How can I cure my Trichotillomania and panic attacks?

beetlemilk
#1. March 5th, 2008, at 10:33 PM.

Therapy. Have you tried paxil, it is FDA approved now for PTSD. I think you need an anxiolytic for the anxiety. I am all for alternative therapies, whatever works.

Trichotillomania is pretty rare, I have only seen a couple of cases (5) in 20 years

majnun99
#2. March 7th, 2008, at 12:56 AM.

If you think the Zoloft isn’t working well enough, talk to your doctor. There are other medications that can be tried. Maybe therapy in combination with medication will help.

Shan
#3. March 8th, 2008, at 1:55 PM.

View the techniques for control of panic attacks, in section 8, in my website, at ezy build, below, which I created to contain all the information that there isn’t enough space for, here. Begin, on this first occasion, only, by holding your breath for 5, or 10 seconds: this will give you the confidence to realise that YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR BREATHING, but not pass out, or die (your autonomic nervous system resumes breathing, if you become unconscious). Understand panic attacks, and what triggers them, in your life (if it is unresolved anxiety, or stress, see sections 6, or 42, respectively). The paper bag method works for most people: try it.

If you are fairly suggestible, the following are reliable:
Your last alternative is psychotherapy, to address its fundamental cause: read section 1, and examine the website, and use the locators, and phone book. I used to suffer from panic attacks, until I questioned what had changed in my life, at, or just before that time, to trigger them. For some people, this is enough. These days, I have instilled the habit of, whenever a situation occurs where panic is likely, I visualise a large, “STOP!” sign, as vividly as possible, followed by repeating to myself: “stay calm” in my mind. You could try the same method. It usually takes 30 - 40 repetitions, for most people, to establish a new habit. I also suggest that you learn, then practise the controlled breathing technique, until competent, then employ it, at the very first sign of a panic attack.

Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. There is also a version for use in public places, (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind). Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at also refer: “Even though I sometimes suffer from panic attacks, I deeply and completely accept myself.” Note: the controlled breathing only helps with the symptoms (as do medications/herbal remedies): you need to address the underlying cause, and this requires some form of therapy, and Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy has proved effective.

Advice from a published psychiatrist on controlled breathing. (1.) Get a clock, or watch with a second timer. (2.) Practise for 5 minutes, 4 times daily, until proficient. (3.) Take a small breath in, and hold it, for 6 seconds. (4.) Think to yourself: “RELAX”, just before breathing out. (5.) Try to feel a sense of releasing tension, as you breathe out. (6.) Breathe in for 3 seconds, then out, for 3 seconds. Try to make your breathing very smooth, and light, as you breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth, or nose. (7.) For the next minute, continue to breathe in, and out, every 3 seconds. (8.) Go back to step 3, at the end of the minute, and proceed through to step 7, doing this for 5 minutes. Use this at the very first sign of a panic attack starting, or any time you feel anxious, or tense.

Because many people can’t access/afford professional therapy, I include the EFT, and EMDR variant for them to try, free of charge. Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy is generally available in most areas, but EMDR (see section 33) may well be worth trying, and is becoming more widespread. (The following is a variant of EMDR therapy, which has been used successfully for those people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, insomnia, and anxiety: it is easily learned, quick to use, yet can be very effective. It is currently the subject of much study by neuroscientists, to discover how it works. ========================== ================== ==================== ====================== Trichotillomania (repetitive hair pulling) lies at the impulsive end of the OCD scale.
Although classified as a disorder of impulse control, trichotillomania (repetitive hair pulling) may have some phenomenological overlap with the impulsive end of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The question arises as to whether trichotillomania is best conceptualised as a disorder characterised by impulsivity or compulsivity. Impulsive and compulsive symptoms were compared in 43 patients who presented for treatment of trichotillomania, OCD or impulsive personality disorder. Trichotillomania patients had significantly lower scores of obsessive-compulsive symptoms than OCD patients, and significantly higher impulsiveness scores than this group (Stein et al., 1995c). Despite this overlap trichotillomania lacks preceding obsessions (Stein et al., 1995a) and is mostly present in females.

SSRIs may have a role in the treatment of trichotillomania but additional research is needed. The use of SSRIs as an augmentation strategy with agents working on other neurotransmitters neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, has been described (Stein and Hollander, 1992). The above is one view, but some disorders don’t fall neatly into categories, and I have noticed that it usually occurs as a result of anxiety, or stress, and may be considered as a type of coping mechanism.

I therefore include both my standard posts on those subjects, as follows: ANXIETY: See anxiety treatments, at ezy build (below) in section 6. Set yourself a fixed limit for worrying about any particular subject, (say; 15 minutes) after which, resolve firmly to refuse to even consider that subject again on that day: realise and accept that to do otherwise would be counterproductive to your mental health, and enjoyment of life. Use the technique for reprogramming negative thoughts and internal monologue (self talk), on pages 2, and 2L, to help you in this, and consider carrying a wide rubber band in your pocket: put it on your wrist; stretch, and release, as a means of reinforcing it, and speeding up the process, re-pocketing it afterwards.

Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT version for use in public places, a good tryout, to see if it helps you (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples) . Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at * also refer. “Even though I pull my hair out, I deeply and completely accept myself”.

OCD: If it takes up more than an hour, daily, gets worse, or interferes with your life to any great degree; seek therapy, because it can quickly take over a person’s life. See section 7, on OCD, at ezy build, below and also view section 6, since some consider to be an anxiety related disorder. Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. also refer.

Check out: and and Support: Chatsites/forums: and Groups, at Myspace, Yahoo, and Google. Some suggestions: Instead of pulling hair, use worry beads, or a stress ball. Cut your hair very short, and wear a wig, leaving you little option but to use the worry beads/stress ball, otherwise you will just be pulling the wig. Try to find a therapist who uses Habit Reversal Training. ============================= ================= ====================== See stress treatments, at ezy build, below on page 42. Practise daily, one of the relaxation techniques on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i; whichever works best for you, but the mindfulness breathing for 15 - 20 mns is ideal, although the progressive muscle relaxation can be learned quickly, and takes only several minutes, if pressed for time. Employ the EFT version for use in public, for which you can reasonably claim that you have a headache, as you massage/tap your temples, but it may be advisable to restrict yourself to subvocalising (saying it to yourself, in your mind, not aloud). Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o refer. “Even though I sometimes suffer from stress, I deeply and completely accept myself”.

You can also multitask, using the gazing technique, as you walk/jog or exercise, by focusing on a distant object, noting any thoughts which flash across your mind, without pursuing any particular train of thought, just gently redirect your focus to the gazing. Yoga, or Tai Chi may suit others, better. For some people, visualisation of a quiet, relaxing scene, like a tropical beach, (feel the sun warming you, as a gentle breeze caresses your skin lightly, inhaling the tangy, salt laden spray from the sparkling, translucent, aqua waves, crashing on the white, sandy beach, as the seagulls swoop and cavort playfully overhead in a cloudless, azure sky; you feel just like one of them; free to soar and cartwheel, or just glide, in the moist, heavy air, and that this moment will last forever…..) works well for them.

Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily, replacing 2 of them with cod liver oil supplements, or a teaspoonful of the oil (I spread mine on toast, and mask its strong taste with fishpaste, and pepper), in the winter months only. Those people who receive adequate exposure to sunlight, daily, won’t need the vitamin D from cod liver oil, but many people, particularly those in latitudes far from the equator, find this difficult, to achieve. Eat healthily, in accordance with your “nutritional type” as determined at SEARCHBAR.

Try having a cup of “Tension Tamer”, herbal tea (from supermarket tea aisles) from Celestial Seasonings, or make some at home, and cool, then bottle, and drink as needed