How to stop hair pulling? Treatment for Trichotillomania – Getting Better offers professional help to people who want to free themselves from the urge of pulling out hair. Inspiring blog post by someone who overcame trichotillomania through professional therapy.
When I still suffered from pulling out hair, I often considered this behavior to be the most insane problem a person can have.
Because how in Heaven´s name can someone constantly be at the mercy of the urge for pulling out hair and not being able to simply stop this behavior yourself?
As I now reflect on that episode of my life that I have finally left behind, I realize that what made a big difference in overcoming this is (continued below once logged in) that I finally looked for professional treatment for trichotillomania after having struggled on my own for so many years.
And as I finally learned how to overcome the urge for pulling out my own hair, I also learned some valuable things in the process that really helped me to change my life for the better that I love to share with you if you still suffer from this form of behavior.
Getting professional trichotillomania treatment challenged me to consider what I actually wanted to do with my life!
After getting treatment for trichotillomania and overcoming the urge for pulling out hair I suddenly had a lot of extra time on my hands.
But also some unexpected things happened in my life around the same time: I lost my job – became unemployed, had to go back to my parents as a result and also had to deal with the breakup of a relationship I had been involved in.
Not the kind of things you long for to happen, let alone all at the same time. It kind of felt as if I was losing everything and there was nothing left to hold on to besides myself.
I certainly was not amused with what happened. However, I decided that it was also a good moment to reflect on the direction of my life as I had nothing to lose anyways.
So I started to explore my options, red several books, consulted several people and started to make new choices. Choices that made me feel good. But also choices in a new direction which I felt was right for me but I had ignored for quite some time for reasons that seemed to make sense at the time.
Actively being involved in my mission in life gave me tremendous joy. And the funny thing is that one of my new activities that came out as a result fits perfectly with this mission: to write on this web blog occasionally :).
To inspire and encourage people who are still looking for help and might benefit too from professional treatment for trichotillomania as I did but just need a little encouragement to build up their trust.
Through the trichotillomania therapy I learned to open myself up and share my feelings with others more often
Before I received trichotillomania therapy I was always what you call a kind of ‘closed’ or insecure person.
And in all honesty, I also didn’t really know who I was as person, what I was capable of and what I wanted to do with my life.
In the past I often felt ashamed and didn’t really like it when people informed about me and often found it difficult to share my personal feelings and thoughts with others. Even with family members and my closest friend.
But through what I leaned I now belief that the covering up of my head with a scarf as a result of trichotillomania in the past had a great deal to do with that as well. That the outside results from trichotillomania were actually the results of me hiding certain feelings and not being satisfied with the situation itself, which often caused feelings of tension and stress.
Today as I no longer need to wear a scarf around my head to cover up the results of pulling hair out, I realize that I have become a lot more open in sharing what I truly feel with others. And that doing so actually works wonders for me to feel much more calm and peaceful inside.
The most important lessons from the trichotillomania treatment I took home
As I went through the process of receiving professional trichotillomania treatment, there was one important lesson that really became clear to me: TAKING GOOD CARE OF MYSELF IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
That I am actually the most important person in my own life and that I deserve it to treat myself well and put myself first in situations where I had not done so in the past.
I also realize that as time goes on I am becoming better and better at this attitude to go through life, but also know that I need to keep reminding myself from time to time to prevent the urge for hair pulling to come back.
But also that what I have invested in myself through the trichotillomania therapy has given me so much I am grateful for. I see it as a way of learning to better love and appreciate myself through my new actions.
So every day I deliberately try to choose for happiness and personal growth with the options that are presented to me. Also, I no longer keep dwelling in a problem, because I have come to know that only the right ACTION will lead to better results.
I also feel confident about the future, because I know that as my life unfolds, I will always search for the right things to do FOR ME. That work well FOR ME, which give me peace instead of the tension or stress which I often used to experience in the past.
Because I realize now more than ever that the answers for any problem are already inside all of us, if we just learn to listen and trust our intuition – inner voice.
And that a little loving assistance from time to time can make a big difference if we feel trapped in a vicious circle that trichotillomania used to be for me. But in order to receive that help, you have to learn to speak up and ask for it.
With all my love and wishing you well on your journey for setting yourself free!
Stephanie
