Triggering (SI) - Compulsive hair pulling?

06-05-2009, 05:34 AM

So I used to mess with my hair a lot, thinking it was always tangled and really making it worse by doing so. it drove everyone crazy. it eventually stopped as my ocd symptoms got less. but it's come back (as has many ocd symptoms). and i've heard there's an actual disorder for pulling your hair, trich or something. and i have pulled it out as SI, but now it's just cause it never seems combed. but i keep pulling my bangs out. in the hospital i had to braid my hair into tiny braids in the front so i wouldn't touch it. but it's not noticeable i don't think unless you actually see me doing it. so do you think this is something to be concerned about? I have so much else going on that i don't know if a little bit of hair pulling is a big deal, but i guess it could get out of control. anyone else deal with this?

Horizon · 06-05-2009, 05:48 AM

Yeah I pulled out all my eyebrows and eyelashes when I was 11, and was told I had Trichotillomania (compulsive hairpulling) stemming from anxiety. If you think it's beginning to become a problem, please get some help for it.

roiben · 06-05-2009, 01:58 PM

I get this when I am highly stressed or distraught.. I pull at/pull out my hair. Luckilly for me I have had people near by who have stopped me. However, it can cause damage if sustained over a long time (i.e bald patches of hair) so is worth raising with any dr or therapist that you see.

Roiben x

nuclearnight · 06-05-2009, 04:46 PM

I have no first hand experience with this, but my partner has done it for years. You're not alone.

lovelybones · 06-05-2009, 09:24 PM

Yes, I used to have trich reallyyy badly (ie, bald patches) and would pull from pretty much anywhere. it's definitely anxiety related. i'd seek help for it before it worsens. hang in there xx

plastic rose · 07-05-2009, 06:18 PM

I don't have personal experience of this but a girl I went to school with had the same problem. You're not alone.

Tuesday · 07-05-2009, 11:52 PM

I'm not like 'diagnosed' but i've done this a lot ever since I was 4. The only thing that helps me to not do it is to avoid looking in the mirror when I'm in a mood where I "need" to. Even though I do it really often, I don't really count it as a real problem, or as SI.

inblack · 08-05-2009, 01:50 AM

I've pulled out my hair since I was a kid. Sometimes I spend hours at a time doing it. Personally I am choosing to not seek any help for it, my therapist knows I do it but also knows I don't care to stop. I don't pull from my head though, so its not noticeable at all.

For me its never been a major issue, I enjoy it and like I said it isn't noticeable that I do it. I haven't had to use a shaver in years though, so thats a plus :p

Lately though I've wanted to pull hair from my boyfriend though and sometimes I do and it annoys him.

I don't think you need to be concerned but I don't know for sure. Really I don't believe its ever going to be life threatening or anything but it could cause appearance problems if you get bald spots on your head.