My name is Megan, I am 16 years old and I have been suffering with trich for four years. I do not remember the exact date that I started pulling, but I do remember I was in sixth grade. People in school would look at me and some even said things to me. My parents did not understand why my hair was just disappearing. They thought I had some kind of disease or something that made my hair fall out. I started telling them that I was cutting it, but they didn’t really believe that cutting your hair did that much damage. I remember my dad always hitting me every time he saw that I lost more hair. Finally, one night when he was yelling and screaming at me for this I told him that I was pulling my hair out. My dad could not comprehend why I would be doing this to myself. I do not think he will ever understand. My parents then made me an appointment to see a pschologist, but I can remember I did not want to go at all, I cried the whole time. After a couple of months the pulling stopped, but I really think that it was due to the fact that I was scared of my dad, and everything else was going pretty well in my life. I remember my hair growing in, and I was able to wear it up. I thought that this problem was gone, but I was wrong.

When I was 14 years old it started again, I remember my uncle who was very dear to me passed away. My parents took me to another psychologist, but that did not help any. It stopped for a while after that because I did not want to go back to the psychologist, my hair grew in again, and I had a pretty good freshman year. I met my best friend Colleen in English class that year and she has become one of the greatest friends I have ever had. We even tried out for cheerleading together, and we both made it. We went to Williamsburg too. The whole summer after freshman year was great, I spent most of my time at Coll’s house, because we had cheerleading practice and Coll lives right near school. We did everything together, but then at the beginning of sophmore year it started again. I began to fall apart, my grades began to slip, because I was so depressed all of the time, I left the cheerleading team, and I began to withdraw from my friends because I was scared they would find out my secret. Part of the summer after sophmore year was good because I remember I could wear my hair up, but I did have spots underneath. I went down the shore with Coll, we had a great time. The rest of the summer was ok, but after a while I could not go swimming or wear my hair up.

I am now a Junior, and I have a lot of other problems going on right now, my little brother has Muscular Dystrophy, and can not walk anymore, my older brother got put in jail (for just being stupid), and my older sister recently got pregnant, WHICH MY DAD WAS NOT TO HAPPY ABOUT. Also my dad and I have not had a good relationship since this problem with me started in other words he thinks it is my fault and I always get yelled at for it . The problem got so bad this year that I just had to tell someone. I decided to tell Beth, a counselor who works at my school two days a week. I could not bring myself to say that I was pulling out my hair, so I wrote her a note. She was very understanding, and she called her cousin who is a psychiatrist, and found out that what I had was trichotillomania. She called my mom and asked her if she could make me an appointment with a psychiatrist, so I could see if I could be put on meds. Beth has been like an angel to me. She has been there for me 100%, and I will be forever grateful to her. She works with me on Thursdays in school, We talk about my trich, and all of the other problems in my life. She got me an appointment with a psychiatrist, and she even went to my first appointment with me. She also helped me to tell Coll about my problem. Just three days ago I was put on Prozac to help with the depression caused by my trich and all my other problems. It has made me a happier person, so far. It has not helped with the pulling that much yet, but I am becoming more and more aware of when I do it, and I immediatly tell myself to stop. My problem is not yet solved yet, but I know with Beth’s help combined with the Prozac, I will get through this.