I hate to admit this, but I have never really sought proper help for my pulling. At the moment, it is manageable on a day to day basis, though it gets better and worse at times. I don’t have any bald patches, just thin patches.
That said, last year I did go to the doctor to get help for something which I keep just as secretive as my hair pulling: social anxiety. In the process I also told someone about my hair pulling. I actually told someone about it!
How I Felt Before I Sought Help
I can’t describe how nervous I felt before going to talk to the doctor about it. Even making the phone call filled me with dread and it took me ages just to make the appointment. Then I felt terrible days before it. Of course, the nature of social anxiety means that I do fear situations like this, but I’m sure anyone with trich can understand how difficult it is to talk about your problems.
How Did The Appointment Meet My Expectations?
It didn’t meet my expectations at all! And that’s a good thing, because my expectations were that the doctor would tell me I was stupid and would offer no help, setting me back even further. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
I was shaking very badly. I am not normally a shaker but wow I was shaking a lot. I told her about the anxiety and she firstly said “lots of people have the same problem” and “it’s normal”. She said the same when I told her about the hair pulling! I was surprised, because I know a lot of doctors may not have heard of trichotillomania.
How I Felt After My Appointment
She referred me to get further help and she prescribed me some beta blockers to slow my heart rate/ anxious feelings when I needed to. But it wasn’t this that helped. It was opening up to someone that made me feel happy.
I felt so proud!
If you’re scared of talking to someone about problems you’ve been hiding for years, no matter what the outcome, you should feel so proud in yourself for taking action to do something about it!
Now, the subsequent treatment I have received hasn’t exactly left me feeling much better about things, but I at least know I can muster up the courage to go and get help! I will blog more about what I went through in the future.
Remember, talk to a doctor. The worst that can happen is that they won’t help, but they probably will. And, even if they don’t, you should feel so proud that you spoke to someone!
I’m so glad that you opened up! The more I did it, the easier it became for me. Not to say that I tell everyone because for normal everyday people, the looks on their faces – haha! That being said, I was SHOCKED that one of the first people I EVER told… she did it too!! I have never met another puller since, BUT I have met two skin-pickers which is very similar.
Anywho, I’m so glad your doctor was so great a about it. Where the docs I’ve told have all heard of it – NONE of them ever mentioned treating me or any sort of treatment about it. I slowed down VERY much for years – but I have permanently thinned hair now. It’s tough, because now I have an autoimmune disease that has caused me to lose lots of hair – and having already had thinned hair – YIKES! Oh well…
I’ve also been pulling more lately – not sure exactly why but I do have a few ideas… I actually haven’t been PULLING, I have been running my fingers along the hairs for hours – and that’s the problem – starting that behavior… blah!
Thanks for sharing your story
Coley – Thanks for your reply. Yes I have had the same problem in that doctors haven’t even acknowledged it as something that needs treating (probably because visibly my hair doesn’t look so shocking, who knows) but still, I am glad they at least said it was normal. They focused on my social anxiety completely, despite me mentioning both at the same time.
So glad you are able to tell people about it. I still really struggle with that. Good luck on not pulling, I know the feeling of running fingers through hair too much :S
Thankyou Penny for creating this blog, I think it deals with one of the most prominent problem people with trich have to deal with: isolation.
So many people have no idea that they are not alone, and a place to communicate and share is exactly what we need!
I remember when I first told my doctor about my problem, I was just so surprised when she told me it actually had a name!!
Have you ever read “The Hair Pulling “Habit” and You: How to Solve the Trichotillomania Puzzle” ? It is an amazing step by step guide to dealing with trich, it is appropriate for any age level and provides structure and a plan to stop pulling,
I’m not saying it’s magic, just a great idea
Maybe you would like to write a post about it someday, because I think it could help many people?
Thanks again, and all the best!!
hey i was wondering how a lot of people with trich even came to learn that it is something with a name. i learned about it in my high school psych class when learning about disorders. the teacher was talking about it and as he was talking i realized a lot of the stuff he was talking about described what i was doing. I mostly only pull eyelashes and facial hair on my chin (yes im a guy) but i always wondered why it feels good for me to tug on my head hair though i dont pull that out. i do fear tho that just tugging on it may eventually turn into me pulling it out tho. could that happen? im new to this site and today is the first day ive posted here and this community is in fact the only group/people ive ever talked to about this. im glad you wrote this post as ive considered talking to a doctor about it but i never seem to be able to. this is a great website and even just in one day i have learned a lot from the stories on here.