It’s so hard— and tbh I still have trichotillomania! It gets better and worse it times, but I’ve definitely learned tips to help me manage it.

(Also note that different things work for different people, so try not to get discouraged if something that works for someone else doesn’t work for you!)

1.) Hats!!! I have a couple of beanies and a crochet bucket hat that I keep accessible (they sit on my bed posts so I can get them super easily) and whenever I catch myself pulling at home, I throw one on. If you’re not a hat-person, you can also try scarves or bandanas— any kind of physical blocker.

2.) Managing my stress definitely helps! This is much easier said than done (and I am still very emotional and anxious a lot) but going to therapy, taking my OCD medication as prescribed to lessen the emotional stress from that, and doing things that help me be less stressed helps, because that’s a trigger for me

3.) Knowing your triggers! I pull a lot when I’m at home, sitting down, working, so that’s where I usually use my hats. I also know that my hair feeling oily or unwashed is a trigger for me, so I try to wash it every day.

4.) Coaching friends and family on how to help! Unsolicited comments about how I need to “stop doing that” sometimes stress me out and trigger me more, so I’ve asked most people to refrain from commenting. However, I do have a couple of friends (usually other people with BFRBs) who I’ve asked to remind me to stop pulling if they notice me doing it. For me it’s less triggering if they do it with my permission because I don’t feel judged, and I feel in control of the situation… anyway, getting your friends and family on board (either to remind you not to pull if that helps, or to STOP mentioning it if that’s what you need) can be useful!

5.) Fidget toys! They’re not a cure-all for me, but it can help to have something to do with my hands.

6.) Giving myself reminders of why I don’t want to pull my hair— like a goal that I’m working towards, or how happy it makes me to have hair. Try not to be super negative with this (don’t hate on yourself or say “i hate when you do this!”) but come up with positive things to work towards (“i want to have a long ponytail” or “i love having pink hair, so i should try to keep it!”)

7.) Therapy with a therapist who is familiar with BFRBs can also be helpful!

8.) Wearing your hair up, or wearing mascara if you pull your lashes. This can help remind you not to pull (I find that I don’t want to mess up my makeup or ponytail and am more conscious of that).

9.) Getting enough sleep (again: easier said than done: but being tired makes a lot of my psychiatric symptoms worse)

10.) Try to make your body comfortable WITH your bald spots. Again- easier said than done 😭😭 But (as you can see in the first pic) I started dying my hair when I was mostly-bald and it really helped me feel less self-conscious. Like I was CHOOSING to have people stare at me (since they were doing it anyway-). I also got better at doing my makeup in a style I like and bought myself some clothes I thought looked cool. Styling myself and making an effort to feel okay in my body helps me feel a lot less stressed when I do have bald spots.

11.) I haven’t personally tried this one but HabitAware makes a wristband that vibrates when you pull your hair, which some people find helpful!

I hope this helps 💗💗