Gessie M. Perez
Hi, my name is Gessie! I am 25 years old.
At the age of 11, I began pulling out my hair. Soon after, I found out that this was called trichotillomania (trich), a compulsive disorder classified as a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB). When I was 14, I also started plucking my eyebrows. Due to the hair loss that resulted from repeated pulling, I felt immense shame at first. I lived in secrecy and felt alone and isolated. At 16 years old, I attended my first conference for people with BFRBs. Meeting others who understood what I was experiencing was life changing. It helped me shed all my shame and I learned to love myself unconditionally, no matter what my hair looks like. I came out of hiding and started sharing my story. I have gone through everything from wearing wigs and hairpieces, to short pixie cuts, to even shaving my head completely bald. I believe that recovery is a journey, not a destination, and is about progress, not perfection. More than the growth of my hair, I have made remarkable personal growth, and have achieved so many things beyond my wildest dreams.
In addition to trichotillomania, I also live with bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. I don't think there should be any shame in saying that, and I hope that by sharing my story I can challenge some of the stigma around mental health that unfortunately still persists in our society. Thus, I have become very passionate about advocating for mental health and BFRBs, and I want to help as many people as I can. Although life with mental illness isn't easy, I am thankful, in a way, for having these conditions, because they've allowed me to find my voice and have given me a platform to connect with others.
At the age of 11, I began pulling out my hair. Soon after, I found out that this was called trichotillomania (trich), a compulsive disorder classified as a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB). When I was 14, I also started plucking my eyebrows. Due to the hair loss that resulted from repeated pulling, I felt immense shame at first. I lived in secrecy and felt alone and isolated. At 16 years old, I attended my first conference for people with BFRBs. Meeting others who understood what I was experiencing was life changing. It helped me shed all my shame and I learned to love myself unconditionally, no matter what my hair looks like. I came out of hiding and started sharing my story. I have gone through everything from wearing wigs and hairpieces, to short pixie cuts, to even shaving my head completely bald. I believe that recovery is a journey, not a destination, and is about progress, not perfection. More than the growth of my hair, I have made remarkable personal growth, and have achieved so many things beyond my wildest dreams.
In addition to trichotillomania, I also live with bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. I don't think there should be any shame in saying that, and I hope that by sharing my story I can challenge some of the stigma around mental health that unfortunately still persists in our society. Thus, I have become very passionate about advocating for mental health and BFRBs, and I want to help as many people as I can. Although life with mental illness isn't easy, I am thankful, in a way, for having these conditions, because they've allowed me to find my voice and have given me a platform to connect with others.
I am so much more than my disorders though, so I would like to share a bit about who I am as a person beyond my conditions.
I have two older sisters and a younger brother, and I am an aunt to a niece and a nephew. I am a dog mama to a 3 year old hairless Chinese Crested named Princess. I also have four other dogs I live with who are my family's, as well as two aquatic turtles. I have the most loving and supportive fiancé, Richard.
Upon graduating high school, I very briefly attended community college, but it just wasn't for me and I subsequently dropped out. Soon thereafter, I found my niche in life to be working with kids. Since 2019, I have worked as a respite care and community habilitation specialist for children with developmental disabilities, including autism and cerebral palsy. I care for these individuals in their homes and work with them on life skills and achieving their goals. I work with multiple clients and I love my jobs! I have previously volunteered at my parish's school as a classroom aide in nursery and Pre-K classes. And for six years, I taught religious education classes for first graders at my church.
I love to travel, even by myself, and I have taken several solo trips. It's always fun exploring new places and I feel a sense of freedom and independence. My favorite places I have been to are California (multiple areas of the state), Toronto, and Miami Beach. My happy place is at the beach and I revel in the sunshine. Summer is my favorite season and I wish I lived somewhere with warmer weather, although I don't think I would ever move out of my native Long Island.
I have a knack for writing, and combine my two passions of writing and mental health advocacy by writing articles about my experience with mental illness and trichotillomania. I have contributed to a few different online media outlets. You can find all of my media contributions here. I hope my writing will let others know they aren't alone and inpire them to find a path to self-acceptance. In September 2022, I published two books about trichotillomania: a memoir titled Triumphant Trichster, and a kids book titled A Trichy Situation. You can purchase them here.
My favorite food is pizza, my favorite dessert is apple crisp, and I appreciate a good chai latte. I enjoy baking, and my specialties are banana bread and apple cake. My favorite TV show is Stranger Things. Some of my favorite music artists are Taylor Swift, Lorde, Bleachers, and The 1975, all of whom I have seen in concert. Turtles have always been my favorite animal. I am obsessed with the color pink and Vera Bradley brand bags and accessories. I have a good eye for style and love dressing up.
Right now, I am navigating my 20s, thriving in my career, and expanding my horizons traveling to new places. My ultimate goal in life is to simply be happy and to have a lasting impact on others. I really believe I can change the world, and that is exactly what I intend to do. I'm just getting started!
I have two older sisters and a younger brother, and I am an aunt to a niece and a nephew. I am a dog mama to a 3 year old hairless Chinese Crested named Princess. I also have four other dogs I live with who are my family's, as well as two aquatic turtles. I have the most loving and supportive fiancé, Richard.
Upon graduating high school, I very briefly attended community college, but it just wasn't for me and I subsequently dropped out. Soon thereafter, I found my niche in life to be working with kids. Since 2019, I have worked as a respite care and community habilitation specialist for children with developmental disabilities, including autism and cerebral palsy. I care for these individuals in their homes and work with them on life skills and achieving their goals. I work with multiple clients and I love my jobs! I have previously volunteered at my parish's school as a classroom aide in nursery and Pre-K classes. And for six years, I taught religious education classes for first graders at my church.
I love to travel, even by myself, and I have taken several solo trips. It's always fun exploring new places and I feel a sense of freedom and independence. My favorite places I have been to are California (multiple areas of the state), Toronto, and Miami Beach. My happy place is at the beach and I revel in the sunshine. Summer is my favorite season and I wish I lived somewhere with warmer weather, although I don't think I would ever move out of my native Long Island.
I have a knack for writing, and combine my two passions of writing and mental health advocacy by writing articles about my experience with mental illness and trichotillomania. I have contributed to a few different online media outlets. You can find all of my media contributions here. I hope my writing will let others know they aren't alone and inpire them to find a path to self-acceptance. In September 2022, I published two books about trichotillomania: a memoir titled Triumphant Trichster, and a kids book titled A Trichy Situation. You can purchase them here.
My favorite food is pizza, my favorite dessert is apple crisp, and I appreciate a good chai latte. I enjoy baking, and my specialties are banana bread and apple cake. My favorite TV show is Stranger Things. Some of my favorite music artists are Taylor Swift, Lorde, Bleachers, and The 1975, all of whom I have seen in concert. Turtles have always been my favorite animal. I am obsessed with the color pink and Vera Bradley brand bags and accessories. I have a good eye for style and love dressing up.
Right now, I am navigating my 20s, thriving in my career, and expanding my horizons traveling to new places. My ultimate goal in life is to simply be happy and to have a lasting impact on others. I really believe I can change the world, and that is exactly what I intend to do. I'm just getting started!
