One of the things we hear most often in the clinic from people suffering from trich is that they feel very alone, very isolated and very fearful. They are usually afraid that someone will find out about their pulling and they are burdened by the stress of guilt and shame. Most of the time, this only adds to their stress levels, which causes anxiety and an increased need to pull. Obviously, in order to stop pulling their hair out, they need to break this vicious cycle.
Many people find relief in some form of counseling. As we’ve mentioned in several other posts, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works especially well for some people with trich. For many people, simply telling their story and how trich has affected their lives allows them to release a HUGE burden – for this, support groups are wonderful.
If you live in a large city, you may be able to find a local support group where you can go in person. Here is a great resource to see if there is a support group in your area: http://www.trich.org/treatment/support-groups.html.
Going to an actual group can be a big stretch for many people and/or they don’t have the luxury of having a local support group, so online support groups can play a vital role. There are many support groups out there, so find one that works for you. Here are a couple to get you started:
http://trichotillomania.supportgroups.com/
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Trichotillomania-Hair-Pulling/support-group
http://www.mdjunction.com/trichotillomania-ttm
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TLCTrichSupport/
Check some of these out, read some of the posts and get involved to your comfort level. There are a LOT of people out there that know exactly what you are going through and just connecting with them may help ease some of your pain. It certainly won’t hurt.
There is a great quote that I have posted in my office – “True understanding is found through compassion.” Nowhere is this more true than with trich. Reach out and let yourself be supported.
