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Ripping out hair..

Ok so my hair does look normal on the face of it, but like the bottom layer is almost half as short as the rest of my hair [i have long-ish hair]. This is because i just seem to constantly rip out my split ends.. its getting to the stage now though where my hair is getting completely ruined and im getting slightly obsessive with it and i do it all the time.
Is there anything i can do to stop it- my willlpower is crap. and its getting to the point where people i live with notice how much i rip my hair out..
[No idea where to post this, didnt really think it was fashion related though..]

Reply 1

Draculara

4

well i know someone who pulls out her hair to the extent that she is bald apart from a few tufts. but i think it's a self harm kind of thing, she's pretty messed up. dont really know what my point is.... but, well it can become a compulsion so i would advise challenging yourself not to do it for a week. if you cant.... well i dont know maybe there is an underlying reason you are doing it.

Reply 2

Yum

It's a real condition, have a look here http://www.trichotillomania.co.uk/
And remember that most people who do this are highly intelligent, sensitive people. So it's not something that you cannot overcome.

Reply 3

scribble_girl

14

There's a name for that - Trictotillomania. I've probably messed up the spelling, sorry, but I thought you might want to know it exists :tongue:

From what you've said, I'm guessing you do it as an obsessive thing, but maybe a bit more when you're anxious/stressed?
Firstly, I would say, make sure you can't do it! Put your hair up or back, clip it, do nice things with it.
Then maybe offer yourself a treat 'i can go get my hair done somewhere nice if I don't do it for a month' or something...

I think you need to find better ways of expending this energy you get. Some people tap their fingers on tables (insanely annoying) rip away at the skin on their fingers (guilty, but eww) or other type things. Find something that suits you - maybe chewing gum, or something, when you feel the need to do something, or take up knitting (i know someone who did this to stop self harming) so you've something to do with your hands when you want to do it.

Hope it helps..

Reply 4

Jennybean

13

A compulsive need to pull out your hair/eyelashes/etc is called trichotillomania and can be triggered by a number of things but if you can't stop on your own it would be a good idea to talk to a counsellor to see if you can determine the psychological cause and break the cycle. Alternatively, if you want to do it on your own, like I did, every time you start to pull at your hair, stop and think about what's actually on your mind and try and distract yourself from that thought in an alternative way. If there is a cycle involved, eg you feel your hair, pull it out then look at it, try and break this cycle at any point you can, eg don't look once you've pulled out the hair, just throw it away, or whatever is applicable to the stage you're trying to break. But don't be ashamed to seek professional help, it's far more common than you might think. And in the meantime maybe have a haircut to even the lengths out? Good luck x

Reply 5

Raindroped

OP

Wow thanks everyone! I must admit, i didnt know it was so common. I think ill give it a go on my own- and if it doesn't work ill try other ways

Reply 6

Yum

Good luck. x

Reply 7

Misogynist

18

Just use 'Bed Head' Leave-in conditioner. Your split ends will vanish.

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

its something i sometimes do when i'm anxious/stressed, which i think can be a trigger for it, for me personally at least. maybe if you know what is making you feel like doing it you can focus on dealing with that and then you might find you do it less and less.
i don't know if this would work for you but i find it harder to pull my hair out when i have it tied up :smile:

also maybe getting your hair trimmed to get rid of the split ends might give you less temptation to pull?

Reply 9

The Guru

You should stop ripping or snapping your hair out, if you really need to get those split ends, then you should cut them close to the split ends and like
-Why- dude says use a conditioner to treat your hair. Also if you use straighteners and hair dryers, stop using them so often.

Reply 10

Anonymous #2

I do it too - it's like nail biting in other people! It doesn't mean we're mad in any way - it's a comfort thing.

Try these things...

wear gloves most of the time when watching TV/reading/sitting at your desk - for me it's the feel of the hair between my fingers

tuck your hair up into a hat/scarf when studying/sit in lectures - even if you look weird

hold soemthing in both hands in a lecture - both sides of the text book/a pen in one hand and your bag handles in the other

cover your hands in hand cream/nail varnish when you relax on your favorite chair

go to the hair dressers and get it cut short - most people find that once the hair gets to a particular length they start again..like mine is now..i know I'm ready for a haircut cos I'm doing it again

get some worry beads or something similar

do the "elastic band on the wrist" thing - you ping it tight against your wrist when you catch yourself doing it and it gives you a little bit of safe negative feeback

stand up a lot more - most people only do it sitting down

if you do it in class ask a friend to tell you not to do it when she spots you - and tell her you'll be ratty with her but to continue pointing it out

I haven't tried all of these - for me the scarf and short hair worked and now I only do it if I'm tired. It was never stress related - more like thumb sucking!

Reply 11

shewantstobeme

10

get your hair cut regularly so you don't have split ends :smile:

Reply 12

Rouge

lara400

well i know someone who pulls out her hair to the extent that she is bald apart from a few tufts. but i think it's a self harm kind of thing, she's pretty messed up. dont really know what my point is.... but, well it can become a compulsion so i would advise challenging yourself not to do it for a week. if you cant.... well i dont know maybe there is an underlying reason you are doing it.

omg aare you serious? how can you pull out that much hair? surely your scalp would be completely damaged?

Reply 13

herbal bug

12

Ok so my hair does look normal on the face of it, but like the bottom layer is almost half as short as the rest of my hair [i have long-ish hair]. This is because i just seem to constantly rip out my split ends.. its getting to the stage now though where my hair is getting completely ruined and im getting slightly obsessive with it and i do it all the time.
Is there anything i can do to stop it- my willlpower is crap. and its getting to the point where people i live with notice how much i rip my hair out.. 
[No idea where to post this, didnt really think it was fashion related though..]

okay. well i have trichotillomania and it is found that 1/10 people have it. i have gone to the doctor and apart from seeing a counsillor, theres not much he can do for me. what my advice is as its working for me, is get your friends and family to keep an eye on you. its not stupid, as your hair after a certain time wont grow back. im sure they wont mind. often do something with your hands, like those stress balls or something. i use marbles. just fiddle with them in my hands. annoys some people, but those who know me understand.

hope this helps
xxx

Reply 14

--phantoms_masked_rose--

Yes, it is called TRICHOTILLOMANIA and i have it too, i used to hair down to my actually past my shoulders and i startd pulling out my hair, one by one, until it went full blast and was pulling out clumps, i was teased becuase f my hair and my principal always hated when i wore a hat. But when my real freinds helped me thru it i felt better, and theyy said i shouldnt feel bad about myself becuase alot of ppl have it. I got it shortly after my dad died, i was so stressed ut that i would lock myself in my room and pull out my hair. My mom took me to a phcyciastrist and phycologist to help me and i was put on all these medicines. Its is an OCd (obsessive compulsive disorder) and it is also under the catagory of self harm or inflictin. I have been going to the doctor for almost 3 years now and i ahvent ulled my hair out for almoost 7 months. Its getting really long too, im able to put my hair up again. I hate to think of those days when i was almost totaly bald. And how i was teased.
If you think its getting worse. GET HELP!. Tell your mom. or dad i hope they listen

Reply 15

Yellowmarshmellow

I do the exact same thing and am getting bald patches plus i straighten my hair which makes it even thinner and split endish :frown:

Ripping out hair..

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