20 years of Trichotillomania

Your last remark... it's ridiculous. I grew up being told that I had to do CBT cognitive distortion analysis thought stopping for my OCD and Trichotillomania. Of course that crap and the talk therapy where I didn't even get to speak openly about what was actually going on with me didn't help at all. It does nothing. But I was always blamed for still struggling and questioned if I even want to stop it and get better. Mild compared to other mistreatment I faced for various issues including the Trich and OCD but it's still so infuriating. I'm only doing a bit better now because though I don't have the therapy and support that I need, because I refuse to let mistreatment, emotional distress, and intrusive thoughts ruin me. It's no easy feat but I want to feel like I'm winning not them and my troubling conditions.

Also stress balls definitely don't work either. My therapist as a teen made me a big fabric bag with beans and rice as a sensory distraction to avoid pulling. Didn't work. Now using a clean soft makeup brush on my face, even my eyes, that works because it's making a sensation that can be felt as well as if I plucked my eyelashes and eyebrows but is gentle and doesn't do harm.

I've had to shave my head twice too. Stay strong. I know it's hard. Some things that helped me was taking care of my hair and sensory seeking for my scalp to avoid picking. I used rosemary eucalyptus shampoo (mint and tea tree is also good) and used a brush to stimulate my scalp. Though I need more than that, it's really not enough because you need more options, more tools to help... I'm planning on tying those dermarollers that stimulation the skin for my scalp, head massager, scalp scratcher, etc

I’m 33 and I’ve been pulling my air for 30 years and have been shaving my head for 5y. My hair pulling will get so bad that I wear hats. I got on meds (Zoloft) I’ve done therapy to see if talking about it helped and it did for a little bit. I have ribbon I carry around I have since I was very little. Needing help any tips/tricks