Sorry you are having such a dilemma... and stressing about what to do. :/ It's hard enough feeling crappy for pulling and feeling like you're disappointing/upsetting your parents without them be all over you case about it. As all of us know... if we COULD stop... we WOULD! My mom used to tell me to stop or I was going to snatch my head bald... well... that upset me, but it sure as heck didn't help me to stop!

Maybe it's better that since I was a teenager (and became better about hiding my trich) no one has mentioned it to me at all. I don't know if they think I just got over it or if they just don't want to bring it up... but at least I don't have to worry about what they'll say. Of course I DO worry about whether or not I'll be able to cover it up... I suppose if they saw a bald spot they might say something... especially my mom.

Anyway, sorry, I sort of started rambling there. But I hope your parents are accepting of you pulling or not. I wish others could understand that we're not pulling our hair out for kicks and giggles.

No one in my family ever has asked me how I was doing regarding my hair pulling. I started at 11 (am now 51). My mom would come to me crying or else she would get mad at me. (That's not asking how I am doing). Dad mentioned it once. Brother and sister have never asked. I'll just say how proud I am of you for all the hard work you've been putting into stopping and that I know how difficult this sorry trich ride is for you. Just remember, we're proud of you and we care about you, and you don't disappoint us.

Thanks so much, guys. I feel a little better now. We've all been here. We've all felt the shame, embarrassment, humiliation, pain, and sorrow that comes with trich. It's nice to be able to vent about my feelings and thoughts to people who know what I'm going through and who don't immediately think that I'm crazy! The fact that I've been 27 days pull-free is a fairly big accomplishment, I think, but right now it almost feels like it was all for nothing because I still have that thin spot and I still feel awful thinking about how my parents are going to react. Ugh. Oh well. I need to figure out what I'm going to tell my parents. Any suggestions?

Tell them that you are pull free right now and working on it. If they ask how long, just say you take it one day at a time (remember, you count days for YOU, no one else!). You're gonna have some good days, some bad days. Nothing you can do about it. :)

You might want o refer them to this forum, or the parental support forum if they have questions.

You could always try passing the 'rents some information about trich from the Trich Learning Center? They have a patient FAQ here: http://trich.org/dnld/patientFAQ_000.pdf Maybe if your parents better understood trich they could be more understanding in general?

Being pull free for 27 days is a GREAT accomplishment!! Maybe your parents won't notice the thinner hair, if you've already had a bit of regrowth? We're often harder on our own appearances than others are, so it may not be as noticeable as you think? This is often the way it is for me.

The sad thing is, my parents are well-read on trichotillomania. I made them read a book on trich called "Help for Hair Pullers," and it didn't make any difference. Oh, I take that back--it gave my dad tips on saying things that especially wound the feelings of those suffering from trich! The last time I saw them was towards the end of summer break. I had a full head of thick, fairly long hair. Then, trich got really bad during the semester and I chopped off most of it 28 days ago in an attempt to give myself a new start. I have been pull-free since, but they'll definitely notice that I look like a hedgehog now--a patchy hedgehog, at that.

Please try to stand up for yourself. Tell them they can't talk to you like that! It's not your fault that you have trich. It's a condition you were born with! Ask them if they'd yell at you for having diabetes. Don't let them make you feel bad for something you didn't ask for.

Ok maybe this sounds like a tall order but please, at least walk away when they say something mean.

Congrats on your recent pull free time, and new hair cut. We know that's an amazing accomplishment.

Man I sounded bossy. I'm sorry, I just get so mad when I hear about someone telling someone with trich to just stop, and getting mad at them. It's so cruel. It's not our fault we have trich and it's the hardest thing to stop for any period of time.

Confident, I know the feeling. It's sooo heartbreaking when you hear stories about people who aren't understanding or using trich against someone...makes me sooo mad, I wanna sit those cruel people down and point out their bad habits and belittle them for a taste of their own medicine. :| Some people are just ignorant (and can be educated), but those who are mean spirited JUST BECAUSE are not worth any of my compassion.

Stronger, you have my utmost support. This is a hard road we travel, but thankfully we are not alone here. :)