I wish i could just stop it, and not feel alone with this

[Your Favourite Smile]

I have a condition called Trichotillomania and it basically involves pulling my hair out. It has been recognised as an impulse control disorder.

 

I have a lot of times where i feel alone with it, im fully aware that other people suffer from this but its just one of those things. My friends support me but i sometimes get the impression they feel awkward because its quite an unknown condition. I dont expect them to know all about it but i do often feel alone.

 

It effects my everyday life, especially when i want to relax with a film or do some work which needs finishing.

 

Stress causes it mostly for me.

 

Family are supportive too, although they tell me to try and stop but thats just not enough. Im not fully in control of this, and its known to be very hard to stop completely.

 

Its so frustrating sometimes its unbelievable

 

But hey, theres my rant..

[laRubiaBonita]

i have never been formally diangnosed..... but i have it too.

 

i am more of a skin picker, eyebrow plucker, and one summer i plucked all the hairs out of my legs. i remember in elementary school, though, i made a "game" in class out of how big of a clump of hair from my head i could pull out at once without getting teary eyed- though i never pulled out enough to make it noticable.

 

i am not as bad as i was.... but, like you when i am stressed i pick.

 

prozac helped me alot.... and with some other ocd-type things i do.

[Your Favourite Smile]

i have never been formally diangnosed..... but i have it too.

 

i am more of a skin picker, eyebrow plucker, and one summer i plucked all the hairs out of my legs. i remember in elementary school, though, i made a "game" in class out of how big of a clump of hair from my head i could pull out at once without getting teary eyed- though i never pulled out enough to make it noticable.

 

i am not as bad as i was.... but, like you when i am stressed i pick.

 

prozac helped me alot.... and with some other ocd-type things i do.

 

Yes, it used to be a lot worse for me too, in terms of how noticeable it was on my head.. its still pretty thin on top actually, and i feel terrible about it.

 

Yeah people would think that it hurts to do it, but actually its quite the opposite. It most likely relieves tension, however its not exactly a healthy thing

 

I used to have appointments to talk with someone, ive tried hypotherapy sessions which wasnt very effective, now im currently having appointments for it regularly and so far its been the best thing.

 

 

Thanks for sharing your story by the way

[whichwayisup]

Have you tried cognitive behaviour therapy?

[Your Favourite Smile]

I have heard of that somewhere.. hm.. what is it all about?

 

The person i see tries different methods with me, they have tried something which involves the idea that if you change certain unhealthy patterns of thinking, it can reduce the unnessesary stress and therefore help reduce the pulling. There was a name for this method.. but i cant remember what it was Was it something like that or am i completely off?

[Your Favourite Smile]

Ah, ive searched it up and i have had it, i wasnt so sure on the name because they referred to it most of the time as CBT.

 

This method has proved to be very helpful, as it replaces the negative beliefs and ways of thinking i have with more positive, realistic ones. I was quite surprised at how much it helped!