[collegegurl6612]

My problem/habit is that when I put on my mascara, later I will find myself picking the mascara off with my fingers until I have pulled some eyelashes out with it. I do this all day everyday. I'm constantly messing with my eyes and lashes and I will have pulled out four or five lashes on one little clump of mascara and I can't stop until I have pulled all the mascara off and then by the time I do that I would have pulled out quite a few lashes this is a big concern to me and Ive noticed gaps in my lashes where some are missing. I can't seem to stop this habit I'm afraid if I don't seek some kind of help or advice I will keep on until I have none left. If somebody could please help me as to why they think I am displaying this habit/problem and give me some advice as to what I need to do to stop I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks Collegegurl6612

[J_9]

How about not wearing mascara for a while?

[collegegurl6612]

That doesn't help me I need to know if this is a problem or what and Im not going to stop using mascara that doesn't fix the problem because if I was to do that then later try and where it again I know I would start it up again... its a tic that I can't stop

[justcurious55]

I had a friend who would rip her hair out. It's actually a real illness. She had a bald spot fro it she would do it so much. And she just couldn't stop. I think another friend of mine said she did end up going to the dr for it. She was very embarrassed by it though so I really couldn't ask her for details. But she no longer has a bald spot.

I wonder if you ripping out eye lashes is a similar sort of thing. I agree with j_9, stop with the mascara until you see a dr, if you really feel it's a problem

[collegegurl6612]

With or without the mascara I still mess with my eyelashes I rub them it kind of soothes me but I end up pulling them out or I make them loose and they fall out I feel no pain what's so ever from this its like Im making them loose and then they fallout with the slightest touch

[justcurious55]

And that's why I suggested you seek medical attention. Until you figure out how to stop it, you would benefit from not wearing mascara because as you said yourself, with the mascara you pull out 4-5 eyelashes at a time. That implies that without mascara you pull out less at once.

[Gemini54]

This is essentially obsessive compulsive behavior - we all do it at times, and we all have things that we're OC about.

Seeing a counselor would really benefit you, but I'd also like to make some other suggestions so that you can begin to understand what's at the core of it.

To begin with, don't try and stop yourself from doing it. Just be aware of what you doing and when it's happening. Was there an emotional, physical or social trigger for it? What are you feeling? (e.g. anxious, stressed, irritated) How does your body feel? (e.g. tense, nervy, upset)

It's important that you consciously draw your attention to yourself when you're pulling at your eyelashes - observe yourself and how you're feeling and what you body is doing. If you can understand why you're doing it, or what the triggers are, perhaps you can change those triggers or avoid them until it happens less.

In time, as you're observing yourself pulling at your eyelashes, you can say to yourself 'stop!' and put your hands by your side. Keep saying 'stop!' each time you feel yourself doing it and put your hands by your side. Be really aware of what you're doing.

Eventually, if you do it often enough you'll retrain yourself not to do it. It will take time.

[Maggie 3]

Put a rubber band around your wrist, when you start to put to your fingers to your eyes,
Pull the rubber band let go and let it hit your wrist. This will get your mind off yor eyes.
Some people have allergies to eye makup you need to look in to that.

Maggie 3
L

[HellHound82]

Have to agree with gemini sounds like ocd

[brybry22]

Its called trichotillomania - pulling of eyelashes or eyebrows or hair. I have had it for a long time mostly my eyelashes and mascara as you say, but it got very bad when I hit a very low point in my life and for a year I could not stop, it gave me relief from stress- normal stresses that everyone else has but I had to relieve it by pulling. I went to the doctor and went on a waiting list for CBT and my first therapist was just for anxiety issues I had and didn't know how to treat it pulling but my therapist that he referred me to for the pulling has literally saved me from doing it. I couldn't understand how talking therapy could stop you but it has, it is still hard I have all my eyelashes growing back swiftly but I have the problem of wanting to pull mascara - luckily I still see her but I suggest you to go to the doctors tell him what you have and that it needs treating. Never be embarrassed - you can put liquid eyeliner on no one will know if you are worried about that until your eyelashes come back. But go tell the doctors - it was had for me to go to the doctors as I pulled because of anxiety problems especially social anxiety problems so talking to a doctor who I didn't know deemed hard but I did it and I would never turn back. Hope this helps xx