postures Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 I know that there is a thread similar to this already but it's not dedicated solely to trich so I thought I'd made one. How long have you had trich for? When did it start? Where do you pull from? Mine started when I was 9. I pulled out all my eyelashes; thankfully they regrew and are quite long now but unfortunately straight. Now I generally just pull from the top of my head, particularly from my fringe, which now does not really resemble a fringe anymore Curiously enough, I was able to hide it more when I had long hair as my hair's quite thick. However, 2 years ago I cut all my hair off and now my pulling is stopping it from growing long again because I either pull or take scissors to it when I feel frustrated. Thankfully I am far too depressed to leave the house just now so I don't have to make too much of an effort with my appearance Has anyone tried any therapy or meds for it? Has it helped? I'm waiting for CBT and so far the meds I was on previously didn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saskia Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Hi Postures, There's quite a bit about trich in the previous thread that you may be interested in. I've been pulling since my teens - over 12 years now. I started with eyebrows but moved onto legs and pubes because it's easy to hide. As for getting help for this, I've mentioned it to various doctors but they didn't listen 'cos I don't think many of them know about trich. I'm waiting for another assessment with a different doc so hopefully I can get some treatment. What meds were you on? x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarey92 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I haven't had an official diagnosis, but I suspect I have this, & OCD makes it worse. I pull my eyebrows, eyelashes & hair. Since I was roughly 9 or 10 years old. Maybe younger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKyler1311 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I have never heard of this term before, and am not diagnosed with this, but I pull my eyebrows out until there is just red skin above my eyes, never thought it was something many people did, but when I get stressed I am usually bald above the eye, and once they've gone I bite the skin from around my finger nails until they bleed and I can't pick things up cos they are so sore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saskia Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I get really obsessed about the hair and root - the thicker and more painful it is to pull out the better. Have either of you tried to stop? PuppyPup - just tried to PM you but it didn't work... I saw your Ben Okri quote and thought you might be interested in this event: http://www.richmix.org.uk/conversation.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarey92 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Well, it's decreased a lot compared to how bad it was before. & I also bite the skin around my nails. Quite a lot actually... & It didn't work? Not sure why... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKyler1311 Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 Yeah I've tried to stop, mainly because it's painfull, and my Dad shouts at me if he sees me doing it, but I don't even realise I am doing it myself, and I also have to examine the hair to make sure I've got the root, if it's broken off it really irritates me for some reason, I also cannot have spots without picking at them, even though they look so much worse once you've popped them, ahhh the things we do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amybaby23 Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 SKyler i also bite my fingers until they bleed they are beginnin to look like stumps however my nails them selves im petrified to bite hence they are really long , my eye lashes also get attacked when i get stressed cos no one notices a few eyelashes missing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw2693 Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm not sure but think my girlfriend may have a mild form of this, she pulls at her hair when shes stressed and now has a patch of shorter hair. I've mentioned it to her before and she hadn't heard of it but didn't seem interested. What do you think would be a good way of trying to help her with it when she is so stubborn that she doesn't see it as a problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlInterrupted Posted July 30, 2010 Report Share Posted July 30, 2010 I have been pulling my hair out since i was 3 years of age. I pull hair out from my head and i also pull out my pubes I try not to pull it from my head too much because of getting bald patches. I had a huge bald patch on the back of my head when i was young and the doctor told me if i carried on eating my hair i would get a hairball in my stomach, so i eventually stopped eating it. Now i just chew and suck my hair, even suck my pubes after pulling them out (sorry i know it sounds gross). I can't stop doing it, it comforts me to suck my hair. I also have a big problem with scalp scratching, i scratch until i bleed and then when the scabs form i pick them off i have to cut my nails really really short to stop the scratching. I thought i was the only one who pulled out hair from my pubes and had a problem with scalp scratching, now i know i'm not, thank god. But sorry to those who are going through it, i just mean i'm glad i'm not alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraN Posted July 31, 2010 Report Share Posted July 31, 2010 I deal with trichotillomania since I was a child, but I don't really remember exactly when I started, it seems like I have always been doing it. When I got stressed I pull out hairs from eyebrows, eyelashes, hair, pube, arms, legs... I'm not on meds for it, maybe because I never told anyone about it and try to hide it, especially because I'm scared my father gets to know and shouts at me. But I'm not ashamed about it, it just looks like normal tome when I'm stressed, even if I'm not really aware I'm doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feehlo382 Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Reviving the thread . I learnt not to get involved with OCD related forums, as in the past they triggered many new compulsions through reading about others' experiences. But that shouldn't be the case with trich, so here goes! I'd say it would go back to the age of ten/eleven. I'd always 'twiddled' my hair as a kid, but it was at the end of primary school that I began pulling at my hair - not the entire strand, just staring intently at my hair and pulling the ends off. Then at around fourteen I started pulling at the hair on my arms, and looking for the longest hair I could fine (it was around this age that OCD really kicked in). And at fifteen as depression creeped in I was tearing at my hair on my head when particularly distressed. Come late 2009 when my OCD had gone into overdrive - spending up to ten hours a day on rituals - and the depression had gone haywire and I was getting into a serious pattern of self harm, I was constantly pulling at my hair; mainly the underneath layer. I would sit/lay on the kitchen floor for hours on end just pulling my hair out. This was all followed by anorexia getting a much stronger grip on me, so my hair was falling out, all of this resulting in a lovely bald patch at the back of my head. Looking on it retrospectively is very strange. I'm not in a great place right now, but in comparison to then...it scares me remembering how I was. I still pull my hair out when stressed, anxious or upset, but it's alot thicker now. Sorry for rambling on so much, it's just relieving to be able to let everything out once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poiple Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 I have trich and have since I was 11. I pull from my hair (it's a mess now!), my stomach, and my arm. I've never found any medication that has helped. I've had lots if therapy for it, including a renowned therapist when I like in California but it didn't help. I've had one therapist tie my arms to the chair to see what happened if I couldn't pull and I had convulsions/a fit. I'm doing DBT at the moment and am hoping they can help me with it, or help me to learn some impulse control as I really hate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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