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Hi till i was 33 i was sure i was the only one in the world that pulled out my hair. Then i got the internet and one day typed ''pulling out your hair". I remember my jaw dropping. I was so shocked to realize that there was a name for it and that there were others out there that did the same thing. Im 53 now .i shave my hair off and wear
wigs. Much less stress for me.
I have just stumbled across this site.
I am from Gold Coast, Australia.
I have had Trichotillomania since I was around 13yo. I am not sure what started it. I am now mid 50's. I am sure I have this for life.
I also chew finger nails and pick at skin around nails.
I can remember one kid in primary school who had pulled out all his eye brows - obviously had it too.
I go for certain places in my head and find the wirey ones and then the urge to pull them out is enormous. I have long been aware it is OCD/ anxiety related. I have tried SSRI Zoloft but it is not much help. These days I do not do these behaviours at work but only when I am alone - in front of TV, or on computer looking at things. I sweep my hair up so no little bald spots can be seen.
Amazing that 1 percent of the population has a form of this disorder.
I am a nurse and see my patient doing the hair twirling behaviours and I often ask them if they ever pull out their hair too.
It's common - we're not freaks lol