5 Tips for Living with Trichotillomania Based on My Honest Story
Say it with me. Trick-oh-till-oh-may-nee-uh. Trichotillomania. If you are living with trich, I wrote this guide with y'all in listen. I desire you to walk away with a better understanding of this particular hair-loss disorder. I will share 5 tips on living with trich that have helped me in my own life. These are things you could easily pass on to your friends who may be experiencing hair loss, themselves.
What Is Trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania is a mental disorder, just as much as it is a hair-loss disorder. Across its catchy pronunciation (no pun intended), it is the compulsive urge to pull out one'south pilus, which frequently leads to visible balding or thinning hair.
Someone with trichotillomania may pull pilus from their scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or body hair. The important thing to remember is that the urge is uncontrollable.
As someone who has experienced trich for the past 16 years, I know the search for answers can be daunting. What are the trichotillomania treatments? What causes trichotillomania? How can I stop trichotillomania?
My Trichotillomania Story
I lived with trichotillomania for the better part of 16 years. Trichotillomania in toddlers is common, but most people starting time developing it during puberty or pre-adolescence. Some people might begin pulling hair out as young as infancy. I started pulling my hair out by the follicle at 9 years old.
I am non a licensed psychologist, but I've been deeply researching trich for more than five years. This guide is based on my enquiry and my personal experience every bit a 23-year-onetime adult female living with hair loss.
First Signs of Trichotillomania
I started by twisting and fiddling with my hair at age viii. Others can start with nail biting, hair twirling, pollex sucking or any other seemingly innocent habit. There is no guarantee that these habits will manifest into compulsive hair pulling (or skin picking, known as dermatillomania), only in my case, it did.
From twirling my hair, I eventually began pulling my hair by the follicle. That means that I would pull a single pilus at a fourth dimension, usually with the goal of removing any fibroid or irregular hairs on my caput. The awareness of pulling the "right" hair would soothe my anxious thoughts for a split second.
Once that 2nd of relief passes, my fingers are exploring my scalp and looking for the next irregularity to remove.
Too anxious thoughts, other factors touch my trichotillomania on a daily basis. The universal source of compulsive hair pulling is extremely difficult to pinpoint. As a outcome, it'due south hard to avert.
Results of Trichotillomania
When my trichotillomania is left unchecked, I would develop thinness throughout my hair. Depending on the "platonic" pulling spot, these patches would appear thinner than others. My hair has grown unevenly for the duration of my trichotillomania journeying.
That meant that I had to style my thin hair in ways to conceal my disorder or lying to close friends and family most the causes of my pilus loss.
I would go as far as colouring in my bald spots with eyeliner, article of clothing my hair in a certain updo for months at a fourth dimension, wearable hats when completely unnecessary, bobby pinning my hair into oblivion, and so much more than. There is probable a trichotillomania hack that I oasis't tried.
Years of Hair-Pulling
Living with trichotillomania for more than 15 years, I have seen my hair exist in seasons.
Sometimes my pilus would grow strong and long. My pulling would disappear over the course of a few months. I would be able to complect my hair, fashion information technology, and, at face value, show no signs of this circuitous hair-loss disorder that I have lived with for years.
Other times, I would cut my hair short to curb the pulling. My hair would be uneven, show breakage and feel weak when my pulling felt uncontrollable.
Throughout high school and academy, I thought the stress of schoolwork, deadlines and expectations were the source of my hair pulling; and I idea that if I had long hair, I would be happy.
Is Long Hair the Answer?
During my university years, I saved a lot of money from my part-time jobs to try semi-permanent pilus extensions. The extensions were micro-weft extensions where a silicone-lined bead would secure a weft of hair to my own pilus.
With months of research and several consultations under my belt, I found myself walking out of the salon with new hair installed.
This new hair followed me for a full of 8 months. I had the recommended monthly touch-up appointments, and slowly just surely learned near traction baldness (which y'all tin read more about here).
The longer hair felt keen… at kickoff. The abiding risk of traction alopecia was stressful every bit someone with a tender scalp. I would still pull my hair despite the extensions which left my hair thinner and damaged past breakage.
Even afterward all that, has it helped with my pulling?
No.
The reality is that I still pull my hair every day.
Truly. After xvi years of living with compulsive hair pulling and the subsequent pilus loss, I yet pull out my hair, and here'southward why.
I learned over time that pulling out my hair is something I can rarely control. From a neurology perspective, I spent the past 16 years reinforcing the signal in my brain, "If you lot feel stress, pull out a hair to relieve the stress." Having already reinforced that neural transmission hundreds or thousands of times is something extremely hard to overcome.
That's why people with trichotillomania cannot "just end".
Since I can't control the frequency of my hair pulling, I decided to control the guilt I feel tied to my hair instead.
Trichotillomania Unlike for Everyone
If this form of hair loss is tied to psychology, mental wellness and neurology, how am I supposed to treat trichotillomania? Only, overall, what kind of trichotillomania help is available?
There is no particular ix-infinitesimal cure, or ten-day program, or 2-month practice plan that volition work for everyone. At that place is no pill, serum or pilus mask that you can use that will make your hair grow dorsum faster than you pull it out. Jail cell regeneration takes time. At that place'due south no disputing that.
You may have seen trichotillomania bracelets online. These electronic bracelets notify you every time you raise your hand to pull out your hair to bring mental sensation every time you lot attain to pull.
Because of the inconsistent nature of trichotillomania (which ways the experience is drastically different for everyone who has it), there is no fashion to narrow down a single treatment for everyone.
Extensions didn't work for me, just it works for others. Tracking my pulling didn't work for me, but there are others who establish great success in it.
For some people, they woke up i 24-hour interval without the urge to pull anymore.
5 Tips for Living with Trichotillomania
For me, shifting my mindset on trichotillomania has been instrumental in my journeying of recovery. Here are the small, but mighty steps that take brought me the nearly peace with my trichotillomania and hair loss.
#i: Define Recovery
Your definition of recovery volition define your success. Let's say you define success as being pull-free for a month. If you normally pull your pilus every twenty-four hours, imagine how easily disappointed you'll be. Your goal should marshal with your current habits. It'due south important to set healthy and reasonable goals for yourself.
#ii: Talk to Someone About It
Suffering in silence is one of the almost unproductive things I have done. By hiding my hair loss from others, I never got to confront my hair loss directly. Honestly, it felt like living in denial for a long time.
One time I began attending peer support meetings and opening up online, I came to realize:
Y'all aren't every bit alone every bit you call back.
There are people who love you any your hair looks like.
Hair isn't the end of the globe.
#3: Research Alternative Hair
There are and then many hair solutions for ladies with hair loss, on the marketplace at present. The central is to find one that works for you rather than against y'all. Don't lose sight of the existent goal, though. Long hair might be the goal, merely there are unlike ways to approach it.
The semi-permanent extensions didn't work for me because of the traction baldness it caused. I would yet pull on the extensions, and those extensions were continued to my hair.
Wigs and toppers are more than popular than ever, and, depending on your level of hair loss, information technology could exist a solution that works for you.
Now I clothing a wig when my hair pulling feels out of command. It protects my real hair from my pulling and gives information technology a hazard to grow undisturbed even if it's but for a few hours. Being honest with yourself and your needs is a really of import step.
#iv: Have Care of Your Hair
The times where I thought the worst of my hair were the times I cared for my pilus the least. Just because my pilus was thin, patchy, and partially balding does not mean I should permit my hair and scalp get to waste.
Taking the time to have real care of my pilus is more important than ever. It reminds me that my hair is important and it's doing what it tin. I'yard also regularly trimming my hair rather than avoiding hair cuts, which makes me feel better about my pilus, since I'm constantly scared of losing information technology.
#5: Reflect on Your Strengths
Fifty-fifty though you've merely read through all this pilus talk, your life is more than your hair.
When I started coming to terms with my own hair loss, it opened the space in my mind to think almost other parts of me and to be grateful for them.
I started seeing the things in myself that have nothing to do with my hair: I'm a great friend. I ship amazing memes. I love to hike and drive. I tin can swallow a watermelon in 1 sitting.
There is all that and more than in you, besides, if y'all accept the time to look for it.
To follow along with my everyday life with trichotillomania and a dose of positive productivity, find me on Instagram.
Source: https://therighthairstyles.com/trichotillomania-story/
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