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Porcialyn's Inexpensive Alternatives; When Nothing Else Works (From an Eyelash Puller)

If you bite your nails, try acrylic ones. If you are not used to having long nails, acrylic nails will interfere with the usual way you pull. Because you have to think more about how to get around the nails it will focus your attention and get you out of that unconscious "trance". It will take some time to get used to them and during this time you might be able to break the habit. This is especially good if you are trying something else (the JK diet, hypnosis, acupuncture, medication) at the same time. Having the nails might help you break the "habit" while the "treatment" sets in.
If you use tweezers (and just can't part with them) leave them in the hands of someone you trust who can give them to you when you really need them (to pluck eyebrows for cosmetic reasons or pull one eyelash that is particularily irritating). It is better to pull out one annoying eyelash with the tweezers than to pull out all the other ones around it with your fingers while trying. This person can watch you and ensure you do not get carried away. If you do not have such a person in your life put your tweezers in a jar full of water in the freezer. That way if you need them, they are still there but it will take a few hours to thaw them and give you time to think about whether or not you really want to pull.
Reward yourself with stickers in a notebook you have created about your trich. Write in this log everything you eat, what stressors are surrounding you, whether or not you are menstruating ... anything you might think contributes to how well (or poorly) you are doing. Paste pictures of models with eyelashes in the book or pictures of yourself when you had eyelashes. Give yourself a sticker if you beat your record from yesterday. Write down how many you pulled. Don't estimate, actually count them; this will make you more aware of your pulling patterns and why they occur.
Some trichsters switch sites from which they pull; that is, they "grow out of" one site and it is no longer pleasurable to pull from there. Start pulling from a site that no one can see (like your pubic hair). Whenever you have the urge (and are in the privacy of your own home) pull from your pubic hair instead - without guilt! When you are done you will not have to deal with the stigma of thinking people are staring at you and noticing your eyelashes. Hopefully you will eventually be able to "grow out" of pulling from your eyelashes and pull exclusively from your pubic hair. This idea corresponds with the notion that you will always have TTM but you have to learn to modify it.

I was successful with the above suggestions for varying periods of time. This is not to say that they will work for you, but I sincerely hope that you can find something that does. Keep trying new innovative things and don't give up. I believe there is a right time for everyone to stop pulling and right now might not be your time. But you will never know if it is unless you are always trying. Good Luck!

porcialyn@hotmail.com

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