Jesden, I do that, too...pull or try to pull the few hairs the barrier doesn't cover. Trich is crazy...

Yeah, it's just tough right now that it's the end of the semester (I am in a grad school program and working, which is kicking my butt). I am just DREADING the next two weeks! I feel so overwhelmed!

Pull free Saturday, but pulled a bit yesterday and pulled 2 so far today.

I am going to work hard on breaking the link between "urge" and "pulling," today. I CAN make it through the day pull free even though I am super stressssed, I CAN I CAN I CAN!

You can do it - one day at a time, and soon these crazy two weeks will be over and you can celebrate your hard work! The very minimal pulling during these stressful few days is an accomplishment!

you can do this! I'm so proud of who aware you are! :)

Ugh, have not done well the past two days. A LOT of mindless pulling, with me not even bothering to count the hairs.

It's cool if I want to pull, but I'm pulling, the very least I need to do is count. I really need that awareness of how much damage I'm actually doing to my head, to keep me mindful.

I have therapy tomorrow so that will be helpful. It has been a weird week. I have had a lot of trouble focusing on doing the most basic of tasks. My struggle to focus and to be productive always makes me feel frustrated with myself.

If I make it through today PULL FREE I will reward myself with a movie in the evening. YAAAAY REWARDS!

Thanks for your supportive comments jesden and manda : ) I really appreciate them!!!! They mean a lot to me.

To echo what Phoebe said awhile ago, counting hairs may only make you feel bad about yourself if you are just counting but not trying to stop the pulling. Could you try to refocus on being aware of your actions while counting to help you stop?

I hope the therapy session helps you feel less frustrated!

Pulled a DISGUSTING AMOUNT OF HAIR TODAY! Started counting, but then just got too lazy. Mindless, mindless, pulling. UGGGH!

Whatever, it's the end of the semester. I'm going to try again tomorrow. YUCK. I hate pulling out so much hair. It makes me feel so self conscious about how thin it is. : (

The end of the semester is a stressful time. Hopefully things will get easier soon for you!

UGH, things are so bad. Pulled out so much hair today, once again, didn't bother to count. My counselor told me to "refrain judgement" during this time as it's so stressful and busy, but it's tough when I start feeling so self-conscious about how thin my hair is. Ugh. I've basically given myself "permission" to pull because I'm like, hey, this is a stressful time. But what is the point of allowing myself to pull during this stressful time if I am going to pull out half the hair on my head??

I've been eating a ton of junk food and not exercising. I don't like this. I don't like not feeling in control of my life. If I hadn't procrastinated so much last week, I wouldn't be in the state that I'm in now. UGGGH!! TRICH IS THE WORST!!!

If anyone has tips on trying to STOP a huge pulling spree, I'm all ears!!!! My main problem is I don't WANT to stop pulling. It comforts me during this time. God, I'm so bummed.

I've been on a spree lately, too. I think one of the big things that helped me the last time I stopped pulling for a while was to pull out the camera and take a picture of what I had done to my head. I'm sure that doesn't help for some, but for me to be able to see what I had done and then to start seeing the growth coming back eventually was a big help. That's what I'm trying again this time, and of course coming back here. I post my picture on here and then delete it from my camera so, hopefully, only my fellow Trich fighters will see. Of course not staying up until the wee hours of the morning does NOT help me, so now I must get to bed! I'm sending you wishes of a better day today!

Using barriers as constantly as possible has helped me break out of a spree before. Mostly it is just overcoming that mentality, though. So hard. It is all about getting motivated to try to stop...I wish there was an easy answer for that! Set small goals and think of rewards...and reread the ABC post!

It will get easier when this stressful period is over, hang in there!

I totally get what you mean about not wanting to stop pulling. I hate that feeling, and it happens to me a lot.

Usually what I do is take a cold shower - I don't pull when my hair is wet and it also kind of refreshes my scalp. Then I'll use like a mechanical pencil or bobby pin or something to scratch my scalp and kind of poke at the 'hot spots'. Actually that has been a great exercise for me in the past - just to sort of see where my hot spots are and kind of relieve the tension there.

Or take deep breathes for a full minute and put your hands by your sides.

You'll make it through this - I'm sorry that its such a stressful time :( The junk food and not exercising always make things so much worse for me, so I totally know how you feel.

It's times like this though that make you stronger and help you realize what your weaknesses are. Just take it one minutes at a time.

Sending hugs your way!

One of those wire head massagers that cost about a dollar are great for dealing with urges. I think you can get them at a store like Bed Bath and Beyond. This is a link of what I am talking about.... http://www.google.com.tw/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSeeking-Health-Silver-Head-Massager%2Fdp%2FB008TX85O8&h=0&w=0&tbnid=Bo5BbKjgv8pRyM&zoom=1&tbnh=230&tbnw=220&docid=5KsMnvKCx3DcxM&tbm=isch&ei=z9VdU9zdBMbRkgWo8IDYCg&ved=0CAgQsCUoAg

I LOVE THOSE.

actually on that note, here's another thing you can look into if those types of scalp massagers work for ya …this one is a detangled brush but has lots of stiff spike-y bristles that feel really good and always help me


https://www.google.com/search?q=good+detangler&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=t91eU-7PLea-sQTZ_4GAAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=992&bih=612#q=goody+tangle+fix&rls=en&tbm=isch