Beating Trich Community Group
You mean that there is a name for IT? Im not weird? Trichotillomania, that big, long word that is the bane of our world. With knowledge and support of others we CAN break free and live without this disorder interfering with our lives. Lets keep this uplifting and supportive and give each other the encouragement the other needs to make it to that next day.
Hi,
I’ve spent a few weeks reading some of your posts and becoming inspired by everyone’s honesty and willingness to fight the urges to pull. I want to stop pulling and I want to lose the shame, guilt, and anxiety it creates.
So, today I’m going to start my first ever Pull Free A Thon. I need to stop and am committed to stopping. And writing this here with your encouragement will certainly help.
I started pulling in middle school, maybe around age 13? I’m now 26. That means I’ve been pulling for half of my life. Ahh! I’ve never thought of it in that way! It frustrates me so much! I’ve always pulled my eyebrows, though as some of you described the urges come in waves of intensity. I’ve had some healthy growth periods, and then other times of shortening, thinning, to non-existent eyebrows. I hate the pictures of those times. I want to burn them all or deny them. Yet, I feel myself falling into another period of extended pulling and I want to stop it. I don’t want this any more.
In high school I met with a counselor, but I didn’t feel many benefits from the meetings. She focused on big events in my past, assuming they were the cause, rather than helping with just the daily urge to pull which is so hard to fight. She ended my meetings with her just saying, “A few hairs a day isn’t bad, you seem happy enough.” I guess my problem is I can fake it pretty well, pretending to be happy or healthy, while I’m sometimes overwhelmed with the stress my pulling causes.
But despite my best efforts to pretend I’m OK, I still pull. I can remember the few people who have asked me about it, bringing out my shame and confusion while I try to stop and be healthy. It’s so hard for me to talk about, but I don’t want to do this or be embarrassed anymore. I’m a graduate student, so my days are often stressful with many assignments. I want to be able to cope and overcome without pulling.
So, here I go. Panthera’s Pull Free A Thon begins today!
I’ve spent a few weeks reading some of your posts and becoming inspired by everyone’s honesty and willingness to fight the urges to pull. I want to stop pulling and I want to lose the shame, guilt, and anxiety it creates.
So, today I’m going to start my first ever Pull Free A Thon. I need to stop and am committed to stopping. And writing this here with your encouragement will certainly help.
I started pulling in middle school, maybe around age 13? I’m now 26. That means I’ve been pulling for half of my life. Ahh! I’ve never thought of it in that way! It frustrates me so much! I’ve always pulled my eyebrows, though as some of you described the urges come in waves of intensity. I’ve had some healthy growth periods, and then other times of shortening, thinning, to non-existent eyebrows. I hate the pictures of those times. I want to burn them all or deny them. Yet, I feel myself falling into another period of extended pulling and I want to stop it. I don’t want this any more.
In high school I met with a counselor, but I didn’t feel many benefits from the meetings. She focused on big events in my past, assuming they were the cause, rather than helping with just the daily urge to pull which is so hard to fight. She ended my meetings with her just saying, “A few hairs a day isn’t bad, you seem happy enough.” I guess my problem is I can fake it pretty well, pretending to be happy or healthy, while I’m sometimes overwhelmed with the stress my pulling causes.
But despite my best efforts to pretend I’m OK, I still pull. I can remember the few people who have asked me about it, bringing out my shame and confusion while I try to stop and be healthy. It’s so hard for me to talk about, but I don’t want to do this or be embarrassed anymore. I’m a graduate student, so my days are often stressful with many assignments. I want to be able to cope and overcome without pulling.
So, here I go. Panthera’s Pull Free A Thon begins today!
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My day...today...misplaced my debit card...didn't realize it until I got to the register after shopping to a full cart. Used a different debit card and pulled apart everything looking for missing debit card before I left parking lot. Got home, dropped keys. So now I have a missing debit card, missing keys. A full cartload to unload and put away. I got everything put away.Dumped purse for a...
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I don't really know how to label this but I having a rough week and I can't say it's one thing.... I have a lot on my plate which is nothing new and I try to cope in many positive ways and do but I still have my moments.My kids more so my daughters talk to me about everything which I know it's cause of comfort and we are close.... however I really struggle with the venting about their dad which...
Coming on the forum here helps me too.
Glad to see you back. I was away for some really long periods but trying to get on here more regularly. The forum is not very active like it used to be, and even this group here has slowed down in postings.
I find I'm making progress with my work, and so working hard at my computer for longer periods, so I'm really struggling for the last week. Hoping I can find the strength to improve.
Sending love out to the world to each of you. I hope you're having a peaceful day with relaxed hands.
I had been having a lot of success avoiding pulling. I even was complimented by my sister for the thickness of my eyebrows! Wow I had no idea how much I needed such encouragement!!! It felt great.
But that was weeks ago, and now I'm back in grad school with new classes and stresses. I'm trying so hard not to be stressed, to stay focused and relaxed. But if I get distracted or anxious, I'm finding my pulling to be getting worse again. Increasing in numbers and ruining my efforts in the past. I'm so frustrated, I'm only causing myself more stress and probably guiding my body to want to pull even more! I hate this positive feedback loop! I want to find a way to stop myself more than just wearing a hat down over my eyebrows when I'm working at my computer.... ugh.
I hope you're all having a more calm start to the new year, sending you love. I'm amazed by your strength, and will keep working with you to feel better.
I found myself so busy on the trip, that the distractions kept me from pulling a lot of the time. But yes, things can get stressful and this annoying trich sneaks back into my behavior...
I'll keep trying to stay conscious of my hands and peaceful towards myself when I slip up. Hope you can find the same!