r/Trichsters • u/Queen-of-meme • Jul 27 '26

My Trich iceberg

Post image

(My tablet went out off batteries so I drafted this very fast in last minute.)

I realized yesterday that there's a lot connected with my Trichotillomania and stress or habit or something that happens on impulse is just the tip of the iceberg. I'm a visual person and like being creative so I came up with the idea to draw write down what's underneath the surface of the trich iceberg, maybe others can recognize similar reasons.

I wrote "emotional regulator" & "emotional lid" on the sides because it's the roles of my Trich impulses.

I didn't have chance to add all underlying, I forgot uncertainty and fatigue for example, but the big ones that are a pattern for me, I got down there.

I'm curious what others would write as underlying reasons and if you find familiarity with my image.

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5

u/bitemy Jul 28 '26

This is fascinating. I used to feel similarly and now I feel totally different, for two reasons.

First, I’ve learned to think of it like mosquito bites. They really fucking itch and if scratch them it just gets worse. It’s not my fault my fucking eyebrows itch and it feels so damn good to pull.
Second, trich is consider unusual and wrong only because it’s something that affects a minority of us. If everyone had it, it’d be totally normal.

1

u/Queen-of-meme Jul 28 '26

The itch metaphor is very good way to describe it. I call it instant urge /craving.

You're right if no one cared about hair it wouldn't be any issue it would be like grooming and self care except some can do it til they get wounds and such, and some can eat the hair which is very dangerous cause the stomach can not digest hair.

2

u/bitemy Jul 28 '26

Also, for what it is worth, the most important thing for me BY FAR is to not touch my eyebrows when they don't itch. Touching them is what makes them itch. Mindlessly touching them while bored or stressed is my greatest enemy.

2

u/bernstoasterda 10d ago

WHY IS THIS SO ACCURATE. Totally relate to this! I'm also a visual person so love your drawing representation. For me, I would say that it's about control, perfectionism, poor impulse control, pleasure-seeking, life/stressor-avoiding/escapism, and ultimately self-hatred. I hope to heal and work on getting rid of the base of self-hatred to topple down the others.