I've been pulling out my eyelashes since I was about 13 years old (I'm now about to turn 32). I've gone through stages where it's been better or worse but never been able to stop. I had CBT about a year ago, buy it just didn't work for me. I don't feel anxious when I do it, it's not after a particularly bad day. I just see an eyelash that I think isn't as straight as the others or goes in the wrong direction and I pull it out. No matter how hard I try I can't find anything more deep and meaningful to it! And although I feel disappointed in myself when I've done it, part of me is also quite pleased with the neatness. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Or similar with other types of OCD?
I have never suffered with this and I'm not sure this will be much help but Sam Fairers off TV the only way is Essex suffered with this for years and she has bought it to public attention if you google her I'm sure it will give you more info on how she overcame it, or follow her on Twitter.
Thanks angie85. I'd never heard of her before so looked it up. It's really interesting because she's open about her problem and hasn't conquered it. She says she isn't even trying to stop at the moment, but might think about it in the future when she's less busy. I like that! Deal with it when you're ready and until then just get in with it!
I'm not clinically diagnosed with trichotillomania but I'm 99.99% sure that I do have it, when I was 8 I started pulling out hairs on the left side of my head and it's gotten worse then better and worse again etc, it progressed to my eyebrows and eyelashes and it started getting better when I was around 13 because my eyebrows got so bad I was embarrassed and I have always loved eyebrows, I think my trich has something to do with it, but personally the condition get really bad when I'm stressed or upset/ depressed and it sucks because then I get p*ssed with myself, I'm only 15 now and I was wondering what that CBT you had was because I really just want to stop but it from my understanding and experience it is both an impulse control disorder and an overly compulsive disorder, I hate it, but most of the time when I pull, it feels good but bad at the same time, I'm sorry I know this probably won't be any help to you but I needed to tell someone, nobody I immediately know would understand and it's getting to me sooo bad! But I do get what you're going through xx