BFRBweek 2015: Gessie
My name is Gessie and I am 16 years old from the United States. I have trichotillomania. I recently had to write an autobiography for English class, and one of the sections we had to include was about a...
BFRBweek 2015: Heather
For over 2 decades I have suffered from Trichotillomania. Trichotillomania; chronic, impulsive and addictive hair pulling resulting in noticeable hair loss. In and around 1994 I started pulling my hair out. I didn’t think anything of it. It did...
Awareness Week Extras: Cat
Wicked It’s an impulse that drives me when I’m bored or in pain. A terrible impulse that I can not contain. The more I resist the longer it strings me along Like an addict Searching, And going insane. ...
Awareness Week 2014 Extras: Majda
Hello! My name is Majda and I am 20 years old. I suffer from dermatillomania for 11 years now. One year ago, I tried to convince my mum that I was not hurting myself on purpose and I wanted...
Awareness Week 2014 Extras: Ryan
When I was five years old, I fell in love with picking my skin. It is one of my earliest memories. I can still recall the place of discovery and the circumstances surrounding the start of my struggle. I...
Awareness Week 2014 Extras: Titi
My name is Titi and I have dermatillomania. I’ve been picking on and off since I was 2. When my mom stopped breastfeeding me, I started picking. Just like some kids suck their thumbs, this was just my way...
Awareness Week 2014 Extras: Nicole
The Girl with the Gloves I am the girl who wears the gloves. Finding your identity in high school is never easy and sadly the first thing that most people judge you on is your appearance. My entire life...
Awareness Week 2014 Extras: Annabelle
I am a strong believer in the fact that nothing stays the same for long. In the past year, I have moved countries, changed schools and watched every relationship in my life change. But one thing hasn’t. I remember...
Awareness Week 2014: Maddie
Hi! My name is Maddie Lapp. I am 17 years old from St. Louis, Missouri. I have been to one TLC Conference. I am also a part of the TLC Millennial Task Force. My journey with these baffling disorders...
Awareness Week 2014: Eileen
My Trich Story (possible trigger warning, discusses trich behaviors in detail) I knew what trichotillomania was long before I had it because I’ve always loved learning long words and discovering rare phobias and manias. I didn’t know that trichotillomania...
Awareness Week 2014: Andrea
As I’ve grown up I have always had a problem with stress. I label it “subconscious stress” because while things may seem fine and manageable on the outside, my hair, nails and skin would tell a different story. In...
Awareness Week 2014: Meli
I’m Coming Out Dermatillomania and dermatophagia sounds like bad words, and those closest to me know I rarely curse. Many people pick at their skin. It is not out of the ordinary to remove a hang nail, bite nails,...
Awareness Week 2014: Kristy
I was around 8 years old when I noticed an eyelash in my eye and got very upset and paranoid about getting others. I started pulling out the ones that would appear to stand out from the rest in...
Awareness Week 2014: Meli and Ashley
The following poems were written for Awareness Week 2014 by two young women named Meli and Ashley. ——– Tongue in Cheek by Meli I keep biting my cheeks to get rid of imperfections as if I didn’t trust...
The BFRB Conversation
Discussion is an important part of awareness—the good, the bad, the theories, the speculation, the triggering, the non-triggering, and whatever may fall in between. For BFRB Awareness Week, we want to start those kinds of discussion to break the...