Comments on: A Possible Trichotillomania Cure – Guest Post

By: Hayles

Hayles — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:06:37 +0000

Your story makes so much sense! I have always been a high achiever without really having to work at it. My brain just absorbs knowledge and spurts it out when it’s needed.

Im 28 and I have been pulling out my eyelashes since 9 and a spot on my head since about 6. I get moments of not doing it at all. Everything grows back. Then I lose control and just en up back where I was.

I have recently taken up running and this exercise is helping me no end. Since I have been running I haven’t pulled at all.

Thank you for posting about the book. I’m going to try to find it today!

By: nrbs

nrbs — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:09:43 +0000

Hi rjsmama,

I am really thankful to you for posting this.

I am suffering from hair pulling disorder for the age of 5, now i m turning 28, i donno how to stop this in am early 20′s i had stopped it donno how. Again when i turned 24, it relapsed. I am scared to reveal that i do pull my hair to my mom, bec she is a single mother as my dad passed away whn i was 4 yr old. Its sooo embrasing. Cant stop to pull my hair, after pulling feel sooo much guilty.. I tried to cover with scarf/cap, all in vain

I reside in Bangalore, India. Just want to get rid of this disorder and want to live life like any other person. Please do let me good doctor to consult in India, Bangalore.
Please Help me.

Thanks again

By: Teenager

Teenager — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:25:10 +0000

I’m a teenager suffering from hair pulling and have been since I was 14. I’m writing this anonymously because I feel more scared than I would if I had to tell right-wing parents that I was LGBT, to use a metaphor to try and some up the feeling.

When I was 14 I moved to a really exclusive school, I am an academic scholar and have just been offered an academic scholarship to university because of my high attainment grades and vast array of extra-curricular activities. I have an IQ in the top zero-point-somthing percent and am also fairly creative. I had been bullied for being clever and different at my previous school and was so happy once I moved. There people I am around are likeminded and inspirational. Although, unfortunately, aged 14 some of them had nits. I don’t know if my extensive nit paranoia (I mean they’re pretty discussing to be honest!) lead to me pulling my hair out, but I do remember constantly searching my hair for nits and once finding one. I don’t think I’ve stopped running my hair through my hands since.

I first noticed I pulled my hair our when I started removing split ends, I have curl hair and was a young teenage kid, lots of my friends did it. As that first year progressed a friend pointed out that while we rehearsed for a drama exam I would pull hairs out and run them across my lips – rehearsals were pretty intense and the cast tended to point out each others personal faults during rehearsals!

As I went through my first big exams I don’t remember pulling my hair out but I was very ill. Then when I went through my second set and my third year at the school I couldn’t stop and everyone I was close to knew I did it. Since then I have not stopped and I am now in my final year. It’s been 4 years and I’m amazed I’m not bald. I fear I’m thinning at the back and that my intricately layered and stylistically cut curly hair will show it, but the tick curls have been a blessing discussing it. People have always told me they want my hair and hairdressers always comment how thick it is. I want to grow my hair, but there are so many negative ramifications of pulling ones hair out that it’s simply not possible. I’m too scared to go to the hairdressers because they’ll just comment again about the uneven layers and shorter hair and the back.

I really can’t help it and think I’m getting worse. Right now I have mocks for the biggest exams of my life thus far and have done no work or preparation. I simply couldn’t focus, almost in an ADD type way. Additionally, I’m extremely dyslexic which explained any spelling errors or typos. I’ve pulled out so many hairs this week and even eaten them unknowingly that there’s a noticeable loss in thickness and length to my hair. I am so scared that this trend will continue and want it to stop. I want to do all theses great things in my life but fear that my noticeable hair pulling will prevent me.

If anyone can help this pathetic teenager who right now feels to desperate to cry it would be greatly appreciated. For reference purposes, I exhibit mild OCD trades and dabbled with self-harm and anorexia when younger, but they were mainly a result of bullying from being an isolated country school full of ignorant, pick up driving, shotgun baring farmers, most of whom already have their own children. (Apologies if I inadvertently offended anyone there).

If anyone can help me, I’d greatly appreciate it. My appearance is vital to me and I’m becoming increasingly self conscious about this. Despite being a broke student, I have little objection to bankrupting myself to cure this, as long as it works.

So this is my ‘coming out story’ as a person who tares out their hair, and my cry for help. Desperation, hopelessness and despair are words I’d use to articulate my feelings.

Thank you,

Anonymous and too scared to post their name

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 06:35:28 +0000

Hi Emma/Natalie

I am a 27 year old male and cannot stop picking my beard (I used to pick my eyelashes from the age of about 10). I too am in Australia (Sydney) and am interested if you found any help locally?

Thanks
Ryan

By: rk

rk — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 04:23:36 +0000

Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories. The more we communicate, the closer we are to finding cures. I’ve been pulling eyelashes and eyebrows since I was in middle school. It’s so very hard to stop just by “will-power” when half the time I do it is just a habit/impulse and don’t know that I’m doing it until the hairs are gone. As an adult I finally reached a point where I thought I looked more normal with eyebrows than without. I want to stop pulling for good. I’m tired of being told it’s alopecia or ocd. I never thought it might be a brain imbalance, as I’ve always done well in school/sports/art and didn’t have symptoms of any attention disorder.
I will keep checking back for others progress and encouragements. Best of luck to everyone and their kids that are struggling with this. No one is alone.

By: Pam

Pam — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:16:26 +0000

Thanks for sharing your story. I am really a newcomer to pulling–only about 5 years–but it seems like an eternity. I have tried various therapists, but no one seems to know much about this disease. I hate the time I waste and the destruction I do to myself. I wear hats all the time. I have anxiety for which I take Effexor, but it has no effect on the trich impulses. I would love to find a doctor who can perform the brain balancing you described. I just need something that will stop the impulse to pull. Thank you.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 03:41:41 +0000

I never really realized that what I’ve been doing for the past 4-5 years is a condition. I started researching it today after I found out, and quite frankly, it scared me. I’m 14 (almost 15) and I’ve had trich since I was in 5th grade. I’ve always had a horrible self esteem, which added to my anxiety and, I guess you could say, “jittery-ness.” it may be add or ADHD, but I’ve never been tested. I’m literally afraid to talk to my parents about it because we’ve already consulted a dermatologist, and he concluded it was hair loss (I was to nervous/scared to say that I, infact, was pulling my eyebrows and eyelashes off). It’s affected me horribly at school, and just talking to people, face to face. I always shy away to people looking at me, I live in a constant fear that someone may just say something. I also have a nasty nail biting habit, that seems I’ll never be able to overcome. I’ve been happily pick free for months, but I had another relapse tonight. I’m scared, and afraid, I have no where to go. I feel depressed, often and have tried cutting, multiple times. I don’t like being a self harmer and I wish I could stop, I just don’t feel in control, and I need help.
Shannon´s last [type] ..Turning OnTrich Into A More Helpful Resource For Trichsters And Family

By: Kaleb

Kaleb — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:29:57 +0000

Im 22 and have been biting my nails and picking skin since i was a toddler. When i was around 15 my barber accidently clipped the edge of my right eyebrow. As it started growing back i became distracted by how different the hairs felt and thats when my trich kicked in. I couldn’t stop touching it and fiddling with the hair and it let to me pulling them out. It slowly progressed to pulling hair just to pull the hair.

I seem to be in the minority because every site I find is girls/women with trich. After doing a lot of research I see that guys are a lot less common with trich. I’ve been really looking for help recently because my eyebrows are getting progressively worse. I only pull eyebrows, facial(bottom of chin), and rarely eyelashes. My eyebrows look thin and people are starting to notice. I can’t afford therapy and frequent doctors visits. The one time I talked to the doctor about it she automatically recommended talking to a therapist for OCD. The only things I do are bite nails, skin pick, and pull eyebrows and facial hair but that’s it. I really don’t feel any OCD type behaviors so I was kind of put off by her advice. Ive heard about fish oil treatment and other similar concepts but the whole right brain/left brain thing seems fascinating. I’m going to look more into the info provided and I’m glad I stumbled upon this site.

By: Mimi

Mimi — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:24:01 +0000

body I am in my twenties and has suffered with Trichotillomania since
before a teenager, I do strongly believe it’s more than an OCD, and
that it has to do with a brain imbalance. I am tired of working with
therapists or psychiatrists who are very unfamiliar with the disorder.
I am so happy for your family that you were able to get real effective
help for your daughter, thank you for taking the time to reach out and
share with others. Once I get the help I need I had always vowed to do
the same, because it’s an extremely frustrating situation, and there
is not enough resources for those suffering with Trich. Now I have to
ask what advice can you give me to get the help I need, I live in
Massachusetts, also I plan on getting the book you mentioned. Thank
you again.

By: Trixie

Trixie — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:25:15 +0000

Wow, I’ve never heard about gluten intolerance before. I will definitely try that then since our stories are so similar. I already went out and bought Omega-3 fish oil and I’m going to pick up the other supplements you mentioned along with the book (since I can’t afford the doctor yet)

Thanks so much for all your help and quick response!

All the best to you and your family