brand new

Submitted by hmm8075 on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 06:46

Hello!
i am brand new to this website, so thanks in advance for your support!

i think this is the first time that i have ever realized that i have a problem. I have been pulling my hair out and eating/ chewing on it since before i can even remember, i am 23 years old. i pull hair from my head, eyelashes, eye brows arms legs...everywhere. It would be great to just STOP. i have made bald spots on my head and eyebrows. No one that i associate with has any idea of what i do, i guess i've become really good at being a closet eater. i have always been way to embarassed to admit that i have a problem, it's really great to know that i am not the only one. ANY sort of support is appreciated... advice, information,stories, help, just the thought of knowing that people are going dealing with this with me relieves some of the stress.

thank you all again!!

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Hi! I'm filming a documentary

Submitted by easybeinggreen on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 23:54.

Hi! I'm filming a documentary series that deals with people who have Trich. I am intrigued by your story and would like to learn more about your experiences with Trich. Please contact me at jwall@20west.tv if have an interest in sharing your story on TV. Thanks!

Hi, I'm stephanie, and I'm 17

Submitted by stephiep15 on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 14:44.

Hi, I'm stephanie, and I'm 17 years old. The first time I realized I wasn't the only one who pulled out their hair was the biggest relief I've ever felt. I've read countless amounts of stories of people who have been pulling for 20+ years and it's heartbreaking that there, as of right now, is no cure. However, the last 5 years that I've become aware of my disease, I've picked up on a few tips. Keep lotion on your hands, people don't usually touch their hair if they have lotion on. If you're at home, keep your hair wet or in a towel. If it gets bad enough, put bandaids on the tips of your fingers, it's harder to feel things and harder to pull. If you're an unconsious puller (some people don't even realize they pull until after they finish pulling) wear gloves as much as possible. My therapist has taught me to log each and every hair I pull that way I become more aware of doing it and looking back on one day and seeing I pulled over 100 hairs kind of shocks me back into trying to fix it. Write down the time, date, amount of hair pulled, and the emotion you were feeling while you were pulling (boredom, stress) and it really gives you a good idea of when you're most likely to pull so it's easier to avoid 'pully' situations. I always reccommend therapy, my main causes are stress, and to have someone to talk to and help me figure things out is a huge relief. Good luck!

Thanks for the tips! I'm 35

Submitted by Ch Ch Ch Chia on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 19:21.

Thanks for the tips! I'm 35 and have been a puller since I was about 23. I'm finally facing it and am soooo ready to stop! My hair is baby fine and thin as it is, and this really scares me. My pulling is starting to interfere with my job and my relationships. So nice to know that I'm not alone in this.

You're not alone - there are

Submitted by Bellanonna on Mon, 08/16/2010 - 06:33.

You're not alone - there are thousands of us around the world - females vastly outnumber the males I'm told. And it's also related to skin picking and nail biting.

I'm 57 and have been doing this since I was 10. My poor mother thought it was alopecia and spent a small fortune on wigs. I can't bring myself to tell her the problem was me. The only one who knows is my daughter and she's tried to help and been the best support.

Through desperation about 6 months ago, I sought out the help of a hypnotherapist and she knew staight away what the sensations were (trance feelings and the comfort of chewing the hair). She hadn't heard of trichotillomania or trichophagia, but she knew how to treat me. As well as hypnosis, she put me on multivitamins and daily doses of zinc and it seems to have helped. I need a top up at the hypnotherapist every 6 months but it's been the best treatment for me.

I'd completely stopped for 6 months and then 3 weeks ago, started again. I realise now it was the stress of starting a new job. I've also found the triggers such as being at the computer, sitting in traffic jams and in front of the TV. It feels like kind of a trance.

I find that shorter hair (especially around the danger zones behind my ears and at the crown) is a deterrent and regular visits to an understanding hairdresser helps. The GPs in Sydney, Australia have been useless - especially the one who laughed his head off when I explained my problem to him.

I cut out some terrible pics of trichobezoars from internet sites and stuck them in an email to myself. Each time I feel the urge, I look at these photos and it's the biggest turn off. Kind of shock therapy.

I can understand about your job and relationships. My husband has no idea and the people at my last job just thought it was stress. I'm very careful to leave a curtain of hair over the patches but you can still see the scalp through it. The biggest issue has been our Australian lifestyle. I couldn't go to the beach or outside when it's windy without a stack of hairspray.

Good luck - try the diary system and also hand cream or gloves. But most of all, try and identify the danger places for you and avoid them when you can. xxxxx