Thought I would make a thread in case others wish to discuss their thoughts and experiences on hair-pulling disorders aka trichotillomania.
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There was a thread previously but I’m not sure what happened to it. Thanks for starting this!
Oh my god I am so happy to see this thread! I have a patch which i pull at the bottom left of my head and its so much shorter than the rest of my hair, it is driving me mad because I can't stop doing it! Has anyone ever been able to reduce the amount they do it? Except obviously putting it in a bobble
I've got the same patch in the same place! Lol.
I've had two periods where I have reduced my pulling. Once was in second year of uni and I'm not sure why it stopped/restarted, and the second was last year when I started a little rewards system where I gave myself a little treat every X number of times I resisted the urge. It helped for a few months and I even grew some eyebrows!
Most recent attempt to stop is by starting to meditate, hoping it'll calm my mind down a bit.
Thats such a good idea about the rewards system! I'm going to try that.
I think I am doing it more recently because I am stressed about money etc, but once I start and the patch gets short it takes ages to grow back so its one minute of relief for months of hair growth. So frustrating
Ack I've suffered from this! Mostly as a teenager. I remember my mum pointing out a little bald patch on the top of my head which mortified me enough to mostly stop. The eyelash and eyebrow pulling stopped because it was too noticeable and I'm vain. Now it's occasionally I pull from the very bottom of my hair but it has to be a split end to get yanked out. And it's through boredom, not through stress which doesn't seem to tie in with what I've read online for the reasons behind trichotillomania.
I dont pull, but ive been picking at my head so much 
dry patches, pick at it, scabs and i pick that. My scalp is so sore from it
dry patches, pick at it, scabs and i pick that. My scalp is so sore from itI do the same and I can't stop and I always think it must look awful if anyone sees me doing it.I dont pull, but ive been picking at my head so much
I also pull my eyelashes and eyebrows when stressed so now have a bald patch on one eyebrow which looks daft. I've really, really worked on resisting the urge and so the longer hairs kinda cover the patch. But I can't stop with the head picking.
Thanks for starting the thread
I've never really talked about it so it's good to have the thread a s a safe space.I dread going to the hairdressers, my scalp must look manky!!I do the same and I can't stop and I always think it must look awful if anyone sees me doing it.
I also pull my eyelashes and eyebrows when stressed so now have a bald patch on one eyebrow which looks daft. I've really, really worked on resisting the urge and so the longer hairs kinda cover the patch. But I can't stop with the head picking.
Thanks for starting the thread
Same and my hair isn't very thick to hide it.Have you found anything that helps? I find if I really take my time using a lovely shampoo and conditioner in the shower and rubs at the bits I usually pick, it helps. It helps it heal up a bit and so I can usually resist the urge better that day. But it's pretty short lived!I dread going to the hairdressers, my scalp must look manky!!
I’ve been having lash extensions which I pull out, I was having weekly infills. Anyway this week I’ve had to cancel my appointment, I’ve pulled that much I’ve hardly any lashes left to attach an eyelash to. Hoping they’ll grow back as at the moment i resemble a boiled egg 
Yesss this is it! What makes it such a frustrating disorder. We can spend days/weeks working really hard to repair the damage and regrow, only to have it all ruined in one sitting.
Things I'm finding helpful as the years go by:
- Reminding myself it'll grow back, in order to not ruin my mood for the rest of the day or "resign" myself to more pulling
- Eyebrow tattoos lol, I spent years freehanding eyebrows and my teenage photos are mortifying!
- Saying "NO" out loud to myself when I manage to put my hand down before pulling. Working from home helps in that sense haha! I don't know why it helps but sometimes it does break that "spell" trance like state
- Building my confidence. Which would be weird for my friends/family to hear as I'm a naturally confident person. But I've always found it hard to flirt with people as I'm self conscious that they'll notice I have no brows/lashes under my makeup
I look like a thumb when I wake up in the morningI’ve been having lash extensions which I pull out, I was having weekly infills. Anyway this week I’ve had to cancel my appointment, I’ve pulled that much I’ve hardly any lashes left to attach an eyelash to. Hoping they’ll grow back as at the moment i resemble a boiled egg
Aw it’s awful isn’t it? Each time I tell myself ‘no you’ve just paid a lot of money for these lashes’ it lasts about 3/4 days then I am picking and pulling againYesss this is it! What makes it such a frustrating disorder. We can spend days/weeks working really hard to repair the damage and regrow, only to have it all ruined in one sitting.
Things I'm finding helpful as the years go by:
- Reminding myself it'll grow back, in order to not ruin my mood for the rest of the day or "resign" myself to more pulling
- Eyebrow tattoos lol, I spent years freehanding eyebrows and my teenage photos are mortifying!
- Saying "NO" loudly to myself when I manage to put my hand down before pulling. Working from home helps in that sense haha!
- Building my confidence. Which would be weird for my friends/family to hear as I'm a naturally confident person. But I've always found it hard to flirt with people as I'm self conscious that they'll notice I have no brows/lashes under my makeup
I look like a thumb when I wake up in the morning
I was the same when I wore hair extensions, picking and pulling them out causing damage and patches. I am a hairdresser so I really should know better.My hair is thick, but issues with thyroid/iron mean my hair has been falling out loads and thinning
so some of the areas are a bit more noticable. The hair loss upsets me to the point i hate washing it as i see how much comes out 
Re feeling self conscious
Someone said to me once that we notice other people's smiles, and facial expressions, and glittering eyes when they talk to us. And that's what I try to remember on days where I am self-conscious about my eyes, or bald spots/hairline. It helps sometimes
Someone said to me once that we notice other people's smiles, and facial expressions, and glittering eyes when they talk to us. And that's what I try to remember on days where I am self-conscious about my eyes, or bald spots/hairline. It helps sometimes
I love this. It really does help. I’ve avoided a lot of social situations in my life because of my hair; even as far as being too self conscious to apply for jobs etc. it really can be debilitating.Re feeling self conscious
Someone said to me once that we notice other people's smiles, and facial expressions, and glittering eyes when they talk to us. And that's what I try to remember on days where I am self-conscious about my eyes, or bald spots/hairline. It helps sometimes
I had this as a teen and I got badly bullied at school due to my bald patches which shocked me so much I haven't done it since
Oh my goodness me too. I keep making it worse and I swear I won’t do it again but the next day I’m picking at the dry patches again.I dont pull, but ive been picking at my head so much
I've had this since I was 11 but it's got worse in the last few years... I usually pull out the hair at the sides of my head, so my hair tends to grow out like a mullet.
Little victory! 
