Trich

[deerwalk]

Is anyone here a hair puller? I have been for years- its a condition called trichotillomania. This condition has altered my life in so many negative ways- not going for certain jobs, crushing my self esteem, no swimming due to bald spots, windy days are a nightmare... total loss of my sense of femininity, and avoiding many things in general because of my appearance. I started pulling again after having a short head of hair for almost a year with minimal pulling... I had to shave my head so I would not pull anymore. It's totally stress related. Needless to say I am devastated and this is not helping my job search. I feel like real misfit- knowing also that anyone who dislikes me will take joy in my pain. I have permanent hair loss as well, from pulling for so long. I am so unfit for this world. Hair replacement is thousands of dollars, my missing spots can't be hidden even when my hair is grown out, and I truly feel that even the simplest things that people take for granted are denied me because god, or life, or the powers that may be simply decided they hate me.

This is a truly devastating condition. I would appreciate it if any "tough love" types would keep their thoughts to themselves, unless you actually have this condition. If you do not- I assure you, you cannot begin to know the depths at which hair loss affects a woman's sense of desirability and how important hair is societally and in relation to femininity. To know that I have this condition, that people have pointed it out- and that family members have cruelly made fun of and criticized me for is too much to bear.

[Freedom1990]

My 20 year has this. She pulls out her eyelashes and eyebrows when stressed, so I understand. :ghug

[Done_With_It]

Originally Posted by deerwalk

Is anyone here a hair puller? I have been for years- its a condition called trichotillomania. This condition has altered my life in so many negative ways- not going for certain jobs, crushing my self esteem, no swimming due to bald spots, windy days are a nightmare... total loss of my sense of femininity, and avoiding many things in general because of my appearance. I started pulling again after having a short head of hair for almost a year with minimal pulling... I had to shave my head so I would not pull anymore. It's totally stress related. Needless to say I am devastated and this is not helping my job search. I feel like real misfit- knowing also that anyone who dislikes me will take joy in my pain. I have permanent hair loss as well, from pulling for so long. I am so unfit for this world. Hair replacement is thousands of dollars, my missing spots can't be hidden even when my hair is grown out, and I truly feel that even the simplest things that people take for granted are denied me because god, or life, or the powers that may be simply decided they hate me.

This is a truly devastating condition. I would appreciate it if any "tough love" types would keep their thoughts to themselves, unless you actually have this condition. If you do not- I assure you, you cannot begin to know the depths at which hair loss affects a woman's sense of desirability and how important hair is societally and in relation to femininity. To know that I have this condition, that people have pointed it out- and that family members have cruelly made fun of and criticized me for is too much to bear.

I don't have it myself but know of several who do, here are a few self help groups, I don't know if any of this will help you. My heart goes out to you, I have seen how hard it can be.

I have also heard that cognitive therapy can be of help also, just a thought.


http://www.psychforums.com/viewforum.php?f=132



:ghug

Trichotillomania Support Groups
By Tina Samuels
Trichotillomania is a condition in which sufferers are compulsive hair pullers. Often times they can pull to baldness. Most trichotillomania sufferers focus on the scalp and eyelashes, but can go to eyebrows and pubic hair. It affects not only cosmetically but psychologically as well. People suffering from this disease need support, education, and outreach programs designed by people that realize that they can’t simply “just stop it”. Studies estimate that there is 2%-3% of the population that has this affliction. (Keuthen,1998). It affects everyone equally, no matter the age, sex, race, or genetic makeup. Medications and alternative therapies such as behavior management and hypnosis are explored as treatments for this OCD like illness. Like OCD, many times the sufferer doesn’t even realize he or she is doing the pulling or picking until they come out of it, as if in a fog.
It is an often misunderstood disorder. If you or someone you know has received a diagnosis of trichotillomania, one of the first steps to better understanding is to find support and a group who understands what you will be going through. Below is a list of current trichotillomania support groups in the United States.
Nationwide
Hair Pullers Anonymous
Hometown Has Been Shutdown - People Connection Blog: AIM Community Network
trichrecovery@yahoo.com
Contract: Rachel or Kathy
Hailed at the AA of trichotillomania, this 12 step program meets every Sunday night at 7pm Central (8pm Eastern) for one hour. They use the book “Obsessive Compulsive Anonymous (OCA)”. There is no charge for the meetings.
Arizona
Phoenix Support Group
phxtrich : Phoenix Trich
trichmlg@yahoo.com
Contact: Marci
The Phoenix Arizona Trichotillomania Support Group meets the 4th Sunday of the month at 5 pm at Julio G’s on 7633 E. Indian School Road. You may phone them at (480) 423-1600.
California
Beverly Hills – Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Support Group
Marie K. Lee PhD Clinical Psychologist
drlee@marieklee.com
Contact: Marie
Beverly Hill’s Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Support Group meets Tuesdays from 7pm-8:30pm. You may phone them at (310) 464-6363. It is also a treatment group with sessions running $50 per session.
Glendale – Trich and Pick Group
http://www.sbtsocal.com
Contact: Elsa
Glendale’s Trich and Pick Group meets Tuesdays from 7pm to 8:30pm. You may phone them at (818) 547-2623. It is also a treatment group with sessions running $35 per session.
Long Beach – Southern California H.E.A.R.T.
alohajai@socal.rr.com
Contact: Noelani
Long Beach’s Southern California H.E.A.R.T. (Helping Educate and Reach out to Trichsters) meets the 2nd Sunday of each month from 1:30-3:30pm. You may phone them at (714) 847-2977.
Los Angeles – Trichotillomania Support Group
OCD CENTER OF LOS ANGELES
danielle@ocdla.com
Contact: Danielle
The Los Angeles Trichotillomania Support Group meets Thursdays from 7:15-8:45pm. You may call them at (310) 335-5449. It is also a Cognitive Behavior Therapy group and is $35 per group meeting.
San Diego – Trichotillomania Support Group
http://www.trichmeetup.com/7
trichsandiego@yahoo.com
Contact: Jennifer
San Francisco – SF Trichotillomania
erin@trich.org
Contact: Erin
San Francisco’s SF Trichotillomania is a free weekly peer support group that meets Mondays from 6:30-8pm. You may also contact them via an email group at sftrich-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
San Rafael
Claudia Miles, MA, MFT - Home Page
claudiamilesmft@gmail.com
Contract: Claudia
Professionally facilitated therapy groups and individual therapy is available.
Colorado
Boulder – Obsessive Compulsive Anonymous
Obsessive Compulsive Anonymous Colorado, OCD support groups
philm1986@hotmail.com
Contact: Phil
Boulder’s OC Anonymous incorporates trichotillomania with OCD sufferers. They meet every Saturday from 10:30-noon. It is a 12 step program adapted from AA.
Denver – Denver Trichotillomania Support Group
denver-ttm@comcast.net
Contact: Shari
Denver’s Trichotillomania Support Group meetings are free and more info can be obtained via the email or from Kim Marple at jkmarple@msn.com.
Florida
Adult Pullers and Parents
Travisps.com
Contact: Mary
Adult Pullers and Parents meets the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month from 11:30-12:45pm. You can call them at (407) 644-1522.
Georgia
Trichotillomania Christian Ministries
Trichotillomania Christian Ministries, Welcome
prayer@trichchristianministries.org
Indiana
Trichotillomania Support Group
RFisher32@aol.com
Contact: Robyn
Monthly meeting in facilitator’s home. Located in Anderson, IN. You may call for more info at (765) 610-0557
Kansas/Missouri
Trichotillomania Support Group
Kelly@receandnichols.com
Contact: Kelly
For more info, contact Kelly at the email above or phone (816) 517-4635.
Massachusetts
Hair Pullers Anonymous
Contact: Tom
HPA is a 12 step program that meets every Thursday from 7-8pm. For more information call Tom at (781) 329-6111. They are located in Cambridge.
Maryland
Trichotillomania (Hair Pullers) Group
Contact: Debra
Two different support and therapist assisted groups. There is a $50 fee, but some insurance may reimburse you. For more information call (301) 596-5916.
Michigan
Trichotillomania Support Network
RSlade9627@aol.com
Contact: Bobby
TSN meets on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at 1pm. For more information you can call (734) 522-8907.
New York
Trichotillomania Support Group
BroadwayBriana@yahoo.com
Contact: Brianna
This peer support group meets Tuesdays from 7-8:30pm. For more information you can call them at (212) 802-9496.
Ohio
Chagrin Falls – Family Center by the Falls
Contact: Leslie
Professional therapy group that charges $65 a session. For more information you can call (440) 543-3400.
Cincinnati – TTM Support Group
cincitrich@hotmail.com
Contact: Shiela
TTM Support Group is a free peer support group meeting the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. For more info call (513) 721-2910 ext 12
Oregon
Willamette Valley Trichotillomania Support Group
http://www.trichsupoort.net
trichsupport@covad.net
Contact: Teresa
Willamette Valley Trichotillomania Support Group is a peer support group that meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 5:30-7pm at a local home for more info call (541) 767-1730
Pennsylvania
The Trich Support Group
Philadelphia Psychologist Rosemont Counseling
Contact: Sally
The Trich Support Group is run by health care professionals and meets every other Wednesday from 6:15-8pm October thru May. For more info (610) 525-1510
South Dakota
Sioux Falls Support Group
trich2trich@yahoo.com
Contact: Kim
This group meets the first Monday of every other month from 7:30-9pm. For more information you can call (605) 331-6412.
Texas
Dallas/Ft. Worth – Trichotillomania Christian Support
Lori.Strickland@verizon.net
Contact: Lori
Meetings for the Trichotillomania Christian Support Group meet every 3rd Thursday of the month at 7pm. For more info you can call (972) 986-7729.
Houston – Houston Trichotillomania Support Group
TTMHouston : TTM Support of Houston, TX
Contact: Jennifer
pixieladie@earthlink.net
Virginia
Central Virginia Trichotrillomania Support Group
TTMVA@hotmail.com
Contact: Alyson
Central Virginia Trichotrillomania Support Group meets every Tuesday at 7:30pm. There is also an email group in addition to this free peer support group.
Vermont
Vermont Trichotillomania Support Group
Vermont_ttmoutreach@yahoo.com
Vermont Trichotrillomania Support Group meets on the 4th Monday of the month from 6-7:30pm. For more info you can call (802) 453-3688.
Washington
Seattle Area Professionally Assisted Group for Trichotillomania
Contact: David
This group is a therapy group that meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 5pm. The sessions are $50. For more information you can call (206) 328-0910.


http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...rt_groups.html

[SonofaMess]

I really cannot understand how difficult it is to deal with but I did have a friend for a few years who had this issue. She started young and finally overcame it when she was around 19?

Good luck getting better with it and I wish you the best!

[TigerLili]

((((Deerwalk)))) It must be awful. I have a friend who has a bit of a problem with it.

[tellus]

(((Deerwalk))) I can't imagine how hard it is to deal with full-blown trich.

I suffer periodically from dermatotillomania (trich's skin-picking cousin), but to a very minor degree. Even so, it's been years since I showed my legs (or, god forbid, my back) in public because of the scars I've created. I'm very aware how lucky I am that I only pick in places that can be easily covered: many, many pickers focus on their faces.

Compulsive self-harm disorders are some of the most misunderstood, I think. Mental illness is becoming more socially accepted, or at least acknowledged, but trich is one of those things that people just Don't Talk About. I am so sorry you have to deal with this.

[deerwalk]

That's true, Tellus. I have met one other person in my life who wanted to talk about it- but at the time I didn't, although I did concede. It was long ago, and I felt it was something I had, hid, and dealt with... all my life, the response to everything was "deal with it". the "suck it up" approach- I was NEVER allowed to talk about how I felt about anything growong up or it would be rewarded with a nice beating, or humiliation and belittlement if I wasn't altogether ignored. I tried talking to a few therapists about it and they did not get it one bit. They just complimented me on my shaved head. I've never felt attractive in my entire life. Now that I'm getting older, I feel even worse. there were so many pretty girls in college, with great hair (I went to art school) and I always felt like a shorn sheep. Same thing later at work, and on and on.

[SelfSeeking]

I have the skin-picking form. So does my sister. My mom has the hair pulling one. For all of us, it seems to ebb and flow depending on many factors, but it's not a conscious behavior, which makes it _very_ frustrating! It's crazy, I trance out and before I know it my face is bleeding. Horrible.

Like many other problems of mine, it has gotten better since I stopped drinking. Dunno why. But yay for that.

[SonofaMess]

Originally Posted by deerwalk

That's true, Tellus. I have met one other person in my life who wanted to talk about it- but at the time I didn't, although I did concede. It was long ago, and I felt it was something I had, hid, and dealt with... all my life, the response to everything was "deal with it". the "suck it up" approach- I was NEVER allowed to talk about how I felt about anything growong up or it would be rewarded with a nice beating, or humiliation and belittlement if I wasn't altogether ignored. I tried talking to a few therapists about it and they did not get it one bit. They just complimented me on my shaved head. I've never felt attractive in my entire life. Now that I'm getting older, I feel even worse. there were so many pretty girls in college, with great hair (I went to art school) and I always felt like a shorn sheep. Same thing later at work, and on and on.

You gotta hear yourself say your beautiful. You may have a problem but even if 100234213415354637783546 people told you you were beautiful and attractive you wouldn't believe it until you tell yourself that. I took a look at your photo and you are beautiful. So take another look and see it for yourself pretty girl......

[allport]

Wow I did this for ages and I didn't even know it had a name!

In the end I cut my hair really short and that help lots, hope it never comes back because I can remember how powerful the compulsion was.

[Vintersemestre]

I actually didn't realize this until recently, I don't pull my hair out but I fiddle with it. Like I'll take a strand of it and fiddle with it and fiddle with it until I've managed to tie the end in a knot - or I'll just go ahead and tie it into a knot right from the get go. Then of course I have to rip the knot out by splitting the strand with my fingers and pulling.

[Shellslove]

Honestly - I've never, ever heard anyone talk about the skin picking, but I have about trich. My entire life I've had a hair picking/rubbing thing. I do not pull it out, but as my father and fiance make fun "your damn hand is always in your hair." or when I get depressed about it thinning, my fiance is like, duh! don't play with it! No one gets it...I 'trance out' like someone else here said. and I have specific little bald spots where I just rub and rub until all the hair is broken into little nubs, bleck. The skin picking began at a young age, but no one ever knew. I've had a scab in the same 5 or 6 places (hidden) for 4 plus years b/c if I'm anxious (or even if not) I pick it right off. The scars are so embarassing. Then the face picking started, that's the worst. The day my co-wrker asked me if I had skin cancer (b/c makeup makes it look white and weird) I cried for about 30 mins in the bathroom. I went over my fiance's sister's house (she always has cuts on her face) and I saw the neosporin and tweezers on the sink...I was like OMG! My dad asks me all the time 'you have such a beautiful face, why would you do this to yourself?' I've never had an answer....I never knew this was part of my mental issues, I just thought I was weird....

[Isaiah]

I don't think I've reached a trich... degree of it, but I have several bald areas on my arms that were from last October. They don't bother me that much as the violet scars kind of distract the eyes' attention.

I guess I'd wonder if it's because I'm a guy, and hair-image-esteem isn't so ingrained into me that I hadn't done this more...? I definitely know where the drive to do so comes from.

The one time I brought this up in any detail with a doctor (hair pulling, pinching, scratching, etc.) he dropped an OCD tag on me. Whatever, doc.

[Overman]

I once dated a girl who I later discovered had this problem.

Her eyebrows were tatooed, as I didn't realize that she plucked them all out. Later she gradually plucked out all her eyelashes, then started on armpits, etc.

Poor thing. I was totally helpless and didn't know what to do for her, except refer her to a therapist. And even then, most mental health pros know little about it and how to treat it.

[atj72699]

Okay. I don't pull my hair...well, not much anyway, but I do pick at anything. On my face, on my legs, on my scalp. My boyfriend told me on Sat that it is embarrassing (and other feelings) to be out in public with me. And, that he wonders if I am completely crazy.

I am a recovered (sort of) anorexic. The sort of is because I am a healthy weight, but I worry about my weight.

I don't really understand, but I don't think that I have the same nerve endings that most people have because I can pick and pull at my skin without having a lot of pain, but other people can't even pick a pimple without displaying big pain.

So, I'm here today because I'm a little bit lost and a little bit confused. I live with a man that is embarrassed by me. Not that he's worried about me, but embarrassed by me and thinks that I'm crazy.

I don't know.

[Astro]

Hello atj, just wanted to give you a warm welcome to SR, you're in the right place and we're glad you're here.

I don't have any experience in these areas but I'm sure you'll get some responses from people who can share theirs. Best wishes to you in your continuing recovery.

[jamdls]

I don't have it but I can imagine what it must do to ones self, I just want to give you a hug.

Judy