Have you ever met someone with trichotillomania? If you have, how did you find out they had it too?

In this blog post I will be responding to a question from my guided journal, My Trichster Diaries. Please feel free to share your answer in the comments below.

My Trichster Diaries: A Guided Journal (Signed Paperback)

Buy Now

The first person I ever met who I thought had trichotillomania was a girl from another school. I was playing against her in lacrosse and saw that she had no eyelashes. I immediately did a double take! I couldn't believe it! I wanted to ask her so badly if she also had trichotillomania but sadly I didn't have the courage to do it. I remember leaving on the bus after the game kicking myself for not asking. I might've met someone so much sooner!

When I think about the first person I truly met with trichotillomania I think: in real life or on the internet? Because on the internet I've now met hundreds of people just like me! Even in real life, I've also met a ton, maybe not hundreds, but definitely close to 100 people! I feel so lucky saying that.

The first person I met in real life

The very first person I met in real life was a teacher I worked with.

At that point in my life I was leaving teaching to step into the mental health/trichotillomania space. I had shared with my principal that I wrote a book (he displayed it in his office!!!!) and he shared it with the rest of the staff at the end of the year. Sharing which teachers were leaving or moving grades was totally normal for our school at the end of the year.

When he got me, he not only shared that I wasn't coming back, he shared my book! He held it up for everyone! I was touched! He really was the best. I told him if I ever went back into teaching that I'd only work for him! I mean it!

After he placed the book down on the table, other teachers began to pass it around and read the back. It was surreal. My biggest secret was now being shared with everyone who had known me for four years! It was exhilarating.

We were then dismissed to continue cleaning up our classrooms for summer break.

A teacher who I had worked with for all four years comes into my classroom and says, "Ms. Lally, I read the back of your book and I do the same thing. I didn't know it had a name."

We both instantly dissolve into tears and hug. We finally found someone else!

The first person I met on the internet

I was anonymous on Instagram @thetrichsterdiaries for a long time. Although I had spoken to many people from the trichotillomania/BFRB community through that account, I have to say the first person I met was the person who became my penpal.

I received an email to my thetrichsterdiaries@gmail.com account from her sharing her trichotillomania experience with me. I was completely anonymous at the time so the email was addressed to: The Trichster Diaries! I figured I had to end the email with something personal so I ended it with "B" and that's how she addressed me for about a month!

After spilling our guts and really getting to know each other, I began ending our emails with "Barbara." I'm looking at that very first email now and I said:

Best,

Barbara

^we've emailed enough personal information about ourselves it seems silly to keep B going hahah

Because we followed each other on Instagram I already knew what she looked like and it felt uneven! So a month after sharing my name, I shared a picture of myself and my husband!

It was terrifying to not have the veil and comfortability of being anonymous but I considered this person a friend so although scary, it felt right. It was such a big deal to me!

Now that I'm thinking of her, let me go message her right now!