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Cant stop pulling out eyebrows

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  • This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by Dina.
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  • #97768
    Dina
    Participant

    Hey guys — I have trichotillomania, which is the fancy name for people who pull their hair our. Mine is mostly my eyebrows. It’s ridiculous and makes me look funny (i fill in my eyebrows).

    I’ve had it since I was twelve. Any ideas of ways to stop? It’s an unconscious habit.

    Thanks in advance if anyone can help. I know this is a weird problem hah 🙂

    #97778
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Dina:

    I don’t think it is a weird problem, just one of thousands of symptoms of anxiety (ongoing, excess fear). Trichotillomania happens to be one of the very few symptoms of anxiety I did NOT experience (and that is weird!)

    But still, I feel like I have answers to almost every question (now, what kind of a … mania is that?)

    Calm yourself as much as possible, the usual ways: anywhere from a hot bath to a brisk walk in nature, slow yoga to Tai Chi… to writing here if that is calming to listening to calming music and … otherwise simplifying your life as much as possible.

    When you plan your life take into account that you are anxious and make it easier for yourself. Don’t place in front of you challenges of such magnitude that they will fit someone with no anxiety (is there such a person?)

    anita

    #97794
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Dina,

    Sorry that you are having trouble with that but I’m sure you can google about it and maybe learn or research ways to stop if you can. There are many people who do not have eyebrows that I see pencil them in and I don’t believe they are any less of a person(s) who is or as follows;

    1. Who is bald

    2. Someone who shaves all their hair off, whether male or female.

    3. Someone who has acne on their face

    4. People who pick at their face/constantly pop their pimples

    5. People that have other issues that are emotional or physical ect.

    Point is, people who are this way or look this way are LOVED regardless of their imperfections or to the people who believe/think they are lesser than the rest of us. Which is not TRUE. If we are looking for flaws in everyone or anyone, we can find them, if we are being judgmental and or being un-compassionate towards others. All of us have something but what is most important is to steer clear of those types of people, as those are not loving & truly compassionate people. As you’ve seen, there are lots people in this world who are bald, short, really tall, skinny, thick, muscular, penciled eyebrows (you get what I’m saying) That are married, taken, loved, single and accepted for who they are. Regardless of what they look like or what is missing. They are no different than us. 🙂

    Dina, the right people will love you regardless hun and the wrong people – Well, they don’t need to exist in your journey of happiness. You don’t need that kind of negativity or judgement anyway. Your are a beautiful and perfect person, just the way you are! Look in the mirror each day you wake up and remind yourself 🙂

    Have a wonderful day or evening.

    Sending lots of love, positivity and light your way.

    M.

    #97824
    rebuild101
    Participant

    Hello Dina,

    I also suffer from the same thing. I even pull out my eyelashes and have done this since I was also 12. I also fill in my eyebrows. :0( Definitely a type of anxiety issue. Some of the things that I have tried have been keeping my hands busy- making beaded necklaces, crocheting, sewing, writing or doing something active once I realize I have the urges to pull. For me it has not been an easy fix and I have also gone to therapy over it. Some days are better than others but hang in there. Looking for support is the first step. You can also keep a pull log…so you can track what you were doing and feeling when you pulled. This can help you see some patterns in your behavior and then figure out how to change some stuff. Hope this helps a little. You are not alone in this.

    Rebuild101

    #97827
    Nan
    Participant

    I am 60 years old and have Trich since 16. Go to TLC.com. a website all related to this condition . I am worse, I pull hair out of my head. Am now with wigs, etc. The site has all sorts of helpful advice, and able to give great tips for lessening the habit.

    #97848
    Dina
    Participant

    Hey guys —

    Thank you so much for the kind words and the advice.

    Ive tried using little toys in the past (stress balls, play things to keep my hands occupied) but they tend to not always work. Hopefully some of these tips you have provided will help 🙂

    Thank you for making me feel sane, normal, and not alone.

    #97884
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Dina:

    Thinking about it further, this anxiety symptom of pulling hair out is similar to my symptoms of TICS (Tourette Syndrome) and the COMPULSIONS of OCD, both of which I have a long, long history with. If you would like, Dina, to explore further here with me, this symptom of yours, how it operates, how it feels, what is behind it and following it … please let me know and we can go back and forth about it.

    Of course it is best that you attend psychotherapy with a competent, experienced, caring, hard working and dedicated psychotherapist. I am not a psychotherapist. So what I am offering is on a I help you-you help me context. If we did communicate about fear and its symptom here, we would have to be gentle as fear is most powerful. We will have to do it in small portions so not to be overwhelmed and in our own pace.

    anita

    * Nan, same offer is open to you. And by the way, I watched most of The Bridges of Madison County again, taking notes, and the theme of fear goes through the movie from the beginning! This is an idea you can take or not, start a Bridges of Madison County thread.

    #97907
    Dina
    Participant

    Thanks Anita 🙂

    I thought it was stress related, but it seems like its just all the time so I have no idea.

    The things that make me anxious are so pointless.

    #97912
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Dina:

    Pulling your hair out is stress related. That’s how it started, as a way to relieve ongoing anxiety, distress. Then it became a habit. So.. any distress, even a joyful distress can trigger the habit. Even an unpleasant thought when you are otherwise relaxed can produce a split second of distress that triggers the habit.

    There is a way to resist the urge. If and when you are in a state of mind ready to resist it. I resisted my OCD compulsions/ rituals when I was 30 after many years of performing to many. So I know it is possible. At that point at 30, I was able to resist. Not before that.

    The things that make you anxious are so pointless, you wrote: what do you mean pointless? You want to give me an example of a pointless thing that makes you anxious?

    anita

    #102817
    Dina
    Participant

    Hm. Honestly I’m not even sure anyone. Someone getting angry at me. Work being stressful. Feeling overwhelmed or confused or even just feeling the stress of a particularly gruesome show. Or feelings of guilt for something I think, even if I havent acted on it.

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