Everybody’s triggers for hair pulling are different. Some people pull their hair habitually without realising it when they are engaged in passive activity, others consciously pull their hair to relieve a sense of tension. Whatever your reasons for pulling, it is important to develop an awareness of these triggers as it enables you to act proactively to prevent or minimise the urges to pull rather than be reactive trying to resist the urge to pull.

The Trichotillomania Learning Centre recently hosted a webinar titled “Getting well is only half the job: Relapse prevention Strategies” with Dr. Fred Penzel. The reason this webinar is important is because body-focussed repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) such as trichotillomania are chronic conditions. This means that, while it is possible to live a pick free life, this does not mean you have been cured. There is no cure for trichotillomania, instead it is a condition that must be actively managed. Just like someone who has diabetes has to manage their condition for their whole lives, so too do people with trichotillomania need to manage their BFRB. In this webinar Dr. Penzel talks about the concept of relapse, challenging the semantics we use to refer to a setback in managing the disorder and that we should not be viewing relapse as a single event, but rather as a process.

Here is the final part of the three part webinar series by TLC (trich.org) on how to start a peer support group. In this webinar the discussion centres around the maintenance of the group once it has been established. Group processes generally go through different phases. As a group facilitator there are many issues you may have to deal with such as some members dominating discussion, or having the discussion steer off into other mental health issues. It is important that the group establishes some boundaries around the type of advice that can be given in the space. As the group leader it is imperative that you take control of the group for the benefit of the group as a whole. You will hear some great tips that you can use to help you with these aspects of running a peer support group:

We have been sharing the stories and experiences of many bloggers and Youtubers on our blog since the launch of this website, and BeckieO from Trichjournal has been a regular feature. But his latest video by of BeckieO shaving her head was one of the most heart wrenching videos to watch. For those who do not have a body-focussed repetitive behavior, one can never truly understand what it feels like to be compelled to engage in such destructive behaviors as pulling one's own hair out. But watching this video, one cannot help but feel the pain and anguish that BeckieO feels when she shaves her head.

Shaving to beat trich

We have raised the issue about shaving a couple of times on this blog, highlighting that shaving may be a saving solution for many trich sufferers but not for others. But this experience that BeckieO so courageously shared with us also shows that at different times on your journey of recovery, different strategies may be necessary.