Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Support Group

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/ Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Support Group

What do you pull?

AngelEclipse
AngelEclipse

I've never been part of a support forum before. I've had trich since 4th grade and I'm currently 26. That's probably about 15 years of picking total?


It started with hair. Then I had a bald spot my mom helped me cover up. I was so ashamed I stopped with head hair. I pulled at my eye lashes and eyebrows until my teacher caught me one day and just silently shook his head. I was mortified I had been caught (not that I was being very sneaky to begin with).


When I went through puberty and grew pubic hair, I finally found a spot to pick that no one had to know about. I've been picking and pulling at my pubic hair ever since. I know of no one else who pulls their pubic hair and no one else which has trich. 


So, is there any one else who picks at anywhere unusual? How do you feel about it? Is it harder to share because its not the "norm" for where to pick?

Booker14
Booker14
I am going on about 20 years and have pulled head hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, armpit, pubic, nose, facial hair. It started with head and eye areas as a child then several bald spots and missing eyebrows in school is enough to turn you to more private areas. I moved to the pubic and armpit areas but that had to be more secluded. After a while I think I became numb to it and moved to facial hair (because it was easy to shave and hide it). I have been catching myself for 5+years doing it more and more in public, not trying to get noticed but just out of anxiety I believe but it feels like a never-ending loop because noticing I'm doing it in public creates more embarrassment and anxiety.

Most self conscious part is when I pull the hairs I like to feel the follicle end and even will touch to my lips but never eat it.

First time talking much about this since I was taken to therapy sessions as a young child.