Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Support Group

the mere fact that u were able to be pull free at all is telling of how much will-power u have. thinking u can never stop is very damaging to your healing process. there are many people who have stopped/ its difficult but you have to be fully determined to stop. take it one day at a time, and before you know it, ull be pf (pull-free) for weeks, then months, then years! all it takes is some determination and support!
and if u have one slip-up, just continue the pf! dont let a set-back set you ALL the way back!

I think that reading all of the suggestions on this site will be helpful. Have you tried NAC? Different things to do with your hands during the times you're most likely to pull?
Best of luck to you...you can do this!!

i've become more determined than ever to stop - i haven't been pf at all for almost 10 years and it's maddenning at times - for me, i have a central "spot" that i pull from, so what i do may not work for you... i pull from the crown of my scalp, and definitely have a bald spot that is hard to cover without wearing my hair short, my hairdresser is really sweet, never makes me feel bad, and very helpful with the style to hide it. i'm lucky in that regard...
I do use Bag Balm, available at the pharmacy and health type stores. it's primary use is for cattle...teats, to keep them supple, but it is also used for extremely dry skin. i use it for another purpose. i put a glob on my patch in the evening when i know i don't have to leave the house at all. it causes very greasy hair in the end, but it acts beautifully to keep my fingers away, because they sink into the blob of goo... if i don't have to go to work the next day, i won't wash it out in the morning. i will put more on and wear a hat. it does wash out well - if i'm extra greasy it takes 2 shampoos, but the skin is super nice and healed over and i am hoping that this time around i won't keep pulling the spikes - which are also softer - and damage the new skin by pulling it off... keeping my fingers crossed - sending hugs your way! Peace*

I agree determination and will power are the keys along with meditation. I am practising mediation it really helps in every aspect of life. It not only calms you down but gives you inner strength and security..... which we want specially in our case. Feed your subconcious mind with positivity always ..... and see the wonder.

Have you tried hypnosis? Its not a cure and some people it doesn't work at all but Ive found it greatly diminished my urges. Well after hypnosis I am more aware of my urges or when my hand creeps up to my hair and I don't notice till its there- hypnosis has helped me recognize what what going on and stopping before anything starts.... give it a try, we all have our own cure. All you have to do is keep trying and never give up hope!

The fact that you were able to stop pulling for an entire year says that you will be able to stop again. What where the circumstances in your life during that time? If you think back to how you felt then and what you were doing, you might find something that will help you again.

We all have set backs (I'm in a terrible one myself right now) but please try to not beat yourself up. You will get through this and find a way to get better.

Hey cakeNbake! How much does the hypnosis cost? Is it covered under insurance as any type of medical condition. I have wanted to try hypnosis for years but I wasn't sure if it really helped or not. How frequently do you go?

And hello to everybody else. It is nice to know I am not alone. I don't see anyone on here who pulls their eyebrows and eyelashes. Those are my choices, and I hate it. I am sick of "fixing" the hair that should be on my face all of the time. I want to go swimming and now worry about my eyebrows getting wet and wearing off. I need to change and I want to do it now! Nice to meet you all!

I can't offer you a solution, but venting on this site and reading other peoples' posts has really helped me. I think that some of the anxiety that accompanies my pulling used to be thinking that I was the only one and feeling self conscious. Remember that there are others of us like you who are trying to stop. I'm 26, too. I hate pulling, and I hate myself sometimes for doing it. BUT, hopefully we can all help each other relax and feel better about ourselves by sharing our stories. I hope this site helps you.

To CiarrasMommy,I also pull my eyebrows and lashes, and I think I look very odd, sort of without facial features, if I don't draw them in. Swimming makes me nervous, too. Getting up each morning and drawing on fake eyebrows sucks, doesn't it? So does looking in the mirror in the afternoon and noticing one of my brows is either higher than the other, or has gotten partially smudged off. Why do we do this to ourselves?