I find sometimes that I can "feel" or otherwise have a sensation of specific lashes bothering me, especially when I blink (as in, not necessarily while I am touching or in some way inspecting my lashes with my fingers). I end up pulling my eyelashes until I can find the one that I "feel" and pull it out. Then, often times, I can stop. It's like when you feel an itch and are trying to scratch it, and when you find exactly where you are itching and scratch a bit, you feel better, and can stop scratching.

It's a sensation that is difficult to describe, especially when I try to explain to my boyfriend what this condition is like. He's very understanding, but he still does have trouble REALLY understanding it. But so does everyone. Not even many doctors really understand, which is part of the reason it's so hard to treat, I suppose.

I sometimes try to use the antipsychotic my psychiatrist prescribed me on an "as-needed" basis to help with agitation as a result of bipolar mood swings to help calm down my urge to pull. I'm not sure if it's really helping much, but I do think it may do a little something, especially when I'm pulling at night - if I take seroquel before going to bed, I think maybe it helps me calm down enough to get to sleep without pulling as much.

Does anyone else have any good management or treatment methods that they find help with trichotillomania?

Also, on a side note, I've just been diagnosed with lupus. I'm sure both the stress of of the condition itself as well as the medications for it probably make it even harder to manage my psychiatric conditions (trich, BPD, mild OCD, etc.).

And for more context, I pull my eyelashes, eyebrows, and scalp hair. For many years it was just my lashes and brows, but now I also pull my hair.