Hi, i'm stephanie. A bulb eater.

Submitted by stephiep15 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 13:45

I've pulled my hair since 5th grade, so that's about 7 years now.

I'm a bulb eater, meaning when I pull my hair and it has a root attached to it (that little white thing that is occasionally on the bottom of your hair) i eat it. It becomes an obbsession to eat them, to pull out as many as I can.

I don't have a lot of hair (not from pulling) just in general. But the hair I do have is very thick, and wide. I pull out hairs that have a different texture or feel slightly a bit thicker than the others.

I'm currently going to therapy and i'm taking the anti-depressant/OCD medicine called Paxil (30 mg) and it seems to help. It doesn't make me stop completely but my urges go down. I take two vitamin E's everyday because they're known for helping your hair grow faster, and it has made my hair even thicker than before.

I just recently told my family, about a year ago. And I have only now, within the past few months, become comfortable talking to them about it. It helps me sometimes that they know, because I don't stress about hiding it at home. But sometimes it makes it worse because the way they look at me changes. With my mother, she has stopped looking at me and only looks at my hair, and it breaks my heart.

I'm constantly ashamed. My therapist told me it's mainly from anxiety because I have this issue with trying to please everybody and when I can't I become stressed etc.

A good tip I have learned is to wear gloves over your hands or bandaids on each fingertip.
Also, try writing down each time you pull a hair. I have to do this for therapy. It makes you more aware of your pulling and gives you something to do while that urge is still there. Just put the date, time, location, trigger, and how many hairs pulled. It helps, trust me.

Try not to be down on yourself for having this disease, I know it's hard but just remember to breathe. It's something you can't control, and if anyone ever makes fun of you for it...that makes them look bad, not you.

I'm Stephanie (17) that's all for now.

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That is some story, I look at

Submitted by crossingpaths on Tue, 10/12/2010 - 03:56.

That is some story,
I look at it like a poison in my body wanting out not in. You put the poison back into your body every time you eat it.

Im reading all the comments,

Submitted by satwant on Wed, 09/08/2010 - 19:54.

Im reading all the comments, i've never been to the doctors or told anyone, can u get medication for this problem????

God this is really scary and

Submitted by satwant on Wed, 09/08/2010 - 19:51.

God this is really scary and very tearful at the same time. never ever spoke a word just tried myself to sleep. everything you have said is me, so me!!! Me for the past 10years and it's killing me inside, i need help. if someone gets to read this msg can they reply please.

The thing that upsetts me

Submitted by crossingpaths on Tue, 10/12/2010 - 10:36.

The thing that upsetts me more than having this disorder is it took 105 years to discover it's a gene disorder. Still research is dragging their feet.

I only pull every now and

Submitted by Skylar on Tue, 08/24/2010 - 20:16.

I only pull every now and then now! But, I am glad, I am not the only one! I've never went to therapy for mine. I just tried and control my urges! Hope yours stops real soon!

xoxo
-Sky

I found this article on the

Submitted by Bellanonna on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 08:38.

I found this article on the net. It appears that there has been some progress with an amino acid called NAC. I'm writing to the Australian Professor to see if there's been any progress since this article was published.

In the meantime, I've ordered this N-acetylcysteine from my naturopath. She hadn't heard about it and was shocked, but has made it her mission in life to help.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/07/2619389.htm

I'll let you know how I go. All the best.

Bella

THANK YOU!! as crazy as this

Submitted by hmm8075 on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 06:54.

THANK YOU!! as crazy as this is going to sound, i am so glad to hear that i am NOT THE ONLY ONE. i do the same, pulling out hair for the bulb, i will pull and pull and pull until i find them, and i am not just satisfied with ONE, two, three... NOTHING satisfies it, now that i think of it. it's great to see that you are seeking therapy to help you, and i am glad that it is working. the tips that you give are great, although in my line of work i can't really wear gloves or bandaids all of the time. I wonder if there are any tips you have to try and stop. i've tried putting product in my hair (like mousse), which helps sometimes because it doesn't make my hair feel like the hair that i "like to pull." THANK YOU for sharing your story!!!!

I'm glad my story helped you

Submitted by stephiep15 on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 14:35.

I'm glad my story helped you a little. I can't put anything in my hair at all or I pull more because it gives it weird textures. I do recommend putting lotion on your hands a lot or if you're at home wet your hair if you have the urge, I don't touch my hair when I have lotion on my hands and I can't feel textures on my wet hair. Is that what you were looking for?

Hey, I'm 16 and totally

Submitted by emily on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 10:03.

Hey, I'm 16 and totally embarrassed about my trich. Cuz I guess I'm a "bulb eater" too. But I really don't like that term... I don't like any of these terms...
Just, how did you deal with telling your parents? Because my mom has trich too, so does my sister, but none of are really willing to admit it besides me and my sister talking in private.
Because I really am scared that this will eff me up if I don't stop soon. Because there's all these people talking about how they've had it for 20, 30, 40 plus years... and I don't want that to happen to me. /:

Telling my parents was the

Submitted by stephiep15 on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 14:38.

Telling my parents was the hardest thing Ive ever done, to be completely honest. They started noticing my bald spots and thought I was cutting my hair, they refused to believe I could just sit there and pull out my own hair. They told me I was insane and would yell at me for hours if they saw spots. It may be easier for you if your mom has it, she'll understand how the urge is so impossible to resist that it overtakes your mind. Hiding it from her probably, wether you realize it or not, stresses you out. Stress is one of the main causes of pulling out your hair, atleast they believe so. You need to just come clean to her, maybe you and your sister can do it together, I'm sure she's just as scared as you are to admit it. Good luck.