Trichotillomania: Your Future Self Will Surprise You
Shankar Vedantam is renowned journalist and podcast host of the successful show 'The Hidden Brain’. In this highly recommended TED Talk, he introduces the theory of the 'Illusion of Continuity.' The concept suggests that we tend to create a seamless narrative for our future lives, often overlooking the many significant changes and transitions we will inevitably undergo.
The reflection that Shankar shares, where we may not just evolve, but change in transformative ways offers a useful fresh perspective on personal growth for those with the hair pulling condition, Trichotillomania.
Shankar's Illusion of Continuity
The premise of his talk is that it’s often easy to recognise that- today, we are not the same person that we were in the past, and in some cases, we are vastly different from our former selves. This is not a criticism of our younger versions, but a fact of life; we will change, and if we look back on our lives, chances are we can spot this clearly.
In contrast, when we look at the future, we forecast only minor internal shifts. However, the reality is our future selves will continue to surprise us. For those who struggle with hair-pulling conditions, and especially for those who have done so for many years, Shankar’s vision can be an interesting lens to view the world with. Our condition does not define our entire story. When we reflect back, we can recognise seismic shifts and changes in our lives which help us to accept that our identity isn't fixed to any single aspect, time or condition.
Similarly, in the future, times will be different. And so will aspects of our condition, such as: the interventions that are successful; the range of support offered; and the people we choose to confide in.
Shankar offers a framework of three pieces of guidance:
1) Be Curious: Accepting that change is a natural part of life, we can work towards becoming the architect of our future selves. Start curating this future now; if we accept that we will change our viewpoint and priorities in years to come, we can start building strong foundations in the present by stepping out of our comfort zone, broadening our horizons, meeting new people, and learning new skills.
2) Share Views with Humility: The future you will see things with a different and likely contrary perspective. We can acknowledge this change and prepare ourselves to feel it by not taking a binary viewpoint with each opinion shared, leaving room for future curiosity, understanding and adaptation.
3) Be Brave: When looking at opportunities and challenges, remember that what might not work for us today could be effective for us tomorrow. Our future selves will have the advantage of wisdom, and they would want us to grab opportunities and stretch ourselves when we can. Even if a treatment for Trichotillomania or a coping technique has not made an impact in the past, it doesn’t mean it will not in the future. Be open to these possibilities.
Shankar Vedantam's insights remind us that the future is unpredictable, and this is especially true when managing a condition like trichotillomania. By embracing this uncertainty and focusing on the present, we can build resilience and flexibility in our coping strategies.
Let's make this uncertainty and the endless possibilities a source of strength for managing our condition in the future.
