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Trichotillomania's a Strange Word, BUT!
So, I have dealt with trich for pretty much as long as I can remember. I started pulling my lashes, but escalated to both eyelashes and brows. I remember being so afraid that my mom or dad would see my sparse patches. They meant well, but they would be looking in a way that made me feel so uncomfortable.
Looking back, we both just didn't know what was going on. Now, I am very open about trich, I have no qualms about telling people I have it.
I feel like the more open I am about trichotillomania, and my LONG adversary with depression, maybe I can reach inspire someone that has struggled with it internally to reach out or try to change it.
Obviously, I know that you cannot, in any way shape or form, turn it off. However, I will never forget the internal dialouge with myself when I realized I didn't have to continue to suffer inside. Right then and there I had the ability to make improvements. I didn't HAVE to feel like I was fighting a fight...a war, with no army, and no tools to combat...I could take control.
Granted, I still battle with my long time adversaries, Trich and Depression, but I am in a MUCH more positive place than I was previously.
I learned, to be mindfully aware and ever present. I learned the amazing power of radical acceptance. I learned that I am a truly unique and limitless human being, and that NORMAL is BORING.
So, in my 30th year, I realized that I have a pretty good handle on trichotillomania...NO I AM NOT pull free. In fact, I am pretty lashless and browless as I write this. But!
I. Don't CARE. Not in a way of being ambivalent, but in a way where I live in ultimate acceptance. I can cope. I became a lash and makeup afficianado. I learned how to be a BOSS with a dumb "disorder" like trichotillomania.
So, I recently decided that maybe other people out there can get something out of what I have to offer up. And my new project-baby, PullingTHRU was born.
I would be honored if you, too, wanted to share with me the journey of trichotillomania....
Because we are AWESOME.
Hi lynseypullingthru!
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. And your blog is really beautiful. Well done!
I cannot say I know what it is like to struggle with trichotillomania as I have never had to deal with this myself, but having heard the struggles of clients who have joined our therapy program for almost 2 years now, I do recognize your struggle. What always amazes me most about my clients is the amount of strength and resilience they show through the program (even though they may feel differently!) but what you describe here about your sense of acceptance that yes you have this disorder and that's okay you will manage it to the best of your ability - that really resonates with me in that I have seen the clients that have had the most success with our therapy program have had those same revelations.
I would love to contact you about possible doing a guest blog post on your experience and to introduce your blog to our readers. If you are interested please contact us via the contact form on this website with the subject 'guest blog post' and indicate that you are interested in guest blogging as per my request and for them to please forward me your email.
Thanks again!