Trichotillomania?

Question

Hi,im 13 and i suffer rom trichotillomania,For me its my eyelashes that i pull out.Just wondering

1.Does anyone else have it?
2.What can the docters do?
3.I heard that theyres training to stop..Whats in the training?

Answer 1

I have it with my eyebrows and eyelashes, I don't know much about treating it, but having short nails and trying not to get bored or stressed helps me, good luck with yours =)

Answer 2

Trichotillomania..or Trich is an impulse control disorder in which an individual pulls their hair. Yes, I've had it since I was 11 I'm 17 now....it went away but now it's back.It's terrible, it's a struggle everyday, especially at my age...Instead of thinking of new ideas to fix my hair...I have to find new ideas to cover up the new bald spot I made. I can't go swimming or else people will see the bald spots, I used to cover them with eyeliner and black eyeshadow...I got desperate...but now I use some product call X-Fusion works great but takes quite a while to put on. So what does this do to a person??? Lowers their self-esteem bigtime...but it also has had some positive effects on me...I'm not a shallow person, I'm very kind to others...I think it's made me a better person having to deal with this disorder.

Answer 3

1. Lots of people have this. I live in a SMALL (1,600 people) town and I know of 1 other girl that has it (she does it to her eyelashes). I do it to my head. I also got the courage to tell a friend, and her friend does it to a specific spot on the back of her head. I was also at the bar and met somebody with it (they shared the info, I didn't strike up the conversation). So it goes to show that it isn't just you.
2. Most doctors would prescribe anti anxeity medication. What we have is called an Impulse Control Disorder. We are lumped into the same category as pyromanics, and gamblers.
3. I'm sure there is training, I have never been to anything/anyone. I just hide it. If you can find something, do it.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I have it, I pull out the hair on my head, mostly around the top. Go to a therapist or psychiatrist. They will help. A psychiatrist will more than likely prescribe some medicine. There is also a behavioral training therapy to stop. They basically teach you to do something other than pull out your eye lashes. I tried it, but I really didn't like it, but you may. It's worth a try.

I'm 15 and also have a million anxiety disorders. I'm on daily medicine for my trichotillomania and 2 for my anxiety disorders and then 1 I take for panic attacks. It stinks, Ihate doing it but I'd rather have hair and be able to breath.

Answer 5

Hi Amber

Yes, lots of people have this condition, you're not alone. It's kids your age that have it.

Doctors might refer you to someone who can train you to stop.

The training helps you to change your behavior.

Look up the Trichotillomania Learning Center on the internet. There's lots of information for you.

Answer 6

There are a significant number of people who do this. You are not alone.

Sometimes doctors will prescribe a medication called an SSRI (like prozac). These seem to work pretty well.

You can be trained not to do it; this is called cognitive behavioral therapy and there are psychologists who specialize in it.

Answer 7

I think i have it too
I tend to pull my eyelashes out and rarely my eyebrows
I found this articles and its helps for people that do have it
http://www.trich.org/articles/view_default.asp?aid=15&yd=familyandfriends_basic_Information

Answer 8

idk if this will help u, but whenever i get the urge to pull, i put on my headphones and listen to music. put yourself somewhere else in your mind, like a fantasy world....even if you're not creative just imagine yourself in a difference setting (even a plain white room would work). this alleviates the stress for me. it gets me to think, hey, there is nothing to be worried about cuz nothing can happen to me here. calm yourself down this way, keep thinking youre somewhere else and concentrate on deep breathing. let everything go. sounds elementry, and idk if it will work for you. i hope it does. :)