Trichotillomania Blog

Overcoming Trichotillomania By Faith

  • Home
  • My Blog
  • Trichotillomania Products
  • Trichotillomania Toolkit
  • About Me

This site contains affiliate links which are a means of monetization for the site owner.

Depression and Trichotillomania: The Vicious Cycle of Self Loathing and Hair Pulling

August 9, 2018 By: Lesley

This post contains affiliate links.

The Cycle of Depression and Trichotillomania

How are Depression and Hair Pulling Disorders Linked?

Hair pulling can be the result of depression and it can also lead to depression!

It’s a double whammy for a lot of us.

Depression leads to hair pulling because it’s a coping mechanism.

Hair pulling leads to depression because we hate ourselves for doing it.

Here’s what Anxiety.org had to say after their study using 90 adults with trichotillomania,

Trichotillomania and Depression Studies

(source)

Depression and Trichotillomania: It’s A Cycle

Hair pulling certainly can lead to depressive thoughts because of the condemning feelings I have afterwards.

I feel like an ugly failure and that makes me so depressed.

I will do so well for so long and then I get depressed, stop caring and start pulling.

Depression and trichotillomania to me are a vicious cycle of condemnation.

The Cycle of Trichotillomania and Depression - I pulled my hair because I was depressed, I pulled my hair and now I'm depressed.

Depression sort of has this cause and affect role.

I get depressed so I pull.

I pulled now I’m depressed.

Ugh.

I have had depression on and off most of my life.

I’m in a lot of support groups on Facebook for Trich and I can see it’s a common denominator for a lot of us.

Life is hard.

I get depressed AF sometimes.

I hide it from most people, I think a lot of us do?

This year has been so hard on me that digging myself out of this depression has been so hard.

I lost my business so quickly and honestly it doesn’t really look like it’s coming back from this view.

A landslide took it down.

Here's a chart you never want to see in business if you have trichotillomania

It is a depressing scene.

You know that saying, “money can’t buy happiness.”

That’s not true for everyone.

I was super happy with money. Depression in my life was at an all time low.

I enjoyed being able to give and provide, it was so awesome.  I was happy.

I think if we’re all honest, we would say that money helps quality of life and that relates to happiness in a lot of areas.

It’s less stress when things are going well.

I get depressed when things are headed down in my life.

I may not always show it outwardly but I get totally depressed ant that depression leads me to spiral into hair pulling.

I stop caring about myself.

I stop caring if I take my supplements.

I stop caring if I wear my Keen bracelets.

I stop caring if I eat well.

I just stop caring.

It’s when I stop caring that I start pulling.

Then I hate myself for pulling and get more depressed.

It’s cycle.

I am able to overcome trichotillomania, I know the things I need to do to stop.

I just need care about myself again to start doing those things.


The Dangers of Depression

There are a lot of dangers when it comes to depression.

Depression affects people of all ages, it seems that preteens and teenagers are more vulnerable because of the peer pressures and hormonal changes they are experiencing.

School is wickedly hard compared to what it was 20 years ago, they get a lot less recess and play time and have a lot more demands.

Because of all this extreme pressure, the dangers of depression are very real in adolescents and teens.

Women deal with depression more than men and more women have trichotillomania than men too.

Depression leads to all sorts of mental illnesses and impulsive disorders like trichotillomania because it becomes a coping mechanism to handling the depression itself.

Depression can be fatal; and it’s not just the depressive thoughts that pose risk!

A lot of well meaning people go to the doctor to get help, only to find themselves on medications that present their own list of dangers!

If you’re not aware, depression medications can lead you into a spiral of more depression and not to mention addiction and even suicide.

Suicide

This may be the “ultimate” danger associated with depression – it’s considered by many to be the most extreme manifestation and the rates are climbing year after year.

I’ve battled suicidal thoughts on and off my entire life and I know first hand how bad depression can be.

Depressed people can convince themselves that they just aren’t worth enough to live, or that their friends and family will be better off without them.

I know there are many times when I just felt so worthless because of my business failures that I’ve thought I was better off dead.

Thoughts of suicide are VERY real when you are depressed, it’s the ultimate danger of depression.

Be Leary of Medications

While medication can save lives, it can also pose serious and/or dangerous side effects.

Antidepressants tend to have fewer side effects than SSRIs, but antidepressants may, ironically, induce suicidal thoughts.

Several years ago, a popular antidepressant was called out for indirectly causing the actual suicides of many people who took it.

SSRIs may cause bad headaches, temporary or chronic diarrhea, insomnia, nausea, and/or nervousness and agitation.

I don’t suggest people take medications unless they have exhausted all natural resources first.

CBD oil is a natural alternative that has been helping me so much, there are no side effects and it works faster than any other natural supplement I have used.

Self-Neglect

Depressed people have a tendency to neglect their own health and care.

This is the stage that scares me the most because I know it all too well.

I lose motivation and the will to do normal things I should be doing, like cleaning, eating, and working on my business.

Depressed people lose interest in life and the things that we need to do in life.

Responsibilities are no longer something I care about because when I’m depressed, life sucks.

The self neglect leads to hair pulling in my case because I lose my ability to care if I stop or not.

I know better.

I know I’m doing it.

….But I don’t care because I’m depressed.

It’s a terrible cycle to be caught up in.

I don’t want to pull my hair out but I’m so depressed do I really care?

Yes, I do but the depression sort of fogs the vision and conviction to stop.


Making Positive Changes

Putting Eyes Back on Jesus

Somewhere in these past few months of depression I have taken my eyes off my position in Christ.

I have been in such a panic and depression over my business that I’m not walking by faith at all.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of Christ and somewhere in all the hustle and bustle of losing my business I forgot WHO my Source actually was because I stopped hearing Him.

That alone will cause a depression.

Forgiving Myself

I have made a habit of forgiving myself.

I tend to get so down on myself for mistakes I make.

I started thinking how I would never talk to someone else the way I have been talking to myself and why was I doing that?

I wasn’t forgiving myself the way I would anyone else.

I was watching a sermon one morning when it hit me like a ton of bricks….

I don’t forgive myself.

I condemn myself so much who needs the devil as an enemy?

That has to stop.  I can’t beat myself up.

Forgive myself for the stupid mistakes I have made and move on.

Jesus already paid for that.

CBD Oil

I avoid taking medications because the side effects are not worth the risk to me.

I started taking CBD oil awhile ago and that has helped improve my mood and sleep.

With an improvement in mood and better rest, I’ve been more motivated to do the things I know I need to do to stop hair pulling.

I’m back to taking NAC again regularly (which is a huge help with urges to pull) and I’m wearing my Keen bracelets again.

oh yes… and Keen is sending me new colored bands for them THIS WEEK, that was a HUGE motivator to start wearing them again!

I’m not out of this depression and trichotillomania spiral but I’m making positive changes and moving forward.

Related: The Connection Between Anxiety and Depression: Cause or Trigger?

How are depression and trichotillomania linked? Can hair pulling disorders lead to depression or does depression lead to hair pulling? See the vicious cycle of both depression and trich.

You Might Also Like:

Maybe I Got Gum in My Hair? and Other Lies Trichs Tell the Hair Dresser
Selling My Home Was Trichy
Can I Overcome Trichotillomania by Faith? A Trichy Subject, I Know!
7 Ways I'm Growing My Hair Back Thicker and Stronger From The Roots!
Hair Pulling and Postpartum Depression - How My Trich Came Back!
The Greek Meaning of Anxiety - And Why Someone with TRICH Might Care to Know!
Does Childhood Trauma Cause Trichotillomania? My Story.
When Does Trichotillomania Occur? Insights Into When Hair Pulling Starts.

Did You Miss Something?

  • How are Depression and Hair Pulling Disorders Linked?
  • Depression and Trichotillomania: It’s A Cycle
  • The Dangers of Depression
    • Suicide
    • Be Leary of Medications
    • Self-Neglect
  • Making Positive Changes
    • Putting Eyes Back on Jesus
    • Forgiving Myself
    • CBD Oil
    • You Might Also Like:

I am not a medical professional, just a blogger.

Disclosure:  I am not a doctor, health professional or your mother.  I am a blogger who talks about her experiences with a hair-pulling disorder and the things that have helped me try to overcome it.   None of the methods or products talked about are intended to cure anything.  None of the methods or products are intended to replace your medications or treatments.   You must take responsibility for your own health and actions and nothing here is meant to treat or diagnose anyone or anything.  I am just a blogger, if you have questions about your physical or mental health, it’s best to seek professional help.

Trichotillomania Products

 Grace & Faith Overcoming Trichotillomania Journal The Hair Pulling Habit and You: How to Solve the Trich Puzzle Trichotillomania Health Tracking Diary

About Lesley

My name is Lesley and I have been battling a hair pulling disorder my entire life.  I'm Jesus obsessed and I'm currently writing through my journey here on this blog.  I hold an Associate in Theology and I've written a faith-based trichotillomania therapy journal for people with this hair pulling disoder.  You can read a lot more about me on the home page and I have a private group on Facebook where you can find other like-minded people who understand what it's like to have trich.

Hi I’m Lesley!

 

Trichotillomania Blogger

Trichotillomania Blogger. Naturally-Minded.  Jesus Obsessed. Empath.

I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. There’s going to be typos, sarcasm and lots of emotional rants I’m sure… try not to judge me based on the chapter of my life that you walk in on. 

Search Trichotillomania Blog

Recent Trichotillomania Blog Posts Products for Trichotillomania
Have you tried CBD oil for Trichotillomania?

Recent Posts

finding love when you have trichotillomania

Falling In Love With Someone Who Has an Anxiety Disorder Like Me

This has been such a stressful and eventful year I can't even begin to break it all down for you but ... [ Read More ]

trichotillomania pressures anxiety disorders

Selling My Home Was Trichy

A lot has happened in my life since my divorce last year. I do mean A LOT. Way too much to catch ... [ Read More ]

Trichotillomania Support for Parents

Finding Trichotillomania Support for Parents

About a year and a half ago I had the pleasure of attending the BRFB conference that was held in San ... [ Read More ]

Faith-Based Trichotillomania Journal

trichotillomania therapy journal

Unboxing My Keen Bracelets


My personal experience with Keen Bracelets.

Recent Blog Posts

  • Falling In Love With Someone Who Has an Anxiety Disorder Like Me
  • Selling My Home Was Trichy
  • Finding Trichotillomania Support for Parents
  • This Product Helps Me Stop Pulling My Hair In My Sleep.
  • Dealing with Divorce and Trichotillomania

Legal Schtuff

Affiliate Disclosure Page
Privacy Policy

Affiliate Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases.

Hi. This is Lesley. This is my blog.  I have a faith-based Facebook group if you would like some encouragement and support overcoming Trichotillomania.  Be sure to grab my FREE printables! 

Get Trichotillomania Blog Updates



Copyright © 2021