I’ve mentioned my trichotillomania before on my blog, but I don’t talk about it very often.  It’s not OCD, but it probably lies on the obsessive-compulsive spectrum.

Trichotillomania by j4d3 on deviantArt

As an OC, I can tell that it is different but related.  In my experience, it’s not induced by an intrusive thought, although I do pull out my hair significantly more when I’m stressed.  Usually, I will feel a hair on my scalp that doesn’t feel like the others, and it doesn’t feel “right” until I pull it out.  So, in that sense it does function kind of like my compulsions.

I pull from the crown of my scalp.  I have a little sprig of hair there that I have to hide.  It’s been this way for maybe a decade.

Interestingly, I want to pull out other people’s hair too.  If they have black hair and I see a couple pieces of gray, I want to pull them.  Like, REALLY bad.

A former therapist encouraged me to squeeze my fist as tight as possible when I want to pull– I tried it, and it fascinatingly does mimic the release I get from pulling my hair.  Sometimes I try that.

I’m so grateful to have my OCD under control.  I wonder if I’ll ever feel the same about my tricho.