Trichotillomania: Children and Teens
Filed in Blog, Hair Pulling in Children on Jul.14, 2010
Many parents of hair-pulling children feel at a loss as to how they can help their child or teenager with trichotillomania. What is the most important thing you can do to help? Remove your focus on the actual hair-pulling and try to better understand the reason for this behavioral addiction. Learn how today!
February 20th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
hi,
im a 16 year old.
i have had this thing for hair ever since i was 2 years old, i was always sitting in the couch watching tv playing with my hair, simple playing. no pulling whatsoever.
when i was 12, the actual PULLING started to kick in, only i didnt do it with the hair on my scalp i pulled my eyelashes and eyebrows, i liked how they felt.
at the very beginning i rolled them between my fingers while they were still stuck to my eyelids, with which i’d occasionally pull one out, maybe 2. when i’d feel the pulled out eyelash, i examined it. it fascinated me in all sorts of ways, the lenght, thickness, the way it was black. the round part at the end. it was beautiful.
well. i had to stop eventually. there were none left. i remember loving to roll them between my fingers. if they’d fall on the floor, i’d jump down there like a maniac looking for it. if i didnt find it i’d pull out another one and continue rolling. anyway, i had to stop because there were none left… like now. there have been some things going on with which i had to deal and i havent really worked it out completely. i started again last august 2010 at age 15. and i havent stopped since. then again, between the last 3 years i have been pulling occasionally but have been able to control it, therefor i didnt have the actual trich again. but it found me again. i want to get rid of it forever. im sick of it. now its even worse. i pull them out, but dont roll them anymore, i pull one after the other. ive tried almost everything so far except counseling and hypnosis. please help me
February 20th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Rebbie, I am sorry to hear that your hair pulling has returned so strongly. Trichotillomania can be a difficult problem to resolve. We believe that there is childhood emotional trauma at the source of compulsive hair pulling.
We have books and programs to help you, I suggest you begin with Abby Rohrer’s book, “What’s Wrong With Pulling My Hair Out?” available at our main website, http://www.pullfreeatlast.com. With this book you can begin right away to work on ending hair pulling for good and it contains some amazing information and tools to help. If, when you are 17, you still need help, with parental approval you can join Abby Rohrer’s TrichotillomaniaFree Women’s University which is by far the best program available for ending Trichotillomania. from Melissa, Facilitated Recovery, LLC