Hair Pulling and Biting Support Thread

[Dana]

This is a rather embarrassing post for me, but I figure I might as well ask for advice rather than living silently with it! I might even find others who do this or have overcome it!

I have a really bad habit of constantly pulling on my hair, and often tugging at it or twisting it, pulling out individual hairs, and biting on the hairs. These hairs can get stuck in my teeth, which I then need to floss out.

This habit started off in late high school when I became obsessed with split ends. I would start searching for hairs with split ends, and then I would bite them off. This habit then progressed to searching for the different-feeling hairs (kind of crimpy or rough) and then plucking them out of my head. Since I was already in the habit, I would then bite away the rougher end of the hair before discarding the hair.

Part of my problem is that I fidget. A lot. Even if one hand is free, the free hand starts roaming over my scalp, looking for those rogue hairs.

Keeping my hair up helps a little, but not much - I will tug a strand loose to twist, or continue with the habit since my scalp is free.

I have sometimes been able to consciously stop myself from biting the hair, but I still tug the hair out (a few times I've been able to stop myself from pulling it out, but not doing so is unnerving).

My only relief from this is to use both of my hands. Typing, knitting, cooking, etc will all stop me, but as long as one hand is free, it's sneaking back up to my scalp.

Anyway, that is my dirty little secret. Does anyone have suggestions on how to help?

[adiapalic]

I'm not a psychologist or anything, but this sounds like a mild case of trichotillomania--basically repetitive pulling of one's own hair. My sister had an ex-boyfriend who would pull at his eyebrow hairs, leaving little bald places. It was barely noticeable, because he already had really light blond eyebrows, but I think he had the same impulses.

Since it's relatively mild, the best way to reduce a habit like this one is to redirect this impulse to something else, I think you're onto something by occupying your hands with knitting or cooking. :)

[tinti]

I do, very rarely. Say if I'm brushing my hair before going to bet, I feel a hair with a little knot or that's split or whatever it is, I can't see theese little things since I only have 5% vision, but anyways, when I feel a hair that is sorta knotted or has a bump on it I pull it off from the rest of the hair. Kind of stupid to be that perfectionistic, but I can't help it. And I guess iti isn't good for the hair either.

[Dana]

Oddly enough my half-sister used to pull her hair out, and very badly, to where one side of her head had coarser hair than the other.

Her behavior showed up earlier than mine, even though she is 9 years younger!

I was thinking about trying a hair covering so that there is a barrier to stop my wandering hand. Of course I wouldn't want to wear it at work, but it might help for at home! If I could just find something I liked and I couldn't slip my hair under (a bandanna would still offer easy access!).

[McFearless]

I am also constantly touching my scalp and hair...feeling for hair that is coarse. Now I've taken to wearing a scarf on my head to stop myself from doing any damage. I still run my hands over the scarf and that gets rid of the urge to touch.

Have you looked into therapy? I can't offer any advice in that area but I wish you well. xo

[Capybara]

I'm sorry I don't have very useful advice, but I wanted to encourage keeping your hands - and mind - busy. Also, putting your hair in an up-do, if possible, might help :)

[shyone]

I am glad to have found this thread.I have trichotillomania.As a kid I had it but it returned recently and quite badly too.I wear a Christian headcovering which helps and gloves in situtations that generally tempt me.

[Dana]

ShyOne, I'm glad that has worked for you!! I haven't found much that has worked for me, aside from shaving my hair off! :(

[loralie]

It's a nervous habit, for sure. I recently quit chewing my nails after 17 years of doing so, every single day, until my fingers were raw and bled.

It's a combination of determination and distraction. Figure out when the worst times are that you do it, and get something to occupy your hands. For instance, when I watched tv it was the worst, I didn't even realize I was doing it. So, I always kept my hands busy when watching tv. Holding a stressball in each hand, crocheting, putting on handcream constantly really helped too- greasy hands are hard to do anything with!

Now, I don't even feel the urge to bite anymore. I can sit still and not chew. It's really hard but you can do it! Try putting lots of handcream on your hands, as this may deter you from putting it in your hair and getting it all greasy.

Good luck! I'm so sorry you're struggling with it!

[shyone]

I used to bite my nails for years but managed to give it up in my teens and haven't looked back.:)

[embee]

Good luck with this. I quit biting my fingernails years ago, and don't even remember how I quit. Haven't done it in years, just the thought is gross now.

Keeping your hands busy is good. The handcream idea is good. Sounds like you're sitting down quietly when this happens, so maybe every time you feel the urge coming, get up and do some other thing - wash dishes, walk, vacuum, sweep, do some exercise routine?

[shyone]

ShyOne, I'm glad that has worked for you!! I haven't found much that has worked for me, aside from shaving my hair off! :(

Dana I am sorry to hear that!! I'm doing CBT for it.It hasn't vanished just eased but even then it makes me feel :cheese:.

[shyone]

Keeping your hands busy is good. The handcream idea is good. Sounds like you're sitting down quietly when this happens, so maybe every time you feel the urge coming, get up and do some other thing - wash dishes, walk, vacuum, sweep, do some exercise routine?

Sitting with busy hands really helps- cross stitch, knitting, embroidery, a stressball all help.

[shyone]

Dana I am sorry to hear that!! I'm doing CBT for it.It hasn't vanished just eased but even then it makes me feel :cheese:.

Oops.Excuse my poor grammer.I mean to stay that the hair pulling has eased off a little for me and that makes me feel :cheese:.

[Dana]

Loralie, thanks very much for your suggestions, I will try that too. I tend to keep knitting with me while watching TV. It's at work and if only one had is occupied (like reading LHC, using my right hand to click and scroll through posts).

Silly as it sounds, I might try sitting on my other hand!

Edited to Add: I am about to buy some resistance bands to work out with - that might help me keep my hands busy! :)

[shyone]

Silly as it sounds, I might try sitting on my other hand!

Tryed that in the past.It reminded me why I was sitting on my hand and made me focus on the desire more.A no-no for me.

[shyone]

Tryed that in the past.It reminded me why I was sitting on my hand and made me focus on the desire more.A no-no for me.

Tried, sorry not "tryed".:rolleyes:

[Juneii]

try getting some little puzzles to busy your hand with. Have you tried putting your hair up? maybe if it is up and out of the way you won't notice it and eventually you will break the habit :)

[Dana]

ShyOne, I knew what you meant. :)

And I did try putting my hair up, but I will still tug locks out of the updo!

[Darkhorse1]

This sounds like a psychological condition--someone named it here. See your doctor and they may be able to prescribe a medication that will make you feel less likely to pull out your hair.

A friend of mine suffers from this, but she plucks her facial hair--eyelashes, eyebrows...it's hard to understand, but true friends and family will be supportive of you.

Hugs!!

[Scottish Lass]

I suffer from trichotillomania, i started when i was quite young my family never understood, i was constantly getting shouted at for pulling but most of the time i wasn't aware i was doing it (my family now understand i can't help it but i think a part of them still thinks oh why can't you just stop) i go through stages where i suffer worse than others ie stress/worries etc, i have no eyebrows, and small bald patches in my hair which i can hide relatively well.

Like you i have no real idea's as to how to control the urge, tried the whole hair up lark and i just pull strands anyway, hat's/scarves for me are just a pain.

I am in the uk and we had a programme on channel 4 here called girls on the pull,it was about this condition and it followed 3 girls dealing with trich, was quite informative, one of the girls had quite severe hair loss from pulling and they attached a weave like hair piece over the area which they made basically impossible for her to get underneath and after 6 (?) months they took it off and you could see new growth underneath, i think this condition from what i have read is not really 'curable' but more about learning to control impulse, how to do that though i have no idea :(

[minaa]

I really don't know if medication is the right call for this kind of impulse--finding ways to control the impulses or therapy seem like they would be more successful. Is there any sort of stressor that may worsen this sort of impulse? I pick at my face when I'm really stressed/depressed, which doesn't help my self-esteem at those times. :o

Knitting is great for needing to do something with both hands! I'd think busying yourself with a task that gives tactile feedback would be a great help. Maybe wearing headscarves would help, too, and they can be very pretty.

[Dana]

Thanks everyone! :)

And yes, it is partially the tactile sensation that I crave. So maybe I can get something that feels nobbly or rough (like a stiff hairbrush, but just the "hairs" or maybe some funky yarn), and run my fingers through that, assuming I can catch myself before I reach for my scalp!

I do pull more when I am stressed or bored. It isn't bad enough to thin my hair, and I don't do it in one spot, it seems to be all over my head.

I will research that condition some more, thanks very much for the name!

[Dana]

I found this great PDF for tips on how to see if self-treating might work:
http://www.trich.org/dnld/HelpYourself.pdf

It helps you classify why and what you tug on. I am definitely a "fiddler" and it recommends a few things to keep around to tug/feel instead of hair (koosh ball, worry beads, pipe cleaners, twine, etc).

My hands also have a mind of their own, they recommend wearing light gloves, or putting tape or bandages on your fingertips.

[chrissy-b]

I do this too. I've had trich since I was about six years old. I've had to shave my head a couple of times when it got really bad. I've tried many different medications (mostly antidepressants and tranquillizers) but they never helped. There are times that it is really bad (when I'm stressed or really tired) but I've been able to stop with the help of Chinese herbal formulas.

The two formulas I take are Gan Mai Da Zao Pian and Jia Wei Xiao Yao Pian. That along with quitting smoking has helped me greatly.

Also, there is a thread HERE (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=4854) where you'll find others on this forum who haven't yet posted in this thread.

Hope that helps! :flower:

[Dana]

Chrissy, where do you think I can try some of those herbs? Or is it best to buy them online, you think?

Thanks so much for the other thread! I didn't think to search for that title, since I didn't now it had a name! :)

I feel a ton better knowing that others do this too!

[chrissy-b]

Chrissy, where do you think I can try some of those herbs? Or is it best to buy them online, you think?

Thanks so much for the other thread! I didn't think to search for that title, since I didn't now it had a name! :)

I feel a ton better knowing that others do this too!

So sorry it took me so long to reply to this. I always forget to check the threads I posted in. :o

Yes, you can buy them online. Chinese herbs are a little on the pricey side -- about $7 for a ten day supply but for me, it's worth it.

While I know both of these formulas are safe, it would be ideal if you could see an acupuncturist because they can mix a formula for you specifically that may work better. Luckily for me, these worked fine so I can buy them online in bulk. If you do a google search, you'll find many sites that sell them and can find the cheapest. Plum Flower is a well-known, safe brand.

Also, there is an amino acid called n-acetylcysteine that I know has worked for others with trich. It helped me somewhat, and there have been studies on its effectiveness. Just something else to consider.