It's been a while once again. Work and life have been running my life but for the first time in a while I have a free morning. Things are going fairly well and I'm currently 16 weeks pregnant (we think with a boy). I'm very excited and terrified and exhausted although I am incredibly lucky not to have suffered from morning sickness to date.
As for trich, well, that's another story. My eyebrows remain all but non-existent and my eyelashes are recovering from some damage I did a few weeks ago (the bottom remain fine but the top are spotty and thin). I look at my friends with their newborn photos on FB and pray that I can pull it together by the time the baby comes as those pictures will be just as important, if not more, than my wedding pictures last year. It's hard to be optimistic knowing my history.
For a few weeks I had tried knitting at night and to be honest that did seem to be helping. It didnt stop the pulling all together but it did seem to get a little better. I know that most of my pulling happens at night so I'm trying to change some habits and stop touching my face (although I barely realize I'm doing it before its too late). I'm still hoping for that magic cure which isnt coming and the summer is, as always, tough since it feels so much harder to hide my drawn on eyebrows. I did find a good waterproof eyebrow liner from sephora that helps with swimming and sweating. Other than that, life is status quo and just trying to adjust to the idea that our lives will be so different in January but so so grateful that all has gone well!
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Hi! I just discovered your blog after googling for some trich support groups or something and not finding anything (except stuff that seemed to require that I have a yahoo email account). I have had this disorder since around grade 5, and I'm 27 now, and I want it to end. I want my freaking eyelashes and eyebrows!! Why do we destroy our looks like this, when we know how much better we look and feel with all our hair?
ReplyDeleteMAYBE one day we will stop pulling completely!!!
Right...? Apparently some people do recover fully -- maybe this last bad episode will be the LAST bad episode.
Here are some tips I've found sometimes help:
- don't touch my face, and notice when I'm doing it (like you said)
- dig my fingernails into my fingers or arms and try to let that pain take over
- notice as often as I can (even when I'm not having the urge to pull) when i have tension in my muscles, especially my shoulders and arms; then breathe deeply and slowly, trying to lower my shoulders
- if I have to touch my eyelashes, do so with the back of my hand, not my fingers
- bite my fingers
Sigh..... any other tips you've got that help??
It's been a few weeks now of no pulling (I'm growing my eyelashes back out and I'm about 50% there... a huge feat for me) and as we all know, it can all be destroyed in a minute.
I am single but I met a cool guy recently and I know I will not be comfortable getting close to him if I lose my eyelashes and eyebrows!!
Please, let this be recovery....
Hi Kimberly,
ReplyDeleteI was excited to see that you posted an update. Congrats on your soon to be venture into Motherhood. I have been pulling my eyebrows, eyelashes and hair on my body for many years. I seem to have my "good" times where I'm NOT plucking or pulling my hairs. Eyelashes, eyebrows grow back. But then something happens, a trigger, I'm not sure; And I'm back to plucking, pulling & picking again. One thing I wanted to tell you is .. be gentle with yourself as you raise your child. Don't feel embarrassed or hide it from your child. As they get older, the questions will come. Stay strong, answer their questions. Both my children know about my Trichotillomania and it is a symptom which developed in my childhood as I am a victim of incest. Your child(ren) will still love you and think you are beautiful. You can visit my page to learn more about me
http://tomorrowsrainbow.blogspot.com/2013/01/coming-to-terms-with-truth.html
Blessings to you and your family.
Hi Kimberly and everyone out there who has trich who is reading this,
ReplyDeleteI hope you are having a pull-free day today! One thing good that has come from having trich is that I have compassion and sympathy for a group of people I otherwise would not have known about. My heart goes out to everyone who suffers from pulling their hair out because I know just how you feel. I hope we all can overcome this trial in our lives, but more importantly, I hope we can learn from it and I hope that this weakness will be turned into a strength somehow. I think we all need to be patient and gentle with ourselves like the last comment said. Hang in there! You are not alone! It is a new month, and I always try to see how long I can go each month without pulling. Anyone wanting to join me? I will report from right now how long I make it. Have a great day and smile!
Your friend and sister,
Heidi
So I almost made it a full day! Wish I could report that it was longer... that is where the patience comes in!
ReplyDeleteHeidi
Hi Kimberly, thank you for your post. Hang in there you can do this. I think it's great that you started knitting at night. Maybe set a reminder for yourself to knit. Then set a goal of finishing a knitting project by a certain date (maybe baby booties and hat). And avoid areas of your home that relax you to the point of wanting to pull. For me it's sitting on the couch in front of the television. Either way, you can do it. Tomorrow's a new day :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the baby!
Blessings,
India
Hi Kimberly! I'm Heather and I have a quick question regarding your blog! Please email me at Lifesabanquet1(at)gmail(dot)com :-)
ReplyDeleteHi, I would recommend (I know this sounds dumb) to no use your room for anything else but sleeping. That way you can be busy but not alone with the urge to pull. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you ever come back to this blog? I know with a baby you are undoubtedly very busy, but I just found you and would appreciate any advice you could give me for my 6yo daughter with severe trich... TIA!
Hi Debbi- I would be happy to speak to you. Please feel free to email me at kimberly.trich.blog@gmail.com. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHow many people in your discussion group?
ReplyDeleteHey guys! I am new, but I have been pulling hair for about a year and a half or two years. I have notice significant hair loss, and 2 or 3 bald spots... It all started when my dad died. I got worse when about 9 months later, my grandmother passed as well it has become so urgent, and needed that it feels impossible to stop myself. I really don't know what to do. I've tried cutting myself when I did it but we all know how bad of an idea that was. My mom noticed and I said my dog and I were wrestling. I am about to go into high school and I know how mean kids can be. Imagine if a was bald in, let's say, sophomore or junior year. I don't know what I would do. I am always really upset now, and angry at myself, and I don't know what I am supposed to do to stop. I don't want to tell my mom, and I haven't told anyone else either. I just don't know why. What should I do? Please help me.
ReplyDeleteEmily:)