HIH or Trichotillomania?

[drmuffin]

Hello lovelies!

I know I haven't posted in a while, and now is the perfect time to ask this question before it gets out of hand.

Ok, so I know I have a very bad case of Hand in Hair "disease" but with recent realization of my actions, I might be convinced that its something worse.

My fro is at the point that I'm getting these terrible SSKs and its driving me nuts. And every time I feel one I just feel the need to pull it out instead of cutting like I'm supposed to. Go ahead, smack me on the hand and say "bad drmuffin!" But I'm going to find my shears and start cutting. But it's also very bad especially during down time like my conference periods, like right now, and I just start pulling away at my hair. I want to stop so bad but I can't help it!

Also, I've been doing this since 6th grade (I remember when it actually started) and I'm still doing it: I pluck out my eyelashes. I had an eyelash pulling episode last night in fact. It's usually right before bed or whenever I'm bored.

So is the part about my fro just normal ol HIH or with the conjuction of my eyelash pulling, could I have trichotillomania (the hair pulling disease)? As always advice is greatly appreciated!

ETA: I have definitely upped my moisture to help combat the SSKs

 

[Vshanell]

It definitely sounds like trich. I think most of HIH are trich as well, we just have a different term for it here. Cases can go from very mild to severe. I've had it for as long as I can remember.

 

[PPGbubbles]

you just sound a lil hair obssesed. I would worry when you start seeing bald patches

 

[destine2grow]

You sound like me and I believe I may have trich because the hair in that hair will break of serious and I would be almost bald in that area. I am trying really hard not to do it. I have definitely gotten better but I notice I only do this in the back the most.

 

[TurquoizBlue]

I wrote a research paper on this a while ago. You may be dealing with trich.

http://www.trich.org/

 

[Wanderland]

It sounds like trich.

I know I have trich. It started when I was around 12, gets worse with stress, and has gotten better with age. I used to have a bald/thin patch on my edges, then I moved my focus to the back of my head. I now I don't pull the hairs out as much but will still occasionally do it and try to keep my hair up and away from my hands.
Trich is my biggest hair enemy. I think the constant rubbing causes weathering and breakage.

 

[Opalsunset]

Defintenly sounds like trich to me too...

I have it, It also started for me around 10 or 11 and I have been dealing with it ever since...I have a bald spot on my edges right now, and I had one in the back, it is starting to grow in but I noticed when im really stressed out (like midterms, finals etc.) I go pulling crazy...even when im calm and just on the computer or reading - I get the urge too. It makes it so difficult to grow my hair the way I want to. Sometimes I feel like shaving all of my hair off and starting over, because my hair is so uneven because of it. It's a curse.