Trichotillomania is a disorder where the sufferer has the urge to pull out their hair . It is a type of compulsive behaviour disorder ,and some people with this may also suffer from skin picking or nail biting. It is a problem which can lead to a lot of embarrassment as some people will get bald patches and they will try to cover this up .
Hair pulling is not always just related to the scalp, some people pull out their eyelashes, or other body hair. Some doctors think this is an ocd disorder (obsessive compulsive disorder), and some think it may be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters.
Whatever the cause of hair pulling, it can be really distressing for the sufferer, as it is really difficult to stop. It can seem worse when the person is stressed or worried about something, and some people do not seem to be aware that they are pulling, however for a lot of sufferers it is like a kind of release ,and makes them feel better ,if only for a moment.
If you suffer from Trichotillomania, you might feel like you are the only one ,however this is more common than you think, but most people tend to keep it to themselves as they feel ashamed of what they do.
Medication can help some people, so it is worth a try but not everyone wants to resort to taking tablets.
Your doctor can give you more information about what you can take but often anti depressents are prescribed which can help the imbalance of chemicals in the brain.
You could also see a therapist that uses behaviour techniques that help you recognise the urge to pull before it becomes too strong to resist
With this techniue you can gradually learn to resist the urge so that it gradually gets weaker ,and then goes away.
Some people find that keepin busy helps, especially if there are certain triggers that start the hair pulling , like some sufferers find that they pull while watching tv, so they try to keep their hands busy , maybe doing a crossword or knitting.
Some sufferers find that keeping their nails really short helps as it is harder to grip the hairs with short nails , though this does not work for everyone
Some people resort to wearing gloves or mittens on their hands, especially when relaxing, so it is harder for them to pull, but again this does not work for everyone as sometimes the urge is so strong to pull that they will remove the gloves.
Statistics show that trichotillomania affects about 3 or even more.
Trichotillomania affects twice as many women than men , and it can start at any age Alot of sufferers find that relaxation helps with the pulling . One thing worth a try is hypnotherapy which apparently has quite a high success rate. If you are interested in finding out about this technique then check out this site.
