You Know What That Is? Growth.

Tip Jar Call me Beans. (she/her). 20. I’ve had trichotillomania for almost a decade but I’m getting better. 🧡feel free to send asks/submit 🧡

[rottenbutrecovering]

Credit to @the_depression_chronicles11 on instagram (reposted with permission)!

[juiceboxlane-deactivated2021122]

idk if this is a hot take or not (it really shouldn’t be) but: include us folks with trichotillomania and dermatillomania in your body positivity. if you’re not accepting of someone because they have bald spots or picking scars or missing eyebrows, you’re not accepting of all bodies. we deserve to be loved, bfrbs and all. if you’re going to say “normalize this body” and “destigmatize this sort of body” and “all bodies are beautiful” but then turn around and call me gross and disgusting for having a giant bald spot on my head? you’re a hypocrite. accept us. let us feel seen. let us feel heard. let us feel beautiful. let us feel loved. because i for one am sick and tired of being treated like shit because of my bfrbs

[hope4gem]

When you’re focused on recovery, it can take an immeasurable amount of energy just to survive. This is a gentle reminder that you are valid. Your feelings are valid. Your struggle is valid. Your path to recovery is valid. You survived another day and you are amazing.

[trichrecoverythings]

do you know if you could get prescripted some meds for tricho? my therapist has recomended me a psychatris for my tricho, but i dont have any mental illness (only tricho, but i believe that it's more like a symptom? Idk im very confuse), and im scared the professional would say that there isnt any type of med for my problem. Do you happen to know something about it? this tumblr os everything truly 😊

Hey Anon! Medicating for trichotillomania is similar to medicating for anxiety (which is a common trichotillomania trigger) or otherwise alleviating the urge to pull. Outside of these general SSRI’s, some medications used to treat drug and alcohol dependence may have some success in directly treating the urge to pull. I have seen some literature on the use of muscle relaxants to make pulling more difficult/otherwise relieve the urge to pull, but recent data does not show that they have no significant impact on trichotillomania symptoms. There are no trich specific medications - these are largely to treat the symptoms and triggers.

Remember that, usually, the best way to get the best care from professionals is to clearly communicate with them. Many psychiatrists have probably never heard of trichotillomania, but they can definitely find medications for anxiety or similar conditions which may trigger trichotillomania and worsen symptoms.

[thedailyzen]

You don’t need to forcefully try to be positive. Be fully present and acknowledge the truth of each moment. Feel what you feel fully.

[trichrecoverythings]

i was wondering, do you know if theres like, certain trich criteria? i've been pulling out my hair for um. i think since march but i cant exactly remember. I do it from the ends mostly, and feel the need to do it most when i find a hair thats a different texture from the others, like crinkly or something. like i feel like idk if i could have trich cause idk if it can be trich if i theres "certain reasons" i do it. im really worried about doing it though cause i hate the fact that i have (1/2)

Hi Anon! Trichotillomania doesn’t have an ‘official’ diagnostic criteria (that is, there isn’t a DSM-V code specified for it) but there are several online tests and symptom lists that you might find helpful. In fact, you pull your hair for the very same reason hundreds of others do - many people in the trich community are ‘texture oriented’ when it comes to hair pulling (including me)!  It is an unfortunate truth that most people and many professionals aren’t educated on the existence of trichotillomania and other BFRDs (Body Focused Repetitve Disorders), but the community is here for you Anon 🧡

[positiveautistic-deactivated202]

respect your limits

[trichrecoverythings]

I’ve been pulling my eyebrow since high school, for nearly 6 years now and in the last year I’ve only seen how noticeable it is in pictures 😭😭 half of it is really gone and only a few coarse hairs grow back. I’ve tried so many times to phase it out... is this something people go to the doctor’s for? My mom has always said it’s just a bad habit

I’m sorry you’ve been struggling for so long Anon - but no, that is not ‘just a bad habit’ - it’s textbook trichotillomania. It’s a compulsion/anxiety disorder, similar to OCD. Many people do see doctors and therapists for trichotillomania - although trichotillomania is not well understood and uncommon, there are professionals who can help. If you want to and are able to seek treatment, I would encourage you to do so. Therapy has helped me mitigate many of my symptoms and go into remission. If you cannot or do not want to seek professional help, there are a variety of online resources available - TrichStop is one such website, but there are many more.

I hope this was informative and helpful - please feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or concerns. Here’s to the beginning of the road to recovery 🧡

[cheruwb-archive-deactivated2021]

i hope everyone struggling with body focused repetitive behaviors is having a good day!! whether it be dermatillomania, trichotillomania, or any other bfrb, you deserve to happy and proud of your body.

[asterein]

Uncontrollable compulsions

[trichrecoverythings]

hi! i primarily have derma (skin-picking, sister disorder to trich) but recently ive been experiencing some hair-pulling urges too, mainly for body hair. whats really frustrating and weird is that most of the time the urge is to pull my partner's body hair (they have a lot, i have almost none). is that weird? or do other people experience urges to pull other people's hair too? thanks, sorry if this ask is out of place!

Hello! No, not weird at all - I used to get the urge to pull my dog’s fur, and did when he was shedding (it was actually very theraputic 😅). It’s definitely a very strange an unpleasant feeling to have that urge directed at something besides yourself.

I hope you’re doing well 🧡

[trichrecoverythings]

i’ve had trichotillomania for around 7 years now. at one point the top of my head was completely bald. because of this i always keep my hair up to hide the bald spots. i haven’t worn my hair down in years. i feel so disgusting. i was thinking about getting a weave installed so i can finally stop worrying about my bald spots showing. how should i tell my hair dresser about my trich? i’m so scared she’ll think i’m crazy. i’m so ashamed of myself. this would be my first time opening up about it.

Hey anon - I was in a similar situation! I had worn my hair up for around 3 years to hide a growing bald spot before I finally started remission. I was lucky enough to have a hairdresser I had seen long enough and knew personally to be comfortable discussing how I wanted my hair cut and styled to hide where the hair was growing back.

To be honest, when I first saw my hairdresser with obvious bald spots, I didn’t tell her about my trichotillomania. And she didn’t ask! Save for asking if I wanted the spots covered, she didn’t mention it or look at me any differently. She’s seen balding men, cancer patients, and old women. Sure, a younger person with bald spots might be weird, but she felt it wasn’t her place to pry so she didn’t ask.

You do not, if you aren’t comfortable, ever have to tell anyone about your trich. It might make things easier, to talk to someone, but if you aren’t ready then don’t push yourself! If you are comfortable telling your hairdresser that trich is the reason you want a weave installed, go for it! She might even have helpful advice, both for trich in general or if your trich might impact your weave. If you’re not comfortable telling her about your trich, you can just ask for the weave. It isn’t her business why you have bald spots - and most hairdressers I know are discerning enough to recognize this and leave it at that!

Being able to confide in my hairdresser about my trich was important for me regaining my confidence, and I think it might help you too. Because no matter how ashamed you feel right now, you aren’t disgusting or horrible for a condition you have very little control over. Trich isn’t fun or quirky or pretty but it is a part of your life that can, eventually, be managed and to an extent controlled. You are not crazy and you are incredibly brave to consider opening up about this to someone. Regardless of your choice to tell her or not, I’m proud of you for considering the option, and hope the weave offers you the confidence you rightfully deserve!

[ambrosiadreamer]

It took me almost ten years to grow back my eyelashes. A whole ass decade to stop pulling them out long enough for them to be full again. Recovery takes a while. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. Reward yourself for the small victories. It’s a hard habit to break. I still have other places I pull from, but it’s one step at a time. Don’t give up on yourself. Recovery is different for everyone. Some people can knock it in a year, some it takes years. That’s okay. We all move at our own pace. Be gentle with yourself

Sincerely, a long term trichter

[trichrecoverythings]

Trich Recovery Things: #82

You can go longer without shaving your legs, arms, and body. Maybe one day you will be able to stop shaving completely, if you wanted to.

[trichrecoverythings]

I know a lot of people who have trich pull at their scalp or eyebrows, but i pull on my legs. And a weird thing is that its worse right after and a day or two after i shave, but if i dont shave i have sensory issues with how long the hair is :')

You’re definitely not alone Anon! I have to shave almost every day to keep myself from pulling, and my sensory issues also make it difficult to grow the hair out. Shaving regularly enough to keep yourself from pulling is a valid strategy, and as someone with sensory issues, I personally don’t think I could stop shaving even if I had complete control of my trichotillomania.

[sheisrecovering]

You deserve to heal.

[trichrecoverythings]

Trich Recovery Things: #81

You don’t have blood stains on your pillow cases anymore.