Hi! I have a BIG problem! I can't stop pulling out my eyebrows and eyelashes! It hard! I started when I was 10 and now I'm 14! I wear fisherman(bucket)hats to cover it up! Once, I could could count how many eyelashes I had on one hand http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif You could see bald spots on my eyebrows http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gifGot ideas?

[This message has been edited by Cat82 (edited 07-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Cat82 (edited 07-10-2001).]

Hi:

You may want to talk to your doctor about "Trichotillomania", which is the name given to compulsive pulling of the hair (head hair, eye lashes, eye browns, etc.).

Many people have this compulsion, and it can be treated with the correct diagnosis and treatment. Please give yur doctor a call before you go completely bald! Good luck.

Thank you, problem is is that I do not like doctors nor do I wanna be stressin' out my mother. Thats what everyone else said. Thing is, my mother doesn't know now since breaks bring a load off my mind and I'm not as stressed. After all, she get mad at me when I start plucking. I would like to tell her that I can't stop just by someone telling me to stop because I tried it many times myself http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif Thanks anyway, I'll try to keep it in mind http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Cat82 (edited 07-11-2001).]

Hi again:

I understand what you are saying here. I don't blame you for not wanting to worry or anger your mother.

However, you are old enough to know that you do have a problem that is kind of out of control for you. And it sounds like you have already spoken to other people about your problem, and the answer has been the same: you should speak to your doctor. It sounds to me (just a guess here) that you are looking for a quick fix way to stop this problem instead of meeting it head on.

Many people don't like going to doctors, but sometimes you have to "bite the bullet" and make an appointment so you can take care of yourself.

You sound like a smart young lady who is aware of a problem, and is aware that your stressful times cause you to want to pull out your hair more. You also are aware of the reasons why you don't want to pursue getting help.

Some compulsions only increase with age and habit, so I would think about your future and let your mom know what's going on. It's normal that you don't want to see your mom angry or upset over this - and it's normal for your mom to appear to be a bit frustrated with your compulsion; maybe it scares her or does worry her, and maybe she just doesn't really understand your need to do this.

No-one on here can make you talk to your mom, or make you call your doctor. My friendly and concerned advice is to tell you mom so that she and you together can get some guidance on this compulsion before it does become harder for you to stop. Good luck.

Over the past few days, I been pulling out my lashes and my brows. My lashes looks ok, but my brows looks faded in some spots. I won't stop until I see a whole lot of lashes and brows http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif I don't want to go back to pulling out my brows and lashes and then have to wear gloves in my sleep. Help.




[This message has been edited by Cat82 (edited 07-18-2001).]

CAT82:

You didn't reply to my last post on here, so I am guessing at this time you aren't ready to commit to telling your parents so you can get some professional help.

I see you posting on here to other people about offering your advice on what other people can do to help themselves. However, being as young as you are, and having some of your own problems, I strongly urge you to talk to your parents about your hair pulling problem. It shouldn't be taken lightly, and you seem to take it lightly.

There isn't too much more to say about what you're going through. Maybe this is a time for you to vent rather than do anything about it.

Maybe when you go bald, you will get some counseling. I hope it doesn't come to that.

Take care.

Sorry that I didn't. I tried to but I get scared. Momma really don't want to be bothered with it anymore like I do. It isn't that she isn't a good mom, but she sometimes jumps to conclusions. She's like an African-American Mr.Furious in a skirt. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/blob_fire.gif

Well, I didn't think it would happen now...

I was reading a book in my mother's bedroom(A veryquiet and comfy place) since my big sister was going to bed and didn't want light in her face. I was in the book so much, I didn't reconize that I was pulling my brows until I went to the bathroom and saw all that I did! From the biggest part of the brow on its way down, it was growing faint. I'm lucky that I'm not in trouble!

Man, just when I pluck my eyebrows I shed tears. You said you had to wear a hat to cover your eyebrows? To help cover up the bald spots fill them in with an eyebrow pencil. Also, you said that you do it without noticing, to help curve that wear a bandanna or a do-rag to cover your eyebrows up. Because these can be worn tight maybe you will notice yourself trying to pull it off when you try to pull.

You should try to see someone about this. Goodluck!!

I should have thought of that! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/idea.gif That is so smart! Thank you for the tip! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/grad.gif

http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

[This message has been edited by Cat82 (edited 10-19-2001).]

Cat I had and still have trich, and I fully understand why you don't want to tell your mom. Sometimes they just can't understand what we are going through and how we feel. My mom got mad at me and just told me to stop, but it is so hard because you will have the BIGGEST urge to do it. It is like an addiction, like ciggarette smokers. You get the craving so you do it without even realizing it. A lot of people say that people with Trich are masachists. It is so not true, because we don't even feel it. We don't realize that we are even doing it. I still to this day have not gone and received help for this since I am plucking where people don't notice. It isn't ruining my life, and I don't want those hairs anyhow, so I am just leaving it. I know that I should but I really don't want to. Stupid I know, and you will say I am being completely hypocritical, but you should probably talk to your mom and see a doctor about this if it is making you unhappy. I started with the eyelashes, when I was 10. Six years later...

If you need to talk to someone, you can deffinitly talk to me! I can SOOOO relate to what you are going through. Please get help if you are unhappy. Good luck!

Ah! I've done the eyelash thing! It was when I was in 2nd grade. I plucked out almost every single one of my eyelashes and kept them beside my bed. I thought that my wishes would come true if I blew them of my finger. (A very strange superstition...) And before I knew it, picture day rolled around so I had no eyelashes for my school picture!
the best advice I have for you is moving onto a lesser obsessive compulsive disorder...

I know exactly where you are...
I, to, have trich.

But I pull out my hair as where you pull out your eyebrows and lashes.
I have a sister that pulls out her eyelashes.
I have been pulling out my hair for a very long time - almost 25 years - it gets me so down at times...

I would love to just have a regular head of hair.
But that's easier said then done...Until about 5 years ago...I never even knew there was a name for what I did.
Then I was watching a talk show and there was a lady who did what I did. I said , hey there I am not th only one in the world who does this. I was never so happy. I found out what my problem was!

About a year or 2 later I went to my doctor...since then I have been on several meds, some including; anafranil, luvox, prozac and paxil. I think that anafranil helped me over all the best but once your system gets use to the drug then it seems to know longer work.
My doctor also has me on xanax.

My husband thinks I can cure my problem myself. believe me after 24 years of pulling out Gosh only knows how many strands of my hair....I sure wish I could do it on my own.

I have just had back surgery...but after I recover I plan to go to see a pschyatrist, and see if we can get an answer to helping me stop there.

I find that if I get my hair cut then I don't mess with it as much - at least for maybe a month before I start doing it again.

I sure would love to hear from other people with this problem and what they do if anything to help them stop.
I have tried everything - to trying t keep my hands busy constantly to sitting on top of them. lol

Looking forward to hearing from anyone on this topic...




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mank

I wish I could stop but people without don't know that it isn't that easy. I've been dealing with it for four to five years http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif My sister gets on me about this yet I told her several times it isn't my fault and I didn't do it on purpose.

I understand how you feel, I have an itchy spot on my back shoulder blade and as I approach 40 it just gets worse and worse, I couldnt get anyone to scratch it hard enough deep enough to releave, like ya dig ta china, so I started scratching it gently with a steak knife- it was perfect. Before I knew it my entire back was a series of itchy itchy itchy dry scaley scabs and skin that just comes off- like harvesting. I can only go at most 2 or 3 days with out scratching. I try -scrubbing with a towel, I got my boyfriend to put cream on it, but the itch always comes back and I just cant stop. I am too embarassed to tell my doctor. Its not infected or like ringworm or anything- its just dry scally skin.

Maybe you should tell your doctor, even if you do feel a bit embarassed because of 2 reasons:

1.Might be serious
2.You might stab yourself by mistake

Have your boyfriend there to comfort you

http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

Well,
I now started pulling my eyebrows out. I have never done this. Only pulled out my hair. I called my doctor and she upped my medicine from 40 mg of Paxil to 60mg. This is the highest does of Paxil you can take so I guess if this doesn't work it is on to something else to try.

Best of luck....no one understands more about what your going through then I. I have lived this miserable horrible disorder for almost 25 years now.

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mank

Boy ,do I know what everybody is going thru! When I was little my mother thought that she could tie my hands down or stop me from doing it over and over by punishment. It just doesn't work that way! Also, in high school, friends thought that they could embarrass me, but, that didn't even work! I am still doing it,and I am in my late thirties. I remember going to sleep at night when I was little and thinking to myself, I wish I could stop, because then people would like me more! I lost my confidence because of it. I was always hiding, to this day, I feel like I can't really go swimming, because people will see the real me.I do not want them to see the person under the make-up.(I pick my eyebrows and eyelashes, among other habits)I may be getting some meds soon, hopefully.I have also just joined an O.C.D. group.They do "exposure therapy". They make you face your hardest habits in front of others. I am really hoping that I can do this. For one summer, I was pretty much able to stop touching my eyebrows,(a long time ago).Now, because most of them are gone I don't touch them that much, just more on the eylashes. No sooner have my lashes grown back in then I start to pick.I find that I usually do it when I am tired, or worried or upset. I told my therapist that it was a way for me to calm down. I just really feel bad for others, because I truly know how trying it is to have this genetic problem! But, hopefully there is some help..... Nightowl2

[This message has been edited by nightowl2 (edited 06-19-2002).]

[This message has been edited by nightowl2 (edited 06-19-2002).]

Hi, I am 50 years old and have been pulling my hair out since my early 20's and have that typical baldness or near baldness on the top of my head. My concern is I am one of those people that eat my hair and I am concerned that I could obstuct my bowel with the hair. I once saw a show on TV that dealt with that and I am truly concerned that that could happen to me. Does anyone know anything about this possibility. Oh, the more nervous and stressed I get, the more I pull. I think that's the same for most of us.

Hello TNPAI,

Have you ever got any help for Trich?

I hope by the time I am 50 I can be free of Trich. I am now 35.

I don't eat my hair, but I have heard of many people that do and been on sites where it says this is a habit with Trich's.

I called my doctor a few weeks ago and she upped my paxil from 40 mg to 60mg. This is the highest dose of this drug that can be taken so I guess after this stops working then it's onto a new drug. I have taken 6 different meds in the past 4 years and none have ever helped me be totally free of pulling my hair out.

Best of luck and keep in touch. I know it helps to talk to others about your problems.

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mank

[This message has been edited by mank (edited 06-27-2002).]

Hi, to all hairpullers out there!
I really understand what you are going thru. I just joined an o.c.d. group thru the benefits of my job, and they suggested reading a book called "Brainlock" by Jeffery Schwartz. I have had some time to look at it.It is a very direct book about o.c.d. issues.Hairpulling is def' one of them.You have to relabel,among three other steps, after you know that you are doing your habit.The more that you wait to do your habit(which can be terribly hard),the more you will change your brain chemistry.Some times you will not even want to pull at all. In some ways, I can say that yes, it actually works! I have been trying to do what people and the book are saying to do. Every little bit is helping.I will say that supposedly it is also supposed to be good for people who are getting ready to start the meds for o.c.d. as well. You can just coin the phrase from a patient in the book who said it well."It's not me, it's my o.c.d.!"(when you are doing your habit,then try to stop for say ,five seconds or something.) Just thought I would add that......regarding the book.I think that maybe some others have mentioned the book on this website as well. See if the little excercises help any.

nightowl2

Thanks for your response mank. No I am not on any medications nor do I want to take any. I do believe this wholde thing can be controlled by your own will and strength of mind, like stopping smoking. I smoked for over 20 years, often 2 packs/day and I went cold turkey. Guess I just haven't put it together yet. Personal issues/stress in my marriage. Had belonged to a "trich group" in my 20's (very briefly). Would lolve to have a group near where I live. It is easier to share in person. See, I would rather reach out and try that instead of a pill. Don't get me wrong, different strokes for different folks. Hate the thought of pills controlling my mind. Maybe it is my stupidity or ignorance. Don't know what will be for you at 50 but I never thought my trich would get worse but it has. Again, each of us are different and what is for me does not have to be you.

[ ~~ Please do not request or post personal contact details. ~~ Thanks, Minerva]

[This message has been edited by minerva (edited 07-02-2002).]

I, too, pull my hair out. I twist it into little balls and pull those out, sometimes I chew on them, but mostly they end up in the floor. I wonder if it might be inherited, because my whole family either pulls their hair, or eyelashes. My two sons also pull they hair, and it makes me sad because I know they got it from me. my husband thinks I can just stop, but most of the time, I don't even realize I am doing it. I usually do it when I am reading, or talking on the phone, which typically aren't stressful situations. I am on 20 mg. of celexa right now, but I have tried prozac in the past. absolutely nothing works. I have talked to my doctors about it, and they just tell me how pretty my hair is. My kids see the hairballs on the floor and think they are spiders. Any more ideas??

Hi - I just got signed on so I could write you. I got so excited when I read what you all said about hair pulling. I have been pulling my hair since grade school and I am now 59. Nobody really understands. They just tell me to stop, but I can't. I have tried medicine, but it didn't work for me. Nightowl2, I am so happy to hear there is a book that might help. I will get "Brainlock" as soon as I can. Thank you sooo much for that info. I will go a few days sometimes without pulling, but as soon as I touch the back of my hairline, I can't seem to stop (unless I put it up in bobbypins) which I can never find when I need them. When I first get my hair cut, I don't pull it as bad, but if it gets a little frizzy, look out.... I am curious to know if any of you have naturally curly hair, because that seems to be part of my problem. Anyhow, thank you all so much for the info. I guess it just helps to know other people have the same problem, because nobody understands and I can't seem to explain it.

Since I'm Black, I have nappy hair, but I don't prey on it pretty much at all. It's my brows. I sorta stopped with my lashes. They're balding again and I'm on summer break! I cannot find anyone in the city of Baltimore who I told that won't have their head cocked to the side.
I want help but I don't want people just tossin' me drugs.

Just reading your posts made me want to cry. I had no idea that my problem was related to OCD.
I constantly pull my hair out. I search for "rough" ones and feel really good when I find them. Then I pull them out and inspect it. It think this is so strange and I don't know why I do it or how it came about. It's embarassing. I used to hide it but now I don't even realize I'm doing it. At work, in the car, everywhere. I hate it. I go through cycles when it's not just my hair but body hair too. I can spend hours in the bathroom plucking. I spend so much time that my neck gets sore from bending down and I get huge headaches. Sometimes I did in my pores to grad a newly formed hair and it bleeds . My husband notices but ignores it. My family grab my hand while I'm doing it. My boss asks me constantly what I'm doing.
Is it always a behavior associated with OCD?
Thanks
homesick