laying in my blankets. If she had it sitting out and running as opposed to IN HER BED, I don't think people would be saying what they are saying. Why are you knocking concerned people? Your comment was over the line, unnecessary, and part of the douche trend we are seeing nowadays. Screw you.
Perhaps that is why she started sleeping with a hair dryer........because her parents weren't "good". It is possible that she was very cold at night, they didn't have heat or didn't give her blankets. It is really hard to tell. I think we should find out the whole story before we make any assumptions.
unfortunately it has now manifested itself into some type of paranoid scytzophrenia (sp?). It is obvious that she needs help. Hope someone can help her.
But she's GOING to hurt herself. I cite the "burn herself or start a fire" comment in the article. And a fire? That could hurt other people.
My boyfriend's mother (note that I said my BOYFRIEND, since some knuckle-dragger assumed that this girl/woman must be single) made me read this because "it's about you". I have, on many occasions, slept with a blow dryer in my bed on my feet because I am always cold, and the blow dryer somehow has the perfect amount of heat. Yes, it is dangerous, because I have two round, dime-sized scars, one on each leg, from where I've had blisters on my skin from putting my leg against the blow dryer while sleeping. However, I am not psychologically dysfunctional just because I have cold tootsies, and this person doesn't necessarily have a problem. Psychology makes things seem a lot bigger than they are because it's a science that focuses on the tiny things and what they mean, but it's really only for the people who are competent enough to delve into it. Otherwise, judgemental ___holes think they know everything and that everyone but them is mentally unstable or underdeveloped.
You burned yourself TWICE?
Come on Will! Common sense will tell you that having a hair drier in bed is a dangerous thing to do. Can you imagine letting an eight year old put an electric fan in bed with them? A hair drier is much much more dangerous. They are not meant to blow for hours and hours at a time on a continuous basis.
Yeah, you're not psychologically dysfunctional even though you have twice burned your leg and found dime-sized blisters. Have you thought about wearing clothes to bed? I also heard that helps, but I am no expert.
Perhaps a pair of socks rather than Russian Roulette with your hair dryer?
But, oh no, nothing wrong with you though.
I've heard that bedwarmers and electric blankets have been invented, can anyone confirm?
Put some socks on, for heaven's sake
Aunyx, have you ever had a doctor check you out for Reynuad's disease? persistently cold feet and/or hands is a main symptom. and seriously, have you tried using an electric lap blanket on your feet and legs at night? much safer. also try soaking your feet in warm water for 10-15 minutes right before going to bed. the chances of you waking up with the bed on fire are very real, and your boyfriend's mom might just be scared to death that her son might end up burned to death while he sleeps.
maybe it is just my dryer but if you leave it on too long or it doesn't get enough air (being covered by something) but it shuts off
I have the same problem with cold feet, and have found a heating pad work great.
I just began to use a hair dryer in bed. I use it as a new modern type of the old Brass Kettle and wooden handle "Bed Warmer" of yesteryear when folks put hot coals in the brass kettle and moved it around under the sheets before they or their children got into bed. I get into bed and pick it up off the floor and run it for about 20 to 30 seconds and slide it off and lay it down onthe floor again. Its impossible to fal asleep with it on and why would anyone want to do so anyway. I have had no problem. I had the "chills" a few times and I took the hair dryer to bed to warm myself up and thats exactly what it did. All you need to do is to raise the bed sheets up with your knees and run the hair dryer for less than a minute and your bed will be toasty warm.
Good grief are you serious. We really need a sarcasm font for these posts so I can tell when someone is joking. I just picture a man (your name is John) with the "chills" and a hairdryer in bed and bust out laughing. I don't believe it for a second. Sorry.
Did you even read the article?
Its a lot safer than using an electric blanket which emanates an electric field all night long and may be implicated in the development of leukemia. You only need to use the hair dryer for less than a minute , then put it back on the floor. Of course it helps if you have a down comforter as I do.
You shouldn't be giving risk advice....first you say it is a "lot" safer (yet you have no safety/risk data on either risk..do you), then you say""maybe implicated" except it is not (electric blankets). The hair dryer also has magnetic fields...life has been, is, and will be full of electromagnetic fields...they are your friends :)
Consider the situation.....billions of people exposed to electro fields every day (including natural ones)...and no correlation in spite of decades (or hundreds of years) of exposure to billions of people...sometimes being practical works.
Just saying, anything electric ....has an electric field...absolutely anything....take some physics. That includes the earth itself.
Every electrical device has an electrical field not to mention a magnetic field. Yikes, the earth has a giant magnetic field. Will someone buy me a rocket to go to ---whatever planet has no field.
John 383321: I hear ya! It's a good way to keep the sheets warm.
And to the other John... blowing a little hot air on the covers will not kill anyone, as long as it is only for a few seconds and then it is turned off.
John maybe you should buy yourself some long JOHNS :-)
I guess they never heard of hot water bottles or white noise generators. A little less likely to catch fire.
This kind of mixing of real news and the National Inquirer stuff on the same web page makes me think that indeed something is wrong with our democracy. Is it time to hand the keys back to the monarchy?
And what does this have to do with anything?
Um... Guess that's why we live in a REPUBLIC....
God help monarchies. It's the most insane form of government there is. Happily there are no absolute monarchies any more. Imagine some with a giant ego taking almost all that you earn, forcing you to fight in wars of succession, territorial expansion, or religion--and expecting you to bow down ot him or her and thanking him or her for booting you in the fundament.
we do not live in a democracy and we do not live in a REPUBLIC, we live in a plutocracy where people with money make all of the decisions
Plutocracy...yep...I agree! Interesting word! Isn't North Korea like a monarchy?
To those who sleep with the blow dryer for the warmth why don't you just go buy a elec sheet that goes under your regular sheet that heats up. They are a little expensive and if you can't afford that just put elec blanket under your sheet. it does the same thing and you can get one for around $20 or $30. It's alot safer.
good one, god
god, could you call me I have a couple of questions...
Wait a sec ... god is touting Evolution?
<head explodes>
I like to eat my toilet paper after I wipe my rubber dolls ass with it.
hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!! that was funny chris kramer.. :-)
That's not an addiction, it's just a stupid habit.
Chris.
You need more than help...You need about 10 minutes on the business end of a bull whip
Rolling Laughter plastic man!
Like I always say, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to give birth.
Barbara knows what time it is...of the two organ systems needed to create a child....brains are not one of them. I say this show should bring the parents on and they can discuss why they let their 8 year old daughter use a crude electric heating device surrounded by pounds of cotton bedding and sheets.
Unfortunately Dr. Spock has ruined more lives than almost anyone else in NA with his advice to indulge your child.
Let me guess, Henry. You never actually read Dr. Spock's famous book on child rearing, did you? If you had, you would know that he did not recommend indulging a child. That idiocy came along several years after the book.
Maybe, we are all a little odd in some shape or form HMMMMM!
They used to say microwaves would alter your mind, too. I suppose this means I don't use any electric appliance at all, if you follow the various pundits.
Of course I don't use a hairdryer on my hair, when it dries naturally in five minutes or so. If you are in a hurry, don't wash your hair--just brush some corn flour through it. if you don't have time to dry your hair and use a blow dryer, you will be the one using the cell phone and drinking coffee while driving.
I can see it might be dangerous to leave a hair dryer on all night. This woman needs to find a substitute white noise maker, if she does need it. I can imagine what her "social life" is like.
Why did the parents encourage her in this silly vice, anyway?
It is not safer! If I'm not mistaken, she keeps the hair dryer on for more than a minute. She keeps it on while she sleeps! That is very dangerous!
Seems very dangerous. fire hazard, child endangerment, etc. I have to fall asleep to the tv with remote in hand. not as dangerous.
i think that the tv remote is a lot safer then a hair dryer but i do believe that maybe if she had a different thing to replace that addiction it would be ok....i hope she gets help.....im praying for her
She should use her hairdryer in the bathtub... it would cure her of her "addiction".
No wonder the psychiatrist's and pharmaceutical companies are doing sooo well these days. (This may also include some people here. If u think it may pertain 2 u then it probably does.....) Dont bother replying, Im outta this nut house...
If you want to make serious money, try to take over some small pharmaceutical company, if you can.
The profits are so huge that the majority of shares are owned by on person or family in the bigger companies. For a pill that costs 10 cents to make, they probably make $4 or $5. Sure, they have to so some research but do we need ten or twenty kinds of drugs that do the same thing?
Psychoanalysts don't do anything but let you spout off for years while not even giving eye contact. No one is ever cured, since that wd mean the end of fees.
Hey, I can do that too, and I will only charge you $30 an hour.
Did you hear the one about the bedwetter? He finally told his wife he was cured, after years of psychoanalysis. They went out and celebrated. In the small hours his wife woke up when a stream of
urine drenched her nighty. "You told me you were cured!" she fumed. "I am."--Then why are you
still peeing in bed!--I am cured; I no longer feel guilty about bedwetting.
Can I have your stuff?
TLC needs to change it's name from The Learning Channel to CSC, the Circus Sideshow Channel. Seriously, are they not the television version of The National Enquirer?
Why doesn't someone just take that damn hair dryer away from her an keep her in a safe place until she gets over it???
Oh wait... there's something called false imprisonment... and something called civil rights... Damn!
It's the sign of a sick society that our most important goals are to be politically correct, fear all minorities, and walk around with paranoia about terrorism day and night. Is there any more effective way for countries who are belligerent to demoralize their enemies than to make every one afraid of his or her own shadow?
She apparently has bigger issues from her childhood. Maybe the show will help her with those issues. Shame on you all for being so rude and nasty. Isn't this a time of year we are supposed to be kind to one another. We all have issues big or small. Would you want someone to belittle you because of it? Also commenting on others peoples comments making them feel stupid isn't how we as a society should behave. It is why this generation is so messed up.
I see your point Greenfalls, except for there is no "special" time of year we should be kind to each other. We should all be doing that the whole year round.
yeah...wouldnt that be great!
weirdos!
Introduce her to an electric blanket.
She needs to lay off drying her hair with one too. Her hair is so damaged!!
She should use a toaster. It has an auto shut-off.
not if her addiction is to hold down the toaster button to keep the heat on.
Sounds like a law suit to me.
My wife was also addicted to her blow dryer, she wouldn't take it to bed, but she would used excessibly after very shower, today she is almost bald, she has managed to damage her once beatiful mane beyon repair, I kept telling her to dry as much she could with a towel and just let the rest dry it self naturally, but it just went in one ear and out the other, not only did she continue to burn her scalp, she tinted her hair on a frequent bases, if I ever get a hold of the hair stylist I will drill him a new one, but then again I know is not his fault, the guy or chick has to make a living by making the customers happy even while they're destroying themselves........
Your wife had a mane?
His "wife" was actually a male lion.
I once, as a child, thought to myself.."why is that frisbee getting bigger".....then it hit me
Hahaha!
hahahahaha good one
LOL! Very funny!