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Trichotillomania Help please

Nikki1985
Nikki1985

Hi,


Ive just found this website and joined so I can ask a couple of questions.


I have Trichorillomania and I’ve been pulling for about 8 years now. 


It started when I had semi-permenant false lashes applied and they irritated my eyes (even though the patch test was fine). I had to pull the fake lashes off which obviously took my natural lashes with it :( 


Since then I get a massive urge to pull my eye lashes out, but it’s only as a few lashes hurt. I don’t think I’m imagining it as the lashes are really sore to touch so I pull them out and it’s an instant relief! The whole hair comes out with a big thick white lump, I’m assuming this is the root or something? Then as I’ve pulled a few sore lashes my eyelid then starts to hurt and go red which then causes more lashes to hurt and it’s a vicious cycle! Most lashes have the white ends which are sore but some don’t hurt and have a black end.


Is there anything I can do to stop the lash hurting as that’s what makes me pull? I don’t think I’d pull if they didn’t hurt as I don’t think I do it for anxiety or anything it’s just the pain. It feels really tender and painful so I have to pull it to relieve it :( Any vitamins to help with hair growth?


I currently have barely any lashes on both eyelids and it’s a nightmare trying to hide it with makeup so I’d really like to stop pulling.


Id really appreciate any help.


Thanks Nikki

arfie
arfie
Hello Nikki. Welcome to DS. Sorry for what brings you here but glad you are here.

For what it's worth:
There is a trichotillomania support group on DS. DS is a big site which covers allot of support turf, but some of the forums move so slow that they don't help much. The trichotillomania forum looks kinda slow, but potentially worth a surf. A link, just in case:

https://www.dailystrength.org/group/trichotillomania-hair-pulling

But that is not to discourage posting here. Personally, I find that cross posting brings a richer diversity in support.

I don't know if it is even close to the same but I am a compulsive scratcher who routinely scratches big holes into my skin. My brain tells me those big holes hurt less than the stuff I scratched out of my skin. The tic was the subject of many therapy sessions, but my shrink insisted on a visit to a dermatologist to rule out physical causes before we started OCD therapy.

Have you discussed this with a doctor?

So or no, welcome aboard.
Ih8PTC
Ih8PTC
Arfie has some good suggestions. If you honestly feel like it’s related to alleviating the tenderness pain then maybe you have something wrong with the tear duct, glands, a stye, chalazaion, blepheritis or some other sort of eyelid condition that can be attributing to this tenderness. I’d go see an eye doctor to see if maybe it is an actual condition causing the tenderness and if it’s treated maybe then you’ll stop. I had a friend who had trichotillomania and she literally pulled all her hair, eyelashes, eyebrows out and when she didn’t have anymore hair she started pulling from her cats whiskers. It’s a serious condition so you should definitely see a doctor to check for any underlying problems that may help. Good luck!
Nikki1985
Nikki1985
Thank you both!

I don’t pull them unless they hurt so maybe it is an underlying infection or something. I can’t see anything and my eye looks normal but maybe it’s in the follicle which is why some are white and some are thick black.

I’ll have a look into an eye doctor thank you
XGypsyX
XGypsyX
Nikki, i started to do the exact same thing you did maybe years ago, and i started in middle school, i was highly anxiety ridden so it was with me constantly. Over the years now that i have somewhat managed my anxiety ive learned to stop pulling them out, i started doing things that would have my hands busy. Its not easy, but it can be done one day at a time. Also the eye doctor gave me some medicine for itchy eyes, and wow that worked so well to.
i hope you think of going to an eye doc to see if they can help with this.
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