Hi there..... My name is Mel, and I have had Trich for 33 years. ! Phew I said it. Still cant believe its that long. 

My hair pulling started after the death of my father in a terrorist bomb in London when I was 9 years old. Its started off with me just splitting the ends of my hair and progressed quickly to pulling. I really didnt notice I was doing it for the first year and when I did I just felt disgusted with myself. I was kept very busy as a child with school and dancing and had an amazing supportive Mother. I think when I found more time for myself as an adult and with the usual adult stresses that come along with relationships and career it steadily got worse. There has been a few months where it completley stops but this was when I was in an enviroment where it was impossible for me to pull without people watching me i.e flat sharing etc.. 

I have noticed that I pull where my hair feels sensitive after having my hair up in a band etc and during the early years used hair bands etc to cover it. I avoided and still avoid getting my hair wet and windy days scare me incase there is a time when the baldness shows.

Due to the amount of years this has been going on my hair will never fill in in most places and lots of grey by the time I was 25 years old

I have has many different treatments and solutions. To name a few. Counselling, Tap Therapy, Homeopathy, Hypnoysis, Meditation which I have to say really work but you have to keep them up or as soon as I got a slightly stressful week I would revert back to the same old way

Hair solutions have been covering with hairbands, Shaving the head and wearing a wig. (This really worked well when I was early 20's ), Hair volumizer weaved in to fine exisiting hair, (I found this sore and uncomfortable) and now finally clip in volumizers and fake fringe (This covers the best but unfortunatley the clips weaken the hair so on top of my hair pulling the clips and also causing bald spots). Along with all of these I have used an eyeshadow to fill in my scalp in the bad areas.

My marriage ended about 2 years ago and being a single mother with 2 kids and a very very absent ex husband emotionally and financially I have seen it get worse again.

I have been reading up on other posts and I have to agree the one and only solution that I believe will work for me now after trying every other solution out there is........ Wait for it........ Actually making the decision to stop and saying to myself enough is enough !!!

I seemed to have this epiphany 6 days ago after looking in the mirror and seeing the horrific damage that I had done in the last 2 years. So weird that after all these years I have decided i am not doing this anymore. I have had a few instances where I have pulled one hair and didnt know until it was in my hand and I was looking at it.. I stand up walk away from wherever I am and go do something... anything... as long as its not pulling my hair. This is very hard and i can hear myself making silly excuses in my head as to why I should pull the second hair..... things like no -one will notice one hair.... or just this one and ill stop.. As I am typing I can hear how ridicuolous it sounds hahahaha but that is the reality. 

So the reason for me joining my first support group for Trich is that this time I am going to stop. Fully. With my own permission and determination and I hope the support from all of you. I have decided Im done and I wanted to scream it to the world.

I want to thank each and everyone of you on here for being part of this group. Trich is a lonely disease. I want to help anyone who is suffering and eventually when i am healed which i believe will be by the end of the year would like to help counsel others.

I have decided to be totally honest with you all if i loose my way as well as if I succeed. I will keep you posted

Much love to you all

Mel xxxxxx :-)