I can't seem to get on the computer every day to post, but I bought a Composition Notebook to keep a log of my progress or lack of progress. So now I'll catch up:

July 6, 2007: (HPC: 2) HPC stands for Hair Pulled Count. Just my system for keeping track...
Pulled 2 hairs from right eyebrow. It felt wet. I don't know how I feel about that. Maybe it felt good, but my mental reaction was "Oh no - oh well!" Dammit I'm tired of this.
It happened while watching Larry King's Anniversary Special on CNN. Nothing stressful about that show to blame it on. Caught my hands going over my eyelashes several times and I was able to stop myself by leaning back on the sofa pillows and gripping a large handful of hair at the back of my head into a fist and keeping it clenched. I don't pull the hair of my head (yet and I hope I never start) and I guess doing this might not be the greatest avoidance option, it could lead to head hair pulling. I'll try sitting on my hands next time. I think it will help to have a plan of action of what I will do if I start to pull my hair, so I can quickly do something to counteract it.

July 5, 2007: (HPC: 6)
Pulled out 5 hairs out of my left eyebrow while opening the mail - the bank statement specifically. Yes you guessed it, I was worried about money. Later I pulled 1 hair out of my right eyebrow when the kids were stressing me out!

July 4, 2007: (HPC: 1-2)
I caught myself pulling today - on my right eye - the skin on my eye felt weird - like I was developing a stye (it was probably just hair growth pushing thru skin that made it feel that way) I pulled out one eyelash on the top lid, inside corner. I did NOT have a feeling of relief, it was more shocking to me how fast an eyelash had come out, even while I was 'working' mentally on stopping myself. I was watching TV at my brother in law's house when it happened - we were watching The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford and I guess it caused me some tension. Damn good movie though, hair or no hair.

I did some close up examining of my face/skin today and found a small dark hair growing on the top of my nose. I plucked it with tweezers. I really don't think of counting that as a Trich action though. I am about 4 days away from my period. Just logging that to track a hormonal pattern. I'm not posting when my menstrual cycle is because I think anyone reading this blog will find that interesting! LOL...highly unlikely anyone would enjoy knowing...TMI

I was watching TV tonight and A (my daughter) was stroking through the top of her hair, and it looked like she was picking at her scalp too. God I hope and pray that she does not have and will not get Trich! I talked to her a bit about it and told her that it can often start at her age and to be careful of that, try to be aware of what she is doing. When the kids were little, I literally prayed to God fervently that I would have control of my Trich before my kids noticed it. But of course it comes and goes and they did notice it. I have had really frank talks about it with my youngest daughter but haven't had the opportunity to talk about it as much in depth with A. Today let me know that I should teach A more about it, so that if she is starting to do it, we can confront it early and she won't have to suffer.

If she is starting it, we can work on it with the same techniques I am trying to stop it. I don't want her to feel alone or shamed. There is a bit of fear I must admit I have - the fear that if I teach my kids too much about it, that that in itself could launch the Trich behavior.

I will continue to work on my own impulse control problem, and set an example.