Do you have an hair pulling disorder

[StrangeAndDeath]

This is technically not a suicide post, but I self diagnosed myself with trichotillomania ( hair pulling disorder). It only activates when I do mentally taxing work. I've been restraining myself from excessive pulling but still, the effect accumulates and since pulling the hair out from the root makes hair regrowth take months, I walk around with some bald spots on my head.

So, if you have the same issue, I just want to know how you deal with it or if you are unable to deal with it too

 

[theboy]

not me

 

[Dizzylady80]

I think I do but I'm not diagnosed. I use breathing exercises and fingernail biting when I'm anxious so that I don't pull my hair out

 

[SectOfValtiel]

only every now and then i guess, but i think thats a fairly common response to extreme stress- or at least its cliche enough in media to be seen as '''normal'''
something i do a lot though and wish i could stop is biting my nails when i feel stressed... and honestly, i feel stressed more often then not, so
theres a lot of times where i bite the nail down to the edge of the quick and end up having a hard time using that nail for a day or two
and lots of painful hangnails... hate how my hands look because of it
not ideal

definitely far from the worst thing i do when im stressed
but i still dont like that i do it

 

[Message In A Bottle]

I get these random coarse hairs that I want to yank out by the root - all around the crown of my head.

I hate it - don't really have any tips to stop it other than distracting or snipping with scissors instead (which isn't exactly ideal either)

Not related to a hair pulling disorder, but I like to look at each strand of hair to check for splits. A better alternative imo if your just cutting off unhealthy ends compared to outright ripping it out.

 

[StrangeAndDeath]

I get these random coarse hairs that I want to yank out by the root - all around the crown of my head.

I hate it - don't really have any tips to stop it other than distracting or snipping with scissors instead (which isn't exactly ideal either)

Not related to a hair pulling disorder, but I like to look at each strand of hair to check for splits. A better alternative imo if your just cutting off unhealthy ends compared to outright ripping it out.

This is similar to my problem too, except I'm black male, so snipping off the end will still leave me with partial bald spots. Besides the reason I find hair pulling so addictive is because of the way it feels on my scalp

 

[purplehearted]

I have a friend with trich. She grew up in an incredibly abusive household (violent, helicopter parents) and she had severe balding as a result. I think she got over it by moving out, getting medicated and smoking weed whenever the urge to pull hits

 

[Citruscine]

Not hair pulling, but I've had issues with nail biting and skin and lip picking for most of my life. I think the best thing to do with body focused repetitive behaviours is to notice when you do them and make an active effort to replace the behaviour with something else like squeezing a ball or fidgeting with something to keep the hands busy

 

[Nightbird]

My mother used to do this all the way into her 50s (in 70s now)- she ended up with permanent bald spots from it. I also had a childhood friend, Sonia, who did it but instead of the hair on her head she plucked her eyebrows and lashes completely bald. Anxious behavior in both of them. My Mom can't relax or tolerate downtime. With an abusive father and then an abusive husband, she was hard wired to be vigilant, intent on being ready when "the other shoe" dropped. Sonia was a target of harassment and ridicule by kids and adults, alike. Teachers reprimanded her constantly for behavior that was considered defiant and disruptive in 1979 but that would easily be classified as ADHD present day. And who knows what was going on at home for her? I can only hope someone understood her.

 

[Dot]

Hve bn pullng fr 20 yrs - ws triggrd frm a brk-up & simltansly losng a grp of frnds

Am afrd tht d/ nt hve n.e advce - snce mst recnt m.h episde startd 2 yrs ag/ alf hve pulld mst hair of out hes & am pullng all dy evry dy

 

[crimson blue]

Yes, it's really hard for me to stop, I have some bald spots so I decided to cut my hair so that I can't pull it even if I want to

 

[StrangeAndDeath]

Yes, it's really hard for me to stop, I have some bald spots so I decided to cut my hair so that I can't pull it even if I want to

It seems like what I'll have to do too...

 

[Backwoodsqueer]

I have dermatillomania/trichotillomania. I pull out my chest/stomach/thigh hair and I pick at my nails and the skin around them. My fingertips are constantly sore and bloody. I'm a really hairy guy so my stomach and chest are always covered in scabs from how much I pick/pull at it and it's honestly really embarrassing. I didn't let my boyfriend see me shirtless until 4+ months into our relationship. I was diagnosed four years ago.

 

[Message In A Bottle]

It seems like what I'll have to do too...

Would wearing a beanie hat help minimize the distraction? Or getting something like a fidget spinner? Granted I never tried one of those before…but I liked playing with those squishy release toys - kept my mind occupied some. Can be anything though if it keeps your hands busy.

Apologies if this is unhelpful - just trying to brainstorm ideas on what I'd try if I had short hair.

 

[Someday_Somehow32]

I didn't develope in issues until earlier this year, I've pulling my eyebrows out slowly. I don't do my eyelashes much anymore. I don't do it over stress, mainly just out of boredom. I also bite my nails and pull the skin off around them, and scabs and cuts.

 

[amnesianamnesis]

Would wearing a beanie hat help minimize the distraction? Or getting something like a fidget spinner? Granted I never tried one of those before…but I liked playing with those squishy release toys - kept my mind occupied some. Can be anything though if it keeps your hands busy.

Apologies if this is unhelpful - just trying to brainstorm ideas on what I'd try if I had short hair.

I use a neck gaiter, I think that's what they're called. My hair isn't very short, but if I put it in a bun, I can wrap it around my hair. It doesn't always help. Sometimes I pull it out, and I don't only pull from my head, but it is quite helpful with keeping me from breaking the ends of my hair.

 

[StrangeAndDeath]

I have dermatillomania/trichotillomania. I pull out my chest/stomach/thigh hair and I pick at my nails and the skin around them. My fingertips are constantly sore and bloody. I'm a really hairy guy so my stomach and chest are always covered in scabs from how much I pick/pull at it and it's honestly really embarrassing. I didn't let my boyfriend see me shirtless until 4+ months into our relationship. I was diagnosed four years ago.

Damn. That fingertip thing must be nasty. People around me are always like "just stop it". I've tried telling them It's not something I can fully control, but they wouldn't understand. The sad part is it usually happens when I'm trying to study or code. And since I'm a student, I don't have a choice but to study and bear the aesthetic consequences.

Would wearing a beanie hat help minimize the distraction? Or getting something like a fidget spinner? Granted I never tried one of those before…but I liked playing with those squishy release toys - kept my mind occupied some. Can be anything though if it keeps your hands busy.

Apologies if this is unhelpful - just trying to brainstorm ideas on what I'd try if I had short hair.

I actually think wearing a hat might help. Not toys tho. It's an unconscious activity at this point, so I'll still pull it out while holding the toys

I didn't develope in issues until earlier this year, I've pulling my eyebrows out slowly. I don't do my eyelashes much anymore. I don't do it over stress, mainly just out of boredom. I also bite my nails and pull the skin off around them, and scabs and cuts.

Wow. Does the nail thing hurt?
By the way, I do my eyelashes and eyebrows sometimes, but mostly scalp. Scalp is the only one I do out of stress

 

[Asiam]

I have really bad dermatillomania, it's the same disorder but foe the skin. I literally have thousands of scars and an entirely spotted back, shoulders are one big scar from years of picking, people think I'm a meth addict. My only coping method is pure hatred for anybody who judges people on appearance. Just hate the people who care what you look like, they are stupid frankly.

 

[StrangeAndDeath]

I have really bad dermatillomania, it's the same disorder but foe the skin. I literally have thousands of scars and an entirely spotted back, shoulders are one big scar from years of picking, people think I'm a meth addict. My only coping method is pure hatred for anybody who judges people on appearance. Just hate the people who care what you look like, they are stupid frankly.

Sadly, most people do