Trichotillomania: Living with the Uncontrollable Urge to Pull Out Hair
Trichotillomania is a condition that affects millions of Americans. It is a disorder that causes individuals to have an uncontrollable urge to pull out their hair. This disorder can affect anyone, from regular people to celebrities like comedian Amy Schumer. It is a disorder that can change someone’s life forever.
Barbara Lally is one of the individuals who live with trichotillomania. She has been “pulling” since she was 10 years old. “I could be in the mirror pulling, and then two hours go by, and it feels like two minutes. You just cannot, you know, it’s really hard to snap out of. I went from zero to 100. Like, once the eyebrows were done, the eyelashes,” said Lally.
Trichotillomania is more common than many people think. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that six in 1,000 people could develop this disorder in their lifetime.
Lally has had to maneuver through life with missing hair. She sometimes used excuses that people would believe, like “Oh, my brother pranked me,” or “If I had a bald spot up here, oh, I had gum in it, I had to cut it out.” But really, she had a hard time controlling it.
There is no known cure for trichotillomania. Lally tried therapy and medication, but ultimately decided to turn her experience into something positive, starting with a book. “Before I wrote the book, I kind of had this moment where I said, what am I doing? I keep fighting this, I don’t talk about it,” Lally said.
Now Lally uses the platform from her social media pages to help others cope. “It’s nice to be able to talk about a topic that feels heavy, but then you joke because you get it. It’s okay if you don’t stop. Like, you’re fine. You can still be happy, successful, loved for who you are even if you don’t stop,” said Lally.
Lally has her own website, which you can access by clicking here. There are links to podcasts and other ways to learn more about trichotillomania.
Living with trichotillomania can be challenging, but it is possible to lead a successful and happy life. It is essential to seek help and support from others who understand the disorder. Lally’s story is a testament to the importance of sharing experiences and helping others who may be going through the same thing.
- Trichotillomania
- Hair-pulling treatment
- Coping with hair-pulling disorder
- Trichotillomania support groups
- Hair-pulling prevention strategies
News Source : WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm
Source Link :Living and helping others cope with hair-pulling disorder/