New to the forum- but still battling

Hi everyone

Yes I'm another person posting here saying I'm new to the forum.
But I'm not new to trichotillomania, or any other impulse disorders. Since 2001 I have been pulling out my hair, eyelashes and eyebrows which then swiftly merged into picking and pulling at the skin on my arms. Many times have I tried to stop doing them altogether but have not been successful. On a nicer note I have actually stopped pulling at my eyelashes so often because the last time I did it actually hurt and made my eyes water, so it's put me off doing that ever again.
I think that most recent events have triggered me to start all these things majorly and don't really know what to do next. I did have a counseller but she left my school before our last meeting together so I felt angry that I put all that trust into someone, let them in on my troubles and then they leave. I felt betrayed....

As for the other things here is what I do:
-When I am stressed, bored or concentrating with some let's say writing or drawing, one hand is occupied yet the other isn't and latches onto a bit of hair and I twist it around my finger. I used to do it a lot when I was a child and my mum called it twiddling. I managed to stop for a while but its back with avengence!
Then when I get a knot in the hair I either have to pull or cut it out. This has ended up with me having the left side of my hair pretty short and weak. Also the back of my head is a problem spot. My eyebrows don't seem to want to grow back as quick but what I find fasinating is that when you have a thick hair and you pull it and you get the big hair follical at the end. I just sit and stare at them for a while on a bit of tissue before throwing them away. Yes I am a freak as some people at school used to call me.

- Picking at my skin. I have no idea why but I like the sound of it peeling away, like tissue paper....
It doesn't help with my current medication that one of the side effects is dry skin, so even though I moisturize after a bath or shower I still have dry skin that eventually gets peeled away like snake skin. In the summer it was embarassing because I then got sunburnt where I had picked the skin away and that got coloured! So I still have marks from the supposed tan I received next to my pale skin before. I looked like I had the shape of countries on both my arms!

-Another picking thing is scabs...

That's all I have for now- have a good evening!

Hey there, I'm so glad there's a new member of this forum. I'm new to the forum as well, but I began pulling in 2004. I'm the same way. When I'm reading, or on the computer, while one hand is occupied the other strays to my head & begins to pull. I, too realized that a thicker hair brings a bigger follicle - for some reason, it's fascnating! I'm what I call a chewer, I bite into the follicle to hear the crunch. I know it sounds gross but since you're a puller, I'm comfortable telling you this. I also pick at my skin & scabs - mainly scabs. I've done this since I was young. It's extremely annoying seeing all the little scars from pulling at the smallest scab, but I just can't help it. I, too am attracted to the sound it makes when pulling away from skin. I'm still battling as well & can't finda way to stop, but I'm glad I'm going to be able to make some friends on this forum. I've only really conversed with one other person, so maybe you & I could talk as well? Thanks for your descriptive post.. While what we do isn't healthy, it's nice to know there are other people going through the same thing as I am. I don't wish this disorder on anyone, but it's hard to go through it alone. I have a wonderful support system, but I need another puller to familiarize with. Hit me up anytime, & I have a FB as well if you have one. I'm Fancy Smith & I live in GA.

Cool I'll have a look for you on Facebook- I'll mention that you are on here that way you know its me haha

I sometimes eat the follicle too....bit off really but the thing just facinates me. Strange.
To stop my hair pulling I have started to wear bandanas, hats and actually bought myself a wig so that I can go to uni wearing it without worrying about people seeing my bald spots. No one has really said anything, but I do have the feeling they have noticed my ever thinning hairline. It's only the left side that is the shorter area of my hair and I made such a huge knot once I had to hack away the underneath so it does look like I have a buzz cut or something....
It doesn't help when my boyfriend of over 3 and half years isn't contactable and thinks I'm only doing it to get attention (or at least that is my paranoia talking) Everything just seems to go in one big circle.

I wear wigs, too. But it doesn't stop me from pulling. Has your boyfriend ever actually read up on trichotillamania? He needs to know that only a nutty person would pull their own hair out for attention, & I really don't believe that's what you're doing. That just really sucks.