![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by no_rose_garden on January 8, 2009, at 22:36:22
I started by pulling my armpit hairs with tweezers...I like best when i get that clear sheath and the black thing at the end of the hair...not sure what they are. I was ok w/ it b/c nobody really looks at your armpits and i don't care if i pull all the hairs out there.
A couple months ago, i started pulling head hairs out...and there's one spot that has the coursest feeling hairs, and those are the ones i want to pull out :/ I thought maybe it would go away, but it's not going away...and I think it's getting worse and more frequent. I don't want to have a bald spot.
I talked to Pdoc (who isn't very helpful and I don't really like) and he said you can either use CBT or SSRIs...so we upped my dose of celexa, but i don't think it's working.
I haven't told T yet b/c i've only been seeing him for 5 wks. and we've been talking about other things...maybe I'll bring it up next. wk.
Can anybody fix this??
Posted by Wittgensteinz on January 9, 2009, at 5:35:04
In reply to Hair pulling :(, posted by no_rose_garden on January 8, 2009, at 22:36:22
NRG,
I'm sorry you're having to go through this, and it sounds like you're doing so alone.
I haven't any personal experience with this problem - by the way it's a recognised DSM-IV disorder and it's called: Trichotillomania or Trichotillosis (sorry if you knew this already but doing a search of this word will bring up many self-help websites with advice).
Is the hair pulling functioning as a form of self-harm - rather like cutting? Is it the discomfort that makes you do it? Or is it about not wanting the hairs to be there? i.e. would you still do it if the act of plucking the hairs didn't cause any sensation? From what you wrote, I have the feeling it's a bit of both?
When are you most likely to start doing it? Is it something conscious or unconscious?
If you can locate why and when you do this, it should be possible to adapt your behaviour or situation to help reduce the likelihood of it happening or replace the behaviour with a less destructive one. Why not keep a journal of when you pull your hair, how you feel at that moment and so on (date, place, time, where you pulled the hair from, how you felt before and how afterwards) so that you can see what the pattern is. This would be a good way to start and then when you are ready you can bring what you've found to your therapist and work on it.
According to wikipedia Clomipramine has been shown in a study to significantly improve symptoms. It also said that the use of other ADs had had limited effect, so that might explain why the Celexa hasn't helped with the problem.
I hope this helps.
Witti
Posted by no_rose_garden on January 10, 2009, at 19:31:07
In reply to Re: Hair pulling :( (triggers?), posted by Wittgensteinz on January 9, 2009, at 5:35:04
Thanks for the post witti...
I would like the hair to stay there...i guess I'm not sure WHY I do it...I want to see the root sheath thing...But when I start, I don't think it's conscious, but it's hard to stop once i start.
I think I will tell T this week.
Today, I wore a hat :) Maybe i should just always wear a hat.
Posted by kath on January 11, 2009, at 20:07:59
In reply to Re: Hair pulling :( (triggers?), posted by no_rose_garden on January 10, 2009, at 19:31:07
Hi - sorry you're having this problem. I have a sort of fascination with blackheads, so can relate a little bit.
While I was taking Celexa, if I passed my hand across my arm or leg or anywhere & there was rough skin, or a little bump - ANYthing other than smoothness, I'd pick at it- sometimes even gouging to remove it. One of my friends had this on Celexa & also my daughter.
I guess what you're doing is somewhat different as it's a visual thing you're getting from it. Just wanted to mention that about Celexa. Were you doing it before you were on Celexa?
I also pick at my bottom lip. If there's dry skin I'll pick. If there isn't, I'll sort of pick until I create a pickable place.
:-( Difficult to stop.
Kath
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Psychology | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.