Is this something you created on your own, or is it part of CBT or some other program? Either way, it looks great and nicely outlines many things we all can and should be doing to manage trich. You should hang it somewhere you can see it frequently!

I created it from a paragraph in an article Dr Fred Penzel wrote in 1992, the link to the article is on the previous pg.

And yes I should!! I've since edited a little & added positive affirmations along with exercise and diet etc in the motivation section.

Well from that article and also based on my own investigations and experimentation of what works.

Oh, I saw the link but haven't read the article yet. It looks great, though. The positive affirmations are a good idea. I feel too silly using most of them, but I write little sayings about being PF along the sides of my sticker charts, along with lyrics to that India Arie song "I Am Not My Hair." Oh, and a picture of Melissa Etheridge singing at the Grammys with no hair. Hahaha.

Oh that's awesome!! I used positive affirmations for a while during the time when I was pull free for 8 months. (Man that was so long ago..) I have read a lot of articles which talk about the science behind it. If you truly believe something, it's more likely to happen. You know, if it's something that you can control!

Ok well I took my bandaids off twice yesterday to do the washing up, and to cook. The first time I pulled 1 or 2 hairs (ack I can't remember, it was definitely 1, but maybe 2). Then the 2nd time I took them off I pulled 3 hairs. So 5 pulled yesterday. Again today I'm aiming for 100% pull free!

I really want to be mostly pull free for the next 3-4 weeks. I'd love to get a bit of regrowth to completely fill in my bare-ish patch on my crown, for when I get my hair cut again.

Didn't put my bandaids on til after midday today, pulled 3 hairs. Grrrr. Must, not, remove, barriers!

:( hope the pulling lessens soon. You say that about the barriers, however the barriers work by not allowing you to fulfill the action rather than treating the cause or trigger. My counceller had me start removing barriers as as good as they are they arn't actually very helpful when it comes to being pull free.

I use them for times when I can't be consumed with using my willpower to stop myself. Eg when I'm working, or at the beginning of a pull free period. They allow the habit of NOT pulling to start to form. I have used this successfully in the past and was pf for 8 months. Barriers are very helpful for me and many others.

Only 3 hairs pulled yesterday :) Hooray! Aiming for 100% pf again today :)

Of course I would never recommend using barriers as the only form of treating trich. They are just one of many helpful things we can do.

I agree that barriers are hugely helpful. By not allowing us to subconsciously pull, it helps break the habit of our hands constantly going to our heads and makes us more aware of how often we do try to pull subconsciously. I also worried about becoming too dependent on barriers if I use them all the time at home, but I found the opposite to be true. The more I used barriers, the more the urges decreased. Of course, there are other things we can and should do to control trich, but barriers are a big component of that, at least for people who choose to use them. At the end of the day, if a certain method helps keep the hair on our heads, it is helpful. Of course, different methods work for different people - everyone on this forum has their own awesome tips about what they have found to be most useful in managing trich.

Wow! That plan you wrote is really good, I could apply many things to my own life.
I think even pulling only 3 hairs a day is great! Especially when you think about how many hairs you naturally lose a day..
You're doing awesome my dear! :)

you are doing so great! pulling 3 and being able to be so diligent about keeping track is amazing - stay with it :)

You are very wise, C. To add to the barriers discussion, I find that putting on a baseball cap , or pulling my hair back into a tight ponytail actually dulls the urge as well as making it hard to pull. It feels good to contain the scalp, almost like swaddling.

Thanks Manda, yes different things work for different people. Trich is such a complex condition, it affects everyone for a variety of reasons in a variety of ways! I read/hear time and time again that no specific thing works for everyone, so each individual really has to be aware of exactly what hurts and helps them so that they can get the best treatment.

Thanks Lien, I find it very helpful to look at when I'm struggling (as I am now). I see all the things I could (should) be doing and that brings about the belief that if I work harder, I can achieve what I want. 3 hairs was good! Thanks :) :)

Thanks Jesden! Very much.

Hehe you are wise, Phoebe. Yes... I find that even wearing bandaids dulls the urge. And wearing a hat definitely does too. Weird weird weird.. why? You're right, it feels good to "contain" it. To me wearing barriers feels "safe", like I can relax and just live my life without having to worry about pulling/not pulling.

Hmm so I pulled a bit more than 3 hairs per day the past 2 (3?) days. Not heaps, but more. Oh well, let's focus on now. And now, I've been pull free so far today. Yes, it's only 11am. But hey. Today might just be the day I'm 100% pf!