I would agree with aquamarinemoon on the hair pulling/eye lashes and diagnose it as Trichtotillomania. I suffered from this bad as a child mostly untill i reached J.High School. I mainly never noticed myself pulling out my hair or other hair such and my eyebrows. After I started noticing the bald spots and so on, people started noticing too. The humiliation was brutual and i always had to wear hats...and still do..lol. I was able to out grow this disorder to some digree, but i still find myself doing the odd pull here and there, and im now 25. So will it ever go away?...Some say it can be cured and some say it can't. I believe you need to have a clear mind for sure. Speak any issues to someone or see any type of counsellor that your health care provides. Medications are okay, maybe some type of SSRI or Benzodiazepine you can try...but I would first try to talk to anyone that can listen, understand, and help. Someone who can't do any of those, isnt going to help...Good luck
Hey Rhiannon, I would like to include that I think you should be honest with your fiance and family on how you really feel. And like hair, eylashes grow back!
You're welcome - anytime. :)
sorry didn't say why i'm saying thnk-u, it's because i never knew there was a name for it and now i do it feels a bit better......
Hi guys
Just wanted to say thank-you to aquamarine because like roonon i too pull out my hair but not my eyelashes, the hair on my head. I have several bald patches, most can't be seen but i took to palling the hair out from my fringe and now have a massive balding patch at the front of my scalp which everyone can see.... I too find it so embarrassing and wish i could stop but as soon as my hands have nothing to do or i'm sitting watching a programme and it gets a little intense i find my hand goes striaght to my head and i start to pull... single hairs only, i will play with the hair for a min or two and then pull it out....Most of the time i don't even realise i am doing it. bad thing is i think i am damging the hair folical cause the area i pull the most is starting to go grey, which makes me pull them even more!
So just thought i'd let you know ur not alone in this, others have it too.
Hey hon -
You have Trichtotillomania - an anxiety disorder that manifests itself in hair pulling. You aren't a freak (they wouldn't have a name for the disorder if you were the only one, now would they?) :)
I would recommend seeing a psychologist about it - you're already on meds (maybe a switch would do you good too?). Therapy works wonders for this disorder and most people completely get over it. Bonus - your eyelashes will likely grow back too.
Don't feel alone and don't let others non-reactions to it make you feel silly. Anxiety disorders like OCD, GAD, and Trichtotillomania are serious and they cause the sufferer dispair, hopelessness, and worry. People from the outside looking in often don't understand that (and media portrayals of "funny" OCD people doesn't help). You aren't alone and this is very very treatable. Let us know how you are doing...
First of all, you are not a freak. There is actually a diagnosis for people who have excessive hair pulling. I think it is called trichotillomania and it can be treated... and you are definitely not alone with this. If you don't want to use medications, have you ever considered counseling or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which can help you control your urges to do this? In my opinion, with any problem that we face, if we learn about it, we can begin to confront it. Please keep on working at it and don't get down on yourself about this...we all have issues and it is a normal part of life. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like!