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Pulling my hair out (trichotillomania) ... hard to stop, any help?
Mental Health | Last Active: May 15, 2019 | Replies (7)Comment receiving replies
Hi not sure if you’re still available, I just signed up here today. First thing I did was type in Trichotillomania and saw your post.
I’ve been suffering from this since I was a little girl. I’m now 66 years old. It’s hereditary so you may want to see if anyone else is doing it, my Mother didn’t pull hair but she picked at her skin really badly and somehow the two conditions are related. One of my Sisters did it and one of her Daughters does it, my own Daughter does it.
Over my many years I have actually had several pull-free years. One lasted longer than ten or eleven years. But since about the late eighties those periods have been very rare.
Until then though I didn’t even know what I did had a name and that other people suffered from it as well.
I have a lot of other problems too. I’m sure you’re suffering some others too.
The very very sad thing about Tric is there is no real treatment for the problem. Sure you can take antidepressants, you can go to talk therapy, you can do the cognitive therapy. I’ve done everything that’s been suggested and as I sit here I have small bald spots all over my head.
If you or anyone else gets a chance to read this I will check back and look for updates.
Good luck to one and all.
One day someone has to break through.
Trish Madden
Virginia Beach
Replies to "Hi not sure if you’re still available, I just signed up here today. First thing I..."
Hi, @trishie1m - I wanted to add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, along with @rosemarya, whom you have met. A family member of mine did a lot of hair pulling especially when she was a little girl, and I remember her mom feeling so anxious to help in any way possible.
I also wanted to introduce you to @ryman, who has talked about hair pulling and whom I am hoping will come back to join this conversation and offer some thoughts on the undergoing various therapies, yet still having small bald spots all over your head. @georgette12 @suscros68 @mari @parus @karen00 and @gingerw may also have some input.
Of all the treatments you tried, @trishie1m, were any more helpful than others?
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@trishie1m, I want to say Welcome to Mayo Connect. I am a volunteer mentor, and as I was scrolling, I came upon yoiur post. I found this information that I would like to share with you as we wait for others to join the discussion with their experiences. - You will see that it is a recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body, despite trying to stop. -Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trichotillomania/symptoms-causes/syc-20355188
Have you received any kind of therapy or trearment that was helpful to you during the pull free periods?
I want to encourage you to check out all of the discussion Groups, and to know that you are welcome to join in anywhere. Let me know if I can be of any assistance to you as you try to locate anything.