Any tips for overcoming Trichotillomania?

Question

Any tips for overcoming Trichotillomania besides seeing a psychiatrist/psycologist?

If you don't know what Trichotillomania is, go here:
www.trichotillomania.co.uk
and read the description.

(PS: I kind of classified this wrong for the category. It isn't a disease really, but...)

Harley, that is NOT funny. That's just downright rude.

Answer 1

I have also dealt with this for most of my life ... and I am nearing 50.
I have gotten it enough under control now that I only do it when I am particularly anxious or worrying about something.

I had therapy with a counselor (not a psychologist, but a liscensed counselor), for other issues, not for the Trich, but as I resolved other issues in my life, I was able to also work on other ways of coping with anxiety, as well as not having as much anxiety to deal with.

I also found that an anti-depressant (effexor XR) and an anti-anxiety med (buspar) have helped me a lot. But even with the meds, I spent a lot of time working on "unlearning" the habit ... by recognizing when i was doing it (it becomes so automatic, you dont even realize you are doin g it sometimes). My kids would call it to my attention (I had asked them to), and then i would take a thread or string to occupy my hands instead.

Hope you find relief.

Answer 2

Overcoming Trichotillomania

Answer 3

wish I could help you suffer fromit myself as well since I was 5 they have a support group, type in trichotillomania support. Honey didn't help me maybe it will help you. Good luck

Answer 4

I had this pretty bad for about 5 years. Mostly I outgrew it because of vanity - I was tired of people asking me what happened to my eyelashes. I still find I reach for them when I'm especially anxious, tired or stressed, even if it's positive stress. I used to go crazy in high school math class. I hated the subject and the kids in there were mean.

What helped at the time was playing with Silly Putty. I kept a wad of it in my hands wherever I went. If you're going to be at home, wear thin white gloves. It's enough to slow you down and make you more aware of when you do it.

Another trick I learned in behavior therapy: when you feel the urge to pull, grab a stop watch and wait 30 seconds. Tell yourself you can do it after 30 seconds. See if the urge goes away. If you can avoid doing it for 30 seconds, work toward 45, then 60, etc. It'll have to happen slowly over a long period of time, but your brain will learn to dissipate the urge.

Good luck. There are millions of us in the same boat!

Answer 5

Because trichotillomania is a medical condition, it's not something most people can just stop doing when they feel like it. People with trichotillomania usually need help from medical experts before they can stop. With the right help, though, most people overcome their hair-pulling urges. This help may involve therapy, medication, or a combination of both.

Therapists teach people with trichotillomania special behavior techniques that help them recognize the urge to pull hair before it becomes too strong to resist. The person learns ways to resist the urge so that it eventually grows weaker and then goes away.

Because the urges behind compulsive behaviors like hair pulling are so powerful, a person may feel more tension or anxiety when first trying to resist the urge. That's why it helps to work with an expert who can offer support and practical advice about overcoming the problem. Some doctors may prescribe medications that can help the brain deal better with urges, making them easier to resist. Medication therapy can help to correct the imbalance of chemicals in the brain.

Many people find it helpful to keep their hands busy with a different activity (like squeezing a stress ball or drawing) during times when pulling is the worst. In the beginning, Daria found that knitting while watching TV helped keep her hands busy at a time when she might feel the urge to pull her hair. Homework time was harder, though. Daria worked with her therapist to realize that she tended to pull more during homework due to a combination of boredom and worrying about tests.

Everyone has his or her own individual triggers for hair pulling. There is one similarity shared by almost all people with hair-pulling compulsions, though: The hair grows back when they overcome the urge to pull it.

If you're worried about hair pulling, talk to a parent, school counselor, or someone you trust about getting help overcoming the problem.

Answer 6

I'm pulling my hair out trying to find you an answer!