I started pulling when I was about 7 or 8 years old. It was triggered by stress. Eventually, around middle school, I stopped because people were noticing, so I started playing with my eye lashes instead (othwerwise known as twirling) it helps, and I know it's not the end of my trich, but it is definitely way better than pulling! At the same time though, just recently (and this had never happened until now) I got an eye infection as a result of twirling my eyelashes. It's been very hard and I'm trying to stop twirling altogether, but it is very difficult. Believe that I know what you're going through, and you can stop pulling. It's very taxing to your self esteem and it still puts a damper on mine today because my eye lashes will never be the same length. Try some growth serum and maybe try twirling or stopping altogether. Whatever you decide to do, stop pulling for your sake and remember "every hair on your body belongs there"

Sorry you are going through this difficult time. When you do relapse, the key is not to beat yourself up over it and to look at it as just a slip, and tell yourself you will get right back on track again. Positive self talk goes a long way. We tend to tell ourselves negative things, call ourselves down, when we slip and that just feeds into the cycle of pulling again and continuing to pull. Our mood goes down and we feel helpless like we can not stop, and we get more and more into the pulling, a cycle so hard to break. Our feelings of sadness and disappointment are fuel for the fire that starts the pulling cycle all over again. Feeling hopeless, like we will never win in our quest to be pull free, makes it so we won't. Dusting yourself off and saying " I CAN do this, I WILL do this. I AM worthwhile, lovable, beautiful, a good person, that my hair WILL grow back and I WILL get the trich under control, are positive thoughts that will help us to get control in our life. When you feel like pulling, grab a squishy toy and squeeze the heck out of it ( great for anxiety or when you are feeling mad). I have a great one that is a fish that is see through and you can see all the gel beads moving around inside. I keep it in my bathroom, a place where I often pulled. I played with it one night when I was mad at my husband, when normally it would have led to a pulling spree due to feeling sad. I have been pull free for 3 wks 2 days now. I reached the end of my rope, had been pulling off and on for way too many years. Hit my bottom. Decided I will not do this any more. Sought online counselling help. Used positive thinking, self love, and learned to separate my husband's anger issues from me, so that it did not bring me down to despair and pulling my hair. Felt like he hated me due to his angry outbursts. Learned that the anger is his problem, his issue, not mine, and I walk away and I practice self love. Squishy toys can be found at any dollar store, if you do not already have some. Also finding things to do to make you feel happy, to relieve stress, exercise, a walk in the fresh air, talking to a friend, an art or craft project, or just coming on here to vent is good too. Start a diary online here and write out your frustrations, your slips, your victories, your feelings, your goals. You can make the journal private or for just your friends on the forum to view it. (see tab above under Journal) Also, add a friend or two through the forum here, and maybe you can find someone to share private messages with an support each other.