100 Changemakers for 100 days of BFRB Awareness
When I headed to the library during my last week of college ever, I had a full, luscious set of eyelashes and eyebrows. By the time I had walked out, after hours of studying on my laptop, I had pulled months of freshly regrown lashes and brows, creating gaps that I’d imagined could be seen from Jupiter. I had no idea that this pulling session would inspire me to build an AI software for trichotillomania called Pluck!
I first realized I had trichotillomania when I was 8 years old, when I had an eyelash naturally fall on my face, and my babysitter told me to make a wish. I thought, “This is amazing, if I pull I get unlimited wishes!” So I began pulling my lashes out, first consciously, then unconsciously. It became a habit that spread to my eyebrows over time and I soon began using my wishes to wish all my urges to pull away.
My pulling lessened in middle and high school, but during my freshman year of college I relapsed when we got sent home during COVID. With all of my classes now online, I became glued to my laptop taking notes, completing assignments and attending office hours.
Working on a laptop became where I pulled the most. Whether I was moderately stressed working on an assignment, or just experiencing writer’s block, pulling would help me focus and soothe myself in the process. Even when my classes became in-person again for my junior and senior year, many tests, assignments and readings were kept online, thus pulling persisted.
I would manage trichotillomania by wearing thick liquid eyeliner and drawing on my eyebrows, so no one at school knew that I pulled. However, at the start of my second semester of senior year, I set a personal goal of not needing to wear makeup at graduation.
I was SOOOO close to achieving this goal until that fateful day in the library. When I walked out after that pulling spree, I felt defeated and got in the car with my boyfriend who knew I had trich. I complained that I wished he had been studying with me to have stopped me from pulling all those hours. I wished my laptop could’ve made me aware of how much I was plucking… then the lightbulb moment struck.
By the end of the car ride, the idea for Pluck was born. We set out to create an AI chrome extension for people with trichotillomania who pull when using their computers. Using the webcam of a laptop, Pluck uses AI to detect when you’re pulling, then sends a pop-up screen with a replacement behavior and affirmation to interrupt automatic responses to the urge to pull.
After creating the prototype, the time came for me to post the idea in a Facebook group, to see if people would be interested in this technology. This was a huge moment for me…
Prior to this, only about 10 of my closest friends and family knew that I had trichotillomania. My name and profile picture were now going to be visible to over 17,000 people in this group. I made the post, put my phone on airplane mode and ran into another room.
After about ten minutes, I willed myself to turn it back on, and was amazed! Not only were people liking and commenting on the post, but I even quickly got my first signup to the waitlist. If you’ve ever seen the movie Inside Out, seeing that first email hit my inbox felt like a core memory. I became so excited and inspired to build Pluck to create real change in people’s lives, and I’ve been working on it ever since!
Since that day, I have become immersed in the online trichotillomania community. The unconditional love and eagerness to share resources that help with trich have continued to inspire me. I aim to be a voice in the community that continues to share resources and technology that will spread positivity and healing to people just like me <3
Examples of blogs I have written to help do just this are:
- How Pluck integrates Habit Reversal Therapy
- How to set SMART goals for trichotillomania
- How to foster a growth mindset through affirmations
- How to recognize the messages trichotillomania is communicating
To check out Pluck, visit: https://www.thepluckapp.com/
Instagram: pluckfortrich
Facebook: The Pluck
Support BFRB Changemakers
BFRB Changemakers supports BFRB healing through community. Our mission is 3-fold:
- raise awareness of debilitating conditions of Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) such as compulsive hair pulling (trichtotillomania), nail biting (onychophagia), and skin picking (dermatillomania),
- increase and improve access to care, and
- advance community recovery.
Through the BFRB Changemakers Training Academy we strive to increase access to care by offering Continuing Education training to new and seasoned mental health treatment professionals.
BFRB Changemakers is a 501c3 non-profit (EIN #93-1544492). Please make a donation to support these efforts!
