The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
As part of my recovery I have been working on loving myself and not feeling ashamed of myself. I have a disorder called trichotillomania, trich for short. I pull out my eyelashes until I have none left. Some people with this disorder pull from their scalp as well but I am a lash puller. I feel like this is a safe place for me to talk about this. I don't think I'll ever be able to stop pulling but it has helped my self esteem tremendously to begin to talk about this with others. I have learned to make eye contact without thinking that the person looking at me must think I'm a freak. I'm still working on it, I have a long way to go. I am hoping that if I can completely love and accept myself then the urge to pull will go away as I become healthier. I am open to any questions or discussion on this topic.
I no more could pronounce that word than the man in the moon. However I came into Al-Anon with problems wider than just enabling and the program has helped me free myself of a big bunch of them. Keep coming back and if pulling your eyelashes out doesn't solve a problem...Don't. They keep dust and dirt and rocks and all kinds of stuff out of your eyes.
You are not alone. My 20 year old AD (still living at home with me) also pulls her lashes out when extremely stressed.
She recognizes it, and has gotten a lot better about opening up and talking when she's frustrated/stressed, and that seems to help a lot in her not pulling out her lashes.
((((hugs))))
__________________
"If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience." - Woodrow Wilson
Yes this is a good place to come. To love yourself, be honest, and get lots of support.
Yes, I have heard of Trich. It took awhile to figure it out with my oldest son who pulls his eyebrows out. It began around three/four years old for him. I thought he could control it. Much later I received the info. I tried the Callahan method with him. He just didn't think anything would work so he didn't stick with it. He pulls more when under stress. When he went in combat (he was in the military) he really pulled. I didn't know anyone else that did this until my son's cousin said that she pulled her eyebrows but has tatooed them on. I know it bothers him. I wish I had been more supportive. Have you googled it? There is a national organization for Trich.
I have done lots of research about this disorder. I find it somewhat comforting that others outside of my trich circle know what I'm talking about and have people in their lives that deal with this. I have tried so hard and in so many different ways to stop pulling. I also started very young, before I can remember. My goal right now is to accept this for what it is. I have learned that simply stopping is not an option so I have decided to work from the inside out. I hope that those of you with trichsters in your life will be supportive of them and not judge them. Please believe when I say that I would stop if I could and the vast majority of people with trich feel the same way.
I'm a trichster too. Have been for 34 years. I didn't have a name for it the first 12 years, but I was aware I was doing it and have always used behavior modification techniques to harness it when it gets out of control. It's stress-related for me ......... although sometimes I suspect that it might be related to my diet as well (when I'm low in iron). I'm a scalp-puller.
Except for the stress part, it's totally unrelated to my AH's behavior.
Thanks for giving me this opportunity to share. Soon enough, maybe I'll post. I do appreciate everyone's input on so many levels.
