Avatar Posted by Sally568 148 days ago (Question)
This is the first time i have ever even spoke about Trichotillomania to anyone so please be kind I've felt too ashamed to even talk about anything to do with it. I started with this hair pulling thing about four years ago, I was 13 then so I had no idea what it was that was giving me this compulsion to pull all the hair from my eyebrows and eyelashes but I found it too enjoyable and relaxing to stop once started. When this was happening I knew everyone had noticed and my mum would always say mean things to me about it and tell me to just stop it basically which made me have really bad self confidence an over the years I have REALLY tried to stop myself from doing it but sometimes I just can't, I'm lucky that my eyebrows and lashes keep growing back which is why I feel I need to stop now before they stop coming back - there is still quite noticeable gaps in my eyebrows and eyelashes when I haven't got makeup on though. Nowadays I am always observing my arm/hand/finger hair and removing them with my teeth an still pull at my eyebrows or eyelashes when I feel tension that I can't bear but I stop myself usually before its gets too bad I also pull at hair around my cheekbones and neck and upper lip and hairlines(back and front of head) I always feel so terrible an guilty afterwards and promise I won't do it again but that never works. I also feel incredibly depressed quite often and sometimes think about suicide, which I always feel terrible about because I don't want to upset my parents by that happening. I feel really awkward when eyebrows are brought up in conversation because I feel that it's directed at me (even though I know it's not I still feel this way) which is really upsetting. I just wanted to know if anyone knew about it and how I can get help. I feel too ashamed to even brig it up in front of my parents cuz I feel like they don't understand and are judging me! But I feel I need therapy but I don't know how I should go about asking seeing as my parents haven't even spoken to me about it properly me to them either and I don't think they even know what thrichotillomania is. Do I need medication and therapy?


Answers


Chemar
147 days ago
Hi there

you do not need to feel ashamed as TM is a form of OCD and many people in the world have obsessive compulsive symptoms too.

You need to see a psychologist who is experienced in treating OCD/TM

If your parents don't know about TN, let them read this http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx96.htm and http://psychcentral.com/disorders/ocd/
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bella
147 days ago
Hi Sally - I agree with Chemar and its best to get the right professional help. This isn't just about your self control and you trying to resist won't solve the problem. Eventually the hair roots can become weak and not grow back or come back weak. Let your parents read about this, so you can get the proper treatment.
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