Earth

So I have Trichotillomania.

Rate this Entry

10 Comments

Earth

, 02-12-2012 at 05:34 PM (1129 Views)

"Trichotillomania is hair loss from repeated urges to pull or twist the hair until it breaks off. Patients are unable to stop this behavior, even as their hair becomes thinner."

I have only today found the official name for what I have. Trichotillomania. Brilliant. Im also dyslexia. Why do they make words so long? Anyway... Ever since I can remember I have been pulling my hair out (so it cant be related to stress). The first memory I have is having a ball of hair shoved at the side of my bed because I didn't want my mother to find it. I must have been around 4 years old as this was when we lived at a particular house.

Now I break the ends of my hair off by biting them and pull my hair out at the root. This is done throughout the day daily and I then either throw it on the floor or glided across my tongue a couple of times and then thrown on the floor (yes I sound mad). My keyboard is always covered in pieces of broken hair, with my old laptop having to have the buttons removed as they got clogged.

My hair is thick, half way down my back and I have allot of it so at the moment there are no dramatic visual problems. I have layered hair to hied all the different stages of re-growth. I am aware however that It will come to a point where I will get noticeable bald patches.

For work I have to have it tied up in a bun and I am constantly busy so dont seem to have a problem, But as soon as Im home I pick. Even if its tied up. Most of the time I dont even notice Im doing it until someone shouts at me. No matter how much I want to stop, I cant. Ive been reading online of possible medications and 'habit reversals' so will hopefully be looking into that.

Does anyone else suffer with anything similar or knows of anyone? Some people will pull their eye lashes, eyebrows and other body hair. Ive heard it is classed as an OCD.

Tags: None

Categories: Uncategorized

Email Blog Entry

Main JustHost »

Comments

Monologue - 02-12-2012 05:59 PM
I had issues with this when I was younger. I've since grown out of it, except for I do have a tendency to pull at my eyebrows, especially if I'm nervous, in a bad mood, etc. When I was a kid I did give myself a sizeable bald patch in the middle of my head. It was definitely a hard habit to break. If being busy makes it easier to cope with, then I suggest trying to keep yourself as busy as possible, and maybe over time the urge will go away. Other than that, I wish you well because it can be really difficult to stop something like that if you're just used to it.
Earth - 02-12-2012 06:28 PM
Originally Posted by Monologue

I had issues with this when I was younger. I've since grown out of it, except for I do have a tendency to pull at my eyebrows, especially if I'm nervous, in a bad mood, etc. When I was a kid I did give myself a sizeable bald patch in the middle of my head. It was definitely a hard habit to break. If being busy makes it easier to cope with, then I suggest trying to keep yourself as busy as possible, and maybe over time the urge will go away. Other than that, I wish you well because it can be really difficult to stop something like that if you're just used to it.

I started at the age of 4 and now I'm 23. I think I need to step in now lol Im glad to hear you overcame it Im going to see if I can get something to keep in my hand, to keep it busy, such as a stress ball. I tend to do it subconsciously so its hard to think "No Dont Do It!!!!!". Thanks for your input. Its nice to know that it has been beaten
Monologue - 02-12-2012 08:11 PM
Originally Posted by Earth

I started at the age of 4 and now I'm 23. I think I need to step in now lol Im glad to hear you overcame it Im going to see if I can get something to keep in my hand, to keep it busy, such as a stress ball. I tend to do it subconsciously so its hard to think "No Dont Do It!!!!!". Thanks for your input. Its nice to know that it has been beaten

I think you'll find it'll help ;3 Good luck in breaking the habit!
que - 02-12-2012 10:56 PM
I pull my eyebrows out until they're nearly bald, and have to draw them back on ;_;
Is this the same thing?
I haven't ever been able to stop it.
I do it with my arm hair too, so I just shave that... lol.
Earth - 02-13-2012 04:34 AM
Originally Posted by Bexxy

I pull my eyebrows out until they're nearly bald, and have to draw them back on ;_;
Is this the same thing?
I haven't ever been able to stop it.
I do it with my arm hair too, so I just shave that... lol.

It sounds like it could be. Google suggests any hair on the body. Try looking it up as there are a few different things people do/feel such as a building up tention then the feeling to pull the hair and then the relief once the hair has been pulled. Some people will even eat the hair, which will then come with a possibly deadly side affect of a clog of hair in the body. I sometimes pull at my eye lashes but only when I have mascara on. I like the feeling of the mascara coming off, but it also takes some of the hair. I could never go without makeup though XD
Eeviechu - 02-13-2012 11:46 AM
I tug at my eyebrow hairs sometimes, but I don't quite understand why. I do it gently though, I don't pull too hard, but even so some loose hairs come out. Same with my eyelashes...

I already know I have anxiety problems since I already am a very VERY bad nail-biter. :C

Another strange thing I do is that I pick and poke at my scalp a lot.. sometimes until it bleeds x.x I do have a very bad case of dandruff so it may be caused by that.

All in all, it's really really hard to break habits like this, but I'm trying my best. Best of luck to you, too!
Drea - 02-13-2012 06:49 PM
Originally Posted by Bexxy

I pull my eyebrows out until they're nearly bald, and have to draw them back on ;_;
Is this the same thing?
I haven't ever been able to stop it.
I do it with my arm hair too, so I just shave that... lol.

I do the exact same thing with my eyebrows. @___@ I think it must be related in some way.
kami - 02-14-2012 07:25 PM
I have a habit that I can't break as well (fairly personal so I'd rather not state what it is) and I've been dealing with it for years, pretty much all my life. I've gotten better as time has gone on but I doubt, especially at this point, that I will ever stop. It's just so ingrained in me now o-o; It sucks.

I hope that you will be able to control yours some day. Habits are a damn hard thing to break. Maybe try and do something bad every time you do it? (If you notice or if someone catches you.) Or reward yourself for not doing it? That might help you. Like rewards/punishments basically. Good luck!
jakdacrowe - 02-23-2012 08:04 AM
I got this. Except, sometimes on really rare occasions I eat the hair. >_> I yank my eyelashes too.
Me think I started when I was 12. When my parents started fighting. >_>;
Angely - 02-25-2012 09:00 AM
Have you thought about working part time at a spa waxing and plucking hair? I know I pay a lot of money every month to get my eyebrows waxed and plucked and other parts done like arms, legs, etc. Maybe if you were busy pulling other people's hair in a positive way, it would calm your desire to pull your own.

I hope you find a way to calm it, it must be awful to have the desire to do something so badly that you want to stop doing.

Also, does it hurt or after doing it for so long, or are you numb to the pain? Because I have a 3 month old baby who just realized it's a lot of fun to grab and pull mommy's hair and it is so painful!