What it's like to have Trichotillomania run your life

Trichotillomania is a body-focused repetitive behavior, affecting an estimated 1 in 20 people. So why is there so much stigma around it? Why do we hide it?

[dinonuggies]

Very relatable. Especially the part were you rub your fingers on you eyebrows afterwards because the texture changes. And then you know you will hate looking at yourself in the morning and then you try avoiding eye contact. I wish it was easy to avoid. It’s not

[maggiemae]

For anyone with this please know there are so many of us with this condition. You are not alone. We have just learned to keep it secret. I’m in my 40s and have had this since I was young. I use to feel so bad afterwards. I’m kinder to myself now days. It’s only hair. Tattoos, makeup can help. But please know at the end of our days this is only hair and you’re not alone 🌸

[folklore_lover]

oh my god definitely describes me. i just had a really bad pulling session the other night after MONTHS of regrowth, half of a full set of eyelashes was gone in 20 minutes all because i didn’t have something to do with my hands. im so angry with myself and it looks horrible. makeup doesn’t even help

[callmehcit]

Not to mention the marks and callouses on your pointer fingers after pulling because your thumb nail left a mark

[whoskelsi]

im 13 and i have this problem but not my eyebrows. my top and bottom eyelashes i always pull and i always get in trouble for it because my parents think i do it on purpose. they dont understand its a disorder and it really drives me crazy because they always ask me “why do you pull out your eyelashes?” i say i dont know and i get my phone taken away.

[lrc]

I started picking at my hair when I was quite young bald patches would form and it would make me incredibly anxious. It's been a couple years and though it has improved I still occasionally pick at my hair and my eyelashes. I'm glad for content like this which shows that I'm not the only one suffering and could potentially help others with trichotillomania. ❤️ ❤️

[Autxmnx.x]

I haven't been diagnosed but I rip out my eyebrows and eyelashes

[sbella.._]

I hate myself. I have trich and I can't control it. Parents get mad at me, they tell me to stop but I just can't. I want help but I don't know how. It's the feeling of pleasure when you pick a strand and keep picking. But the guilt afterwards is terrible. I want to stop so bad. Patches and patches all over my head. Hair pins and pins trying to cover up blemishes that I create. I can't do what I want. I feel ugly with this. I just want help. I don't know what causes it. It's embarrassing and I just wish I could live and have normal hair without having to cover all my patches. My friends at school just confuse me. I don't know what I can do for them to like me. Torturing me and hurting me seems to be fun for them. Getting called at, ugly, changing my makeup routine, hurt, pinches, scratched, kicked. Emotionally hurting me. Feeling unhygienic, thinking I have issues. Leaving me out, iIgnoring me on a daily basis. I try to make new friends but they just aren't like my other friends. They can be fun at times, make me laugh, but 85% of the time they just make me feel bad for myself. Asking me to do everything for them. Cleaning up for them. Getting hurt for their own entertainment. I just feel ugly and heartbroken. I don't know what to do. Please just someone help me. I won't tell them about my trich, they will just find me weird. After all this they expect me to act all happy like nothing happens. I just go with it. I can't live like this. I just wish to be happy. Not caring about my appearance, not caring about my disorder and not caring about what people think. But i find that hard and just generally want this all to stop. I want someone to talk to.

edit: i just wrote down my thoughts help

[frankware]

Good to know I’m not the only one with this

[tasan]

I brought this disorder up to my primary care physician, and she basically brushed it off. Can tell that she either didn't know about trichotillomania, or "modern medicine" isn't taking it seriously enough to prescribe any cures.

[anniehale]

What it's like living with Skin Picking issues.

The thoughts:

" If you pick this you'll feel better."

" I just got to pick the scab off"

" I love the feeling of my skin under finger nails."

" It hurts but it's the feel good kind of pain."

The list goes on.... Skin picking and Hair pulling disorders suck. I skin pick a lot too.❤

If you skin pick
⤵️

[melanieupdatess]

i have this but with my eyelashes. when i was younger, i used to pick my eyebrows. i remember i picked half of one off. they are grown now, its just my lashes.

[aarushikhanna]

My own Solutions for my eyebrows trich (been almost 2yrs stated during covid yrs)
- Getting Conscious while hair plucking
- Telling myself to ignore it and doing some work at that moment
- if urge continues, applying any oil/creme/lotion etc

At night before sleeping i have self made aloevera gel that i keep in fridge
For regrowth i apply - Cool Aloevera gell, calms my urge instantly, you can do this with any gel or creme. Make sure you apply slightly thick layer

And next time when ur hands reach, hair becomes slipry and sensation to pull dissolves

For Very strong urge - Try stroking motion gently, (i use this when i am in public and suddenly urge strikes but I don't want to feel like a maniac in front of other ppl so i just stroke gently and this has refuced my temptation also by changing the habit)

Other habits
- keeping nails short
- applying eyebrow pencil/eyebrowgel which are enriched with some natural oil or ingredients help regrowth
- positive self talk (yes it helps, after trich you will see yourself different from others but love yourself, regain your power ❤)

[starynight.mily]

i’m 11 and have had this since i was 9. and i’m proud to say it’s officially been 1 month since i’ve pulled a hair out!

[dixiethealien]

Yup, I think I have this. On a daily basis I pull out my eyelashes and my eyebrows and it doesn't hurt at all

[emekao]

I can’t stop picking at my facial hair and I realized I’ve always had this, when I was a kid I use to pull at the back of my head or pluck out my eyelashes. The bulb was always so interesting to me and truly still is idk why.

[blueischiii]

It never goes away, but I manage by keeping my hands busy with a fidget toy like a yoyo or something.

[anniehale]

What it's like living with Skin Picking issues.

The thoughts:

" If you pick this you'll feel better."

" I just got to pick the scab off"

" I love the feeling of my skin under finger nails."

" It hurts but it's the feel good kind of pain."

The list goes on.... Skin picking and Hair pulling disorders suck. I skin pick a lot too.❤

If you skin pick
⤵️ ❤

[Kxbunn]

I have trich, hate it so much. People always ask me what happened to my eyebrows and eyelashes, and it gets annoying and embarrassing. I finally had the courage to tell my parents, although I still pull my eyelashes a lot. Hope others can improve and stop pulling ❤

[shailjashavishende]

Will that hair come back or else it will completely go