hi everyone, i have probably been pulling for about 3 years now, but it has never gotten this bad until recently. I literally do not have eyebrows. i have to draw them on everyday with the little hair i have left. It is just really hard because no one really understands how serious this is. My mom even tells me to "just stop" as if i enjoy mutilating my face. i just started therapy so i'm sort of wondering if that is going to help. I just really want my eyebrows back and pretty eyelashes again. I just have this constant urge to pluck and it like i really want to but i don't at the same time. I hate myself for doing it, and i just cant take it for much longer. I just want someone to understand my pain and help me through it so that is how i found this website. plus there are no support groups in the current city i live in.
hugs and welcome to you! this is a great place to give and get support. Please keep us updated on how therapy goes for you. What have you tried so far to stop? what do you feel your triggers are?
@Aura82 ive tried to divert the urge to another action like biting my nails or snapping a bracelet on my wrist but nothing seemed to work. i have heard of some other ways that i’m going to try like putting vaseline on my eyebrows to make them harder to pull. I feel like my triggers are definitely stress and anxiety, especially about school. I hope that the therapy is going to make a big difference.
I've heard that one way people can try to counteract this behavior is to hold ice. It is a way to keep a person's hands occupied.
Therapy can be useful. Something that I've been doing a ton is wearing gloves all the time, even (especially) at work. I get self-conscious, so I tell people that I'm cold or that I'm trying to stop biting my nails. I've found my coworkers to be supportive when I tell them I'm trying to stop biting my nails (when it's actually because of my hair pulling). Sometimes, the replacements aren't enough - that's why I like wearing gloves. How are things going for you right now?
I'm a guy that is 21 and I've had it since I was probably 12-13. I have to hide it daily.... None of my friends know and I don't go to therapy... I just talk it out with my sister and lift weights to reduce the stress.
@Gymlover1994 It’s tough to handle hair pulling alone. It takes courage to reach out to someone and share with them, and that’s great that you can lean on your sister.