I am thrilled to find this forum--i just stumbled upon this in the course of reading up on depression. a forum like this, lost in time, was the catalyst for me getting control of my trich and other undesirable behavior specifically, chewing on the back of my hand. I stumbled upon that forum, too, about 15-18 years ago. I was stunned to read about the hundreds of other people around the world who were also struggling with this. i was not even in the category of the worst afflicted. People had so much empathy. They shared so much with me, a total stranger, and it was the beginning of gaining the upper hand on the trich, etc., which I had lived with since I was six or seven (I am now 65). So this had been a lifelong affliction for me. I was exhausted and so discouraged. And then the forum............I learned so much, I got into serious therapy with a doc who specialized in psychopharm and I took zoloft for many years. I became extremely mindful of the behaviors so that every time I indulged I was making a choice. I was taught and integrated into my life, cognitive behavioral therapy. I continued to talk with people on the forum until I drifted away and it disappeared.

It has been about 8 years now that i have been well. occasionally when life starts to overwhelm, i will find myself chewing on my hand or searching for that perfectly pullable hair, but that is pretty rare and I stop the minute I notice. Those urges that once controlled me seem to have evaporated.

IT ALL STARTED WITH A COMMUNITY OF FELLOW SUFFERERS. IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS FORUM, START TO FOLLOW IT AND JUMP IN WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT. THERE IS POWER HERE FOR YOU TO HARNESS. THE BEST OF LUCK. YOU WILL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU GET ON TOP OF THIS.