Overcoming Trichotillomania: The Power of Awareness | Aneela Idnani | TEDxFargo

Aneela Idnani is a mental health advocate on a mission to raise BFRB awareness. BFRB stands for Body Focused Repetitive Behavior, a family of conditions that include compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania), skin picking (dermatillomania) and nail biting (onychophagia). These are the most common mental health disorders you've never heard of, with approximately 1 in 20 Americans affected.

You can't change what you don't know is happening. This is particularly true for people with BFRBs, like Aneela, and is why she and her team created a smart bracelet, HabitAware Keen, to help build awareness of these trance-like behaviors. Awareness empowers YOU to consciously choose healthier coping strategies and change your life. A talk to share because mental health matters.
Aneela Idnani is Cofounder & President of HabitAware. For more than 20 years, Aneela hid her battle with compulsive hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania), a mental health condition. After sharing this secret, HabitAware created Keen, a smart bracelet, that uses gesture detection technology to bring awareness to hair pulling, skin picking and nail biting disorders. With awareness, people can “Retrain The Brain” to healthier coping mechanisms.

[Cosmic-Wanderer]

Suffering from it since i was 13 im 26 now nearly 27 (male) its an absolute life wrecker and people who don’t have it will never understand

[annelenan]

When the stress rises, I feel my fingers tingle, as they reach for the hair again. Then, I wonder: when will it be over 😞

[adaliaharrington]

I’ve struggled with hair pulling ever since I could remember. I am currently 15 years old and feel SO much community because of your story. It’s comforting to know that I’m not alone and that there is a cure, thank you❤️

[jainawhite]

Trichotillomania needs more awareness!! I’m from Kansas and no one knows what this disorder actually is. If my family member hadn’t studied psychology in college, I don’t think I would’ve ever been able to diagnose this disorder!

[krizchelannrasonabe]

i pull out those rough and thick hair because it is satisfying. now i have bald patches on my scalp

[ambercastillo]

I’m still in shock this has a name
I can’t believe after all these years
It has a name
I’m crying as I type this
This story hits home
The way she describes it
The shame
I thought something was wrong with me
Like how twisted I must be
So much shame
But I can’t believe this is a real thing omg

[btblessed]

“He gently grabbed my hand, and I gently resisted the urge to punch him.”

😂 FELT THAT, it really is like that. Sometimes if I’m pulling around my best friend he gently grabs my hand and I know it’s for my own good... But every time it’s like white hot rage fills me because the only thing I want to do is feed that obsession.

[ryyxxa]

I know that feeling I'm crying rn

[adrianam]

Im suffering and it’s been going on for too long :(

[lujancampos]

okay min 2 and i started crying so bad this made me realize im not alone

[SKYYLOVE]

*i was also 12 when i started pulling out my eyelashes & today i am making the conscious decision to stop, while being patient with myself in the process. anyone reading this: please pray for me. i’m sending you all love, light, & healing energy* 🕊

[yanaandfriends]

Wow i want to show this to all my friends and family who just cant understand that I CANT JUST STOP PULLING.

[mmwalczakable]

I’ve suffered with Trich since I was 12 I was severely bullied and had no idea what I was doing to myself .. I’m now 25. I’ve pulled all my eyelashes and some of my eyebrows, it continues to this day. It’s a rough road .. if you have Trich I feel the ache in your heart .. I feel your pain .. keep looking forward. We can conquer.

[ho-mwqp]

Can the device send an electric shock? Because even when I become conscious of it I can’t stop... 😂

[paulajara]

I just want to stay in my room forever. I still can't accept.

[coconemon]

I started pulling my scalp hair when I started high school, started getting bald spots in the back of my head. I was so ashamed of it I never thought I could stop. People made fun of me and not even my parents believed me when I told them it's a disorder called trichotilomania. Anyways I'm 23 years old and I finally overcame it, my secret : OIL MASSAGES!!! I cannot stress this enough, be alert of where your hands are and when you get an urge to pull try massaging instead... rosemary oil personally worked wonders for me... I have a full head with thick hair now... I know it's easier said then done and I'm not saying this is going to happen overnight.. took me a about 2 years to heal and regrow my hair.

Thx xx

[jessicamartinez]

I also suffer from trichtillomania. I pull from my scalp and sometimes my eyebrows to. I hate this disorder. It takes away my pride and beauty.

[clockchest]

“Just stop!” Yup, cured. My hair just grew back immediately! It’s so embarrassing. I am ashamed. But I will beat this and get my beautiful hair back.

[Avelusha]

Anybody reading this and suffering from the same problem - be strong, we all can make it!

[komalmahal]

Wow I feel so overwhelmed seeing so many people here go through the same thing. While this habit comes from stress and anxiety, mine is also linked with ocd/perfection. I feel like a certain weird hair with weird texture and split ends doesn't deserve to be on my head and I keep pulling it out 😓