Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Support Group

It really bites that your 2 friends can't try to be more understanding. I think you were so brave for telling them. I have not told anyone. You should think hard about who you want to tell. It can be really hard on your self esteem if someone reacts badly. If you think this other girl is more understanding and you feel u need to get it off of your chest, then do what you feel in your heart is best. I know you just want support and someone to talk to other than people on the site.

Good luck. And post about what u decide and what happens.

you never know until you try. youre friend sounds great, but even great friends are stuck when it comes to one of these situations. the biggest reason is they don't know what trich is or what it's like to have it. it's not their fault, far from it, you just need to help her understand. i recently told my best friend and he took it well. there were the obvious and kinda embarrassing questions, but i wanted to tell him. it was great. he's been really supportive. he goes online and prints studies and advice on trich for me. when i told my boyfriend of 7 years, it was a little different. i wanted to tell him right away after getting together, and i knew that if he found out like a month into it or whatever, he might have not stayed. but i was wrong. he's been great. he doesnt completely understand, but he does what he can and also prints stuff for me. they want me to get better. i just hope that you can have these kinds of relationships with this amazing girl pal of yours. take the plunge. we're here if you need us. xoxo

Personally, I don't suggest telling anyone. I have dealt with this for at least 40 yrs., and have told only a few. My kids don't know. Only my mother, one long time friend, but she never has mentioned it. People who don't do this, just think you're weird. They don't know how to deal with it or what to say to you about it. I also think telling people makes you accept it yourself. The bottom line is, if you tell someone, to me, it gives you an excuse of some sort of acceptance that we shouldn't have. I know many will disagree with me, but it truly isn't acceptable. Unfortunately, it's not accepted like alcoholism, drug addiction, etc. It's just so much bizarre to someone who doesn't have the propblem of trich. I may not have explained what I was trying to say properly, but try to keep it to yourself. My opinion.

hey everyone. thanks for all the amazing advice.!!

straightlinegirl i see where you are coming from. the two girls i told the first time were amazing and there for me but im having a hard time with them like i said. so that was a good choice but it didnt last. the guidance counselor was a mistake.

we had to write a packet for our teachers to write recommendations. i wrote about trich and it so turns out that i had to get about 5 or 6 recommendations. so a lot of teachers at school know, which im not really sure i like, but hopefully it will be worth it.. i dont like that my new guidance counselor knows.. she thinks she can understand me just bc she knows. she doesnt know anything about me!

sorry this is all really off topic... but i did end up telling my friend. she called me after which scared me a lot but she was really nice about it and didnt make me talk much. so that was cool. that night i pulled a little bit and texted her at night telling her what happened. i was worried she wouldnt respond but she did in the morning and it was amazing.

the next day when i saw her at practice, she gave me a handwritten letter that i could read with things to remember (like you are strong, beautiful, etc) and the most amazing bracelet that she said is her favorite and that she uses in times of need. she said she wanted something tangible for me when i just couldnt make myself call anyone even though she was there for me whenever.

and it goes on. she gave me advice, calls/texts a lot, and she offered to hang out this weekend, which we never really did before. we are seeing cloudy with a chance of meatballs, which is just a cute movie just you know..to get through stuff.

a close friend's dad died yesterday so things have been kind of crazy..
really makes me think about how you might not get another chance..you never know how long you have.

so in conclusion (sorry that was long),
the friend was an extremely good idea. she is like a sponsor (for people who are drug addicts) and she is so there for me. i have never felt so much support from one person and so much care about how i am doing. i think it definitely is hit or miss with teling a friend and i got really lucky in having her and deciding to tell her.
i told her my 60 day goal, we are visiting a friend out of town on that day and i want my hair back for then. the friend i told happens to be coming on the trip! so hopefully this will be good.

thanks again