outcastinside

Close Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling)
: Trichotillomania

I suffer with both depression and trich, but I'll start here. I remember the first day I started pulling. I was watching a movie in my basement, and I kept pulling out my eyelashes and putting them in a pile. When my mom saw she was horrified, and told me I could go bald if I didn't stop. Well, that was the beginning. I was only in 4th grade then, and I couldn't stop pulling. I kept on pulling, and sure enough, I had a bald patch on my eye. I was humiliated, and I usually looked down so people wouldn't see. Before long I had pulled all of my eyelashes out. One night I was frusterated with my homework, and my mom offered to help me. It was with math, which my dad is better at, so both my parents sat down to help me. That's when I noticed them looking at me funny. I thought they must know. So I hid my head and cried. I used to have really long eyelashes, and when I cried they would stick together. My parents told me to look up, so I did as I was told, and that's when they noticed. I am in HS now, and still struggling. I would greatly appreciate help!

Close Depression
Type: Clinical (Major) Depression

I have been sufferig from depression, and find it's hard to talk about it face to face. I have cut myself before, and run away from home several times, planning to commit suicide. I would appreciate help.

Treatments

Effexor Working / Worked

This has been the most helpful, but I have steadily kept upping the doseage. I am hopeful.

Lexapro Not Working

Did not work for me.

Positive Thinking Considering

It can work at times if my depression isn't too bad, I can think of the happy parts of my life. But mainly, I consider much of my "positive thinking" through spiritual things. I believe God can help me (I am christian, but I promise I won't press my beliefs on you!) and having a strong connection helps me too. So I guess the status should really say, "dependent upon the type."

Prozac Somewhat Helpful

It worked for awhile, but then we upped the doseage so much so frequently that they concluded that it wasn't helpful.

Psychotherapy Working / Worked

I have a great counselor, who has good ideas (actually gave me the writing idea). It is easier to talk with her because I don't have a "relationship" with her.

Support from Friends & Family Somewhat Helpful

I feel like I'm not able to be very open with people. It is scary to me. It can sometimes bring me out of my pit, but other times it is just awkward, and not quite the response that I need.

Writing Working / Worked

Already writing part of my profile helped. I love writing, and sometimes getting out all of my sadness helps. What I like to do is write poems expressing my sadness or just full out feelings, and then put it through the shredder or tear it up. Just getting my emotions out in front of me helps sometimes. And then after I read it over, I shred/cut it up, to show that I don't have to feel these feelings.