Behavior Therapy Week 5 This 5 week Behavior Therapy Program was designed by a Therapist that also suffers from Trichotillomania. If you would like to talk to others that have tried this therapy go to BrendaC's Message Board Home Page Introduction and Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Hi everyone, WHAT THE MIND CAN BELIEVE, THE MIND CAN ACHIEVE. Believe that you can stop pulling, have a burning desire to do so, and you will!! I can't stress that strongly enough. Those of you who have stuck with the program will be approaching the date that you set yourself to be pull free. When that time comes declare yourself pull free before you go to bed along with another positive affirmation. When the morning comes, trust in yourself. You can remain pull free. You have been preparing yourself to do just that in the weeks leading up to now. You have increased your desire to be free and you will be free. You have learnt what to do to overcome urges and you are stong enough to carry those things out. I'm sure that you had much difficulty coming up with a good reason for pulling for your notebooks last week!! WEEK FIVE ACTIVITIES 1. If the thought of pulling comes into your head think about the reason. It might be due to tiredness, anger, self-pity, hunger, a problem, a headache, having over eaten etc. Treat the urge intelligently!! Usually the source of the thought of pulling is treatable. Try the breathing and relaxation exercise, changing circumstances (go for a walk), have a fruit juice, have a bath, wash your hair, do some exercise, call someone on the phone (if it's not a trigger) post a message etc etc. REMEMBER THIS: IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM AND DECIDE TO PULL, THEN YOU WILL HAVE TWO PTOBLEMS. THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WILL STILL BE THERE AND YOU WILL BE MINUS SOME HAIR !!!!!!!! 2. If the thought of pulling comes into your head try imagining that the thought is on a piece of thread or twine. As soon as the thought enters your head, pull the thought out of your head through your ear to where it can do no harm. Don't allow thoughts of pulling to hang around in your head long enough to tantalize you. You can only hold one thought in you head at a time. Make it a positive one. 3. Don't believe anyone who tells you you cannot quit pulling. They might not want you to succeed where they have failed. 4. Anticipate future triggers. By this I mean think about all the things that could possibly happen in the future that would be high risk situations for you. Work aout a plan of how you would handle resisting pulling in these circumstances (ie you lose your job, someone dies, car accident, burglarly etc). If you work this out you can diffuse the urge before it happens or you can ensure that it is controlable. 5. Continue with all the activities from previous weeks. 6. Keep a diary of your journey. Enter you feelings about the process and your successes ect. 7.Keep listing reasons for quitting (these are now reasons I'm glad I quit!). 8. Read you diary and notebook frequently. Never forget what it was like to be a trichster trying to quit. 9. Listen to other trichsters. Feel there pain and pity them for they are still enslaved and you are free!! (I know they don't want your pity!! You are doing this for you not them!). My very best wishes to you all and a happy pull free future. Love, Carry .Website maintained by BrenDakota.