2 Months Pull-Free; My Tips

I am 20 years old and I have just passed the two-month mark of being pull-free. I have dealt with trich since I was 10 and it has become a big part of my life.

Here is what helps me: staying busy, not allowing myself to touch my hair once it is styled, deep breaths when anxiety hits, anxiety medication at night (very helpful for me), a hair tie or something to play with while I watch movies or have down time, lots of hairspray to lock in springy strands, and constantly being around other people (I am to embarrassed to pull in public). If you are having a bad pulling streak, pull from a spot that is very sensitive and hurts the most. This tends to make me more aware of when I am doing it and makes me feel less motivated to continue. I once got a pixie cut when my new hairs (in a few spots) started growing in and were about three inches long. I really liked it and it helped me feel more confident and like I had a fresh start.

I found that my pulling was at its worst when I had anxiety, depression, a bad day, I was lonely, I couldn't sleep, i was hungry, and when I was angry. If you're a parent reading this and you believe that your child has trich, don't shame them. It's not a "bad habit" it's a disorder. My parents would constantly get on me about my pulling and so I would wait until I was at school to pull. I figured that no one would stop me there. But I was THAT weird kid. I was picked on. I would stay up all night alone and pull. Anything to avoid my parents. It really pushes your kids away when you ridicule them for pulling. Try to address the underlying problems your child may be experiencing and offer them tactile toys like finger traps, play doh, and hair ties when they get the urge to pull.

I come to this site a lot. Almost every day. It's very essential to stay in the loop when you're in a pulling rut. If you're reading this and you feel frustrated and confused and scared, please believe that it gets better. I wote my story on here a few years back when I was at one of my lowest points. Someone replied to my post and encouraged me to keep me head up. Someone out there cared. Thank you. I look at that post every time I think about pulling. Trich is something I'm prepared to deal with on a daily basis for the rest of my life and I think that's the exact mentality that keeps me going. Sorry for the chapter book of a post. Have a good day!