One of the great things about social media is that everyone’s story can be told – including people who suffer from trichotillomania.
One story can be seen on YouTube. A woman named “friedamour” talks about her struggles to stop pulling hair out in a series of videos.
It’s reassuring to know you’re not alone – but Friedamour’s videos also show how difficult it is for people to overcome this condition. In the first video, she talks about how she’s on the road to recovery. By the fourth video, she’s pulling again.
Think you’re all alone with trichotillomania? Think again.
For Friedamour’s first trichotillomania video, there were over 20,838 views. And there were plenty of comments too, such as:
“I‘ve had it for 6 years, its really hard to deal with.? feeling like your so different, having people talk about you constantly, not being able to live your life normally because your always trying to cover it up the worst of it all though, its hard feeling like your alone even thought were not. its depressing actually.”
And
“How are u recovering from it? Ive had problems with this for a long time.what type do you have? .i dont really have anybody I can talk to abt it..so it gets depressing? sometimes..besides other issues i have..Im not sure what my options are..it can be quite embarrassing.”
Comments like these show that trichotillomania sufferers are not alone, but they certainly do feel lonely. It’s sad that our society overlooks this condition – despite the fact that 1-4% of the population are unable to stop pulling hair out.
Friedamour’s story has definitely touched people. Here’s why.
Her attempts to stop pulling hair out
In the first video, Friedamour tells us she’s been struggling with trichotillomania for six years. She talks about not being able to stop pulling hair out when she was younger – middle school being the worst.
People would ask her why she couldn’t control herself… why did she mutilate herself? She would simply go home and cry. She hated it.
Friedamour explains that it’s not that easy to stop pulling hair out– that it’s like an alcoholic being deprived a drink. She has gone to therapy, which we assume is cognitive behavior therapy, and she’d like to think she’s cured, but she’s not.
By her fourth video, she admits that she’s pulling again.
How do we get the word to friedamour that it’s a neurotransmitter imbalance?
Too often, trichotillomania sufferers don’t understand that the compulsion to pull is actually the result of a neurotransmitter imbalance. Cognitive therapy works, but only when the underlying need to pull is eliminated.
The work we’ve done has helped people to stop pulling hair out. We need your help to spread to word to brave souls like friedamour that there is a way to beat trichotillomania.
