Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Support Group

Well, I'm not in high school anymore but when i was Trich definitely interfered. I found that whenever doing my homework (even last semester in college) I would pull. Are you having problems paying attention because pulling is on your mind or you are pulling? As far as your parents, maybe you can print some information on Trich for them. There's the TLC website that has a lot of info. Many people don't understand that this is a real impulse disorder and we aren't doing it on purpose. xoxoxoxo

I've been out of high school for two years but I'm in college now and I STILL have that problem. It was extremely difficult for me to do my homework because I would focus on pulling and I would pull while I listening to my teachers (that's why I always took a seat in the back of the class).

As said before, you should get your mom to take a peek at this site and/or gather information for her. Once she reads it, she might be more open and understanding.

*big hugs*

Hi.

I agree to give your parents info on Trich.

Next if you want to help yourself curb your pulling at school sit where you know others can see you. We don't like to have others notice us pulling so maybe sitting in a different place would help you.

As for doing homework, read the Stop Pulling Tips and find one that you like and try it. ALWAYS have it with you. Make sure you have it before you sit down. You could even take one to school with you - worry stone to rub or something along those lines.

May I ask how long you have been pulling? If you just started then could it have something to do with your parents getting divorced? Or right before and you felt the tension in the house? I ask because to be able to stop we first have to figure out what it is that is making us want to pull to begin with.

I have been pulling my hair since I was 11.

Definitely check out the TLC site for your folks: http://www.trich.org/index.asp.

I never wanted to pull in front of anyone, so trich did not affect my schoolwork in the classroom. But whenever I would sit at home to study, I would pull. I think a lot of us did. I would strongly suggest grabbing a stress ball or some silly putty or something else to put in your hands while you study. we do best when our hands are otherwise occupied!!!!

yes, i always phase out in class... way to stop this is to text!!! a lot!!

Ah but if you text you still aren't paying attention to the teacher so you aren't learning the subject.

Yes, my trich gives me a LOT of problems in school. It's so difficult to pay attention to anything when you have the urge to pull, let alone when you go on a spree. I absolutely hated going to school because I couldn't focus and people made fun of me because of trich. As for your mom, you should definitely show her some of the trich websites, and let her know that this is a serious thing.

well, you sound like me, but after having not done amazingly in school or at college, i think i just understood that i'm a visual learner, and no amount of sitting in a chair listening to blah blah blah is ever going to teach me much. i used to pull at school because i was bored. i used to draw and doodle a lot too, but of course my teachers never let me, and i would pull instead.

man, i wish i could punch people in my past...

i'm so sorry your parents are divorcing now, this is a really really hard time to try to feel like you are on solid ground. my parents were splitting when i was a young teen too, and they were so NOT there for me, they spent years suing each other for custody of me instead of being there for me. i figure i was more stressed than i thought, and pulling my hair was part of my relief.

is there a counselor in your school that you can talk to? maybe explaining to someone in confidence about this thing that you deal with might help your teachers understand you a little better. teachers are supposed to be there to help you - and in some cases, teachers are supposed to be able to TELL when a child has some other issues - like being nearsighted, being dyslexic, being bipolar, having developmental delays, having compulsive behaviours, tantrums, etc. they may not be fully trained on HOW to deal with these things, but they should at least KNOW about them, so they can address them with the children/parents in healthier ways.

if there is no counselor at your school, talk to a teacher that you really trust, or someone in the staff that you know would really listen to you. educate them about trich. they will hopefully be able to help you fit in a little better at school.

I don't really know how to help you with your parents.. but I definitly have the same problem, and it's gonna kill my senior year gpa, sooo yeah.. I try to either sit on my hands or bring one of those neat little balls with the rubbery strings hanging off.. idk what they're called.. but it helps because it kind of feeles like thick hair between your fingers. Best wishes -- Kacey