What helps you not pull?

Hi! Please use this thread to give tips to other people with trich about what might help them avoid pulling.
I have heard form people here that doing something with your hands like tearing up paper (or card board), pealing an orange or even using a stress ball can help. Please add to the list!

Thank you,

jasmin

I came here hoping for some tips. New here and I don't have any suggestions.

I tried the papers and cards but it didn’t work, I needed to feel it, so lately I started using hair tweezer to pull the hair on my body, specially the private areas instead of shaving .. it didn’t make me stop pulling my hair entirely but it helped

When I put hair stuff in my hair I don't pull it because of how it feels. That helps me a lot..

I've tried some different things to stop but what worked for me was really a mind set. I pulled for about ten years. I never went to a dr. for it but I plucked my eyelashes, eyebrows, and other areas bald. I felt a strong urge to do it, sometimes I almost didn't even realize it, and felt stress releif when I did it. I didn't eat the hairs but I liked to "hunt" for fat roots and it became a bit of an obsession. Sometimes I'd touch the roots to my lips but I didn't eat them. Anyway, I am thoroughly convinced I had Trich, and here's what I did to stop:

I tried physical distractions like chewing gum or putting socks on my hands at night, but I personally think trich is a mental deal. See, I read about it online. People kept saying "I CAN'T stop". I thought about that, and let me ask you a question. Does your hand literally force itself to pull? As in, if you wanted to stop it, you'd have to physically grab it with your other hand or something? Heck no, not for me anyway. Even if it felt like my hand kinda found it's way up there by itself, I knew part of me decided to do it and could stop it. I didn't like the implication that I literally could not control my hand, because I didn't think that was true. Secondly, I saw a woman that was worried about her hair not growing back. I guess I always assumed that if I stopped, it would grow back. But basically, the sooner you stop, the better, the LONGER you stop, the better, because I saw something about how the follicle can repair itself some. So basically, if I was going to stop, which I wanted to do, I would have the best results if I stopped soon and didn't go back. But if I didn't stop for several more years, even after the hard work to stop, my hair may never look normal and that would bother me. So wanting to optimise my recovery was another big factor, and why I haven't gone back. I don't want to start again and do just enough more damage to cause permanent damage. I don't know how much my hairs can take and I don't want to risk it! The last factor that helped me stop was the social one. It's embarassing if people see, and one way or another, I'd have to tell my future boyfriend or husband or whatever. What would he think? I reasoned that I'd much rather tell someone that I USED to struggle with trich but overcame it then to still have it.

So that's it, I was almost offended by the idea that I was incapable of stopping my own hand from pulling, I wanted to give my hairs the best chance of recovery, I feared any more damage could be enough to cause permant damage, and I wanted to put this whole thing behind me as something I conquered instead of struggled with. It worked I pulled off and on for 10 years, but after I've stopped, my eyelashes look normal, my eyebrows look normal, and I have long thick hair on my head. I love to twist my hair in my fingers but I don't want to pull them. Twisting is a new habbit that isn't distructive but is still soothing to me Oh, and I told my crush, and he took it well and seems to have even forgotten about it I'm free of the embarassment and I pray to God this maybe helps some of you get there too!!

P.s. And the urges get smaller and smaller as time passes. After the first day or so it starts to get easier I promise, just value each day and count up to your first week of being pull-free, first month, etc. If you relapse, just try again, but at least try to make it a longer stretch next time.

hi - i'm new here. this might sound crazy, but knitting has helped me not pull as much. i know knitting isn't for everyone - i just learned last year and noticed that when i am knitting my hands are occupied and i pull less. i joked that i thought i liked knitting so much because it appealed to my obsessive compulsiveness, but i think there is truth in it. i like the repetitiveness of it and that kind of compares to pulling - for me, anyway. of course, once i put the knitting down it's a whole different story, but it is a good way to keep me busy.

thank u for the advice.... im a skin picker, etc.... so i feel very similar and it scares me. i am looking for guidance as well

Usually I keep my hair super short.

Last spring I felt wind in my hair for the first time in a long time. I had sort of accidentally let my hair get long enough.

Since then I've relapsed. But the thing which worked for me for long enough to get a few inches of hair was not having mirrors which were easy to look into. Just the dusty one over the dresser. lol

When I went back to an environment with more mirrors I realized how much the absence of the mirrors had helped me break the cycle.



(p.s., Hi. Obviously I'm new here. The last time I was active on a forum was on Fairlight, in case anyone recognizes that name.)

This is what helped me stop pulling out my eyelashes.

Wear an elasic band around your wrist. Not one for the hair, but an actual rubber one. it should sit loosely and not stop your blood supply to your hand. . .

then, whenever you find yourself reaching for the spot where you intend on pulling, stop yourself in the action, and quickly, lightly, snap your wrist by pulling on the elastic band.

believe me, don't do it too hard because it can sting like hell BUT IT WORKS.

Keep up the discipline, actually snapping the band EVERY SINGLE TIME and after a short while the learning process will kick in, and the sensation of pain at the wrist will be brought into context with pulling, and you will be less and less tempted to do it.

I heard about this technique about a year ago, and It really did help me. Before that, I tried things like plasters on my fingers...sitting on my hands...having nice nailvarnish etc. but nothing worked.


If you've tried it, and find it worked, please help spread the message as I am positively sure, this is one of the best "cures" for Trich.

Good luck.


P.S. Please, please, please don't turn this method into a hole "Self harm thing" that's not at all the point. A slight flick will absolutely do as it is just a brain training thing, not an actual physical thing you're trying to do.

The things that help me not pull my hair out as much:
- Crocheting
- Playing cards ie. solitaire
- Visiting my local library
- Taking a nap/sleep in the afternoon
- Getting a prescription from my doctor for OCD
- Calling my family members on the phone (talking about positive things)

I hope these things help someone else; don't feel guilty if you still pull. But just decrease the amount of times you are pulling, and say to yourself evertime that your are healed from this trichotillomania. I'm still in the process of overcoming trichotillomania - ttm.