Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a condition where a person feels compelled to pull their hair out.
They may pull out the hair on their head or in other places, such as their eyebrows or eyelashes.
Trichotillomania is an impulse-control disorder, a psychological condition where the person is unable to stop themselves carrying out a particular action.
They will experience an intense urge to pull their hair out and growing tension until they do. After pulling out hair, they'll feel a sense of relief. Pulling out hair on the head leaves bald patches.
Trichotillomania can cause negative feelings, such as guilt. The person may also feel embarrassed or ashamed about pulling their hair out, and may try to deny it or cover it up. Sometimes trichotillomania can make the person feel unattractive and can lead to low self-esteem.
Impulse-control disorders are more common among teenagers and young adults. Trichotillomania tends to affect girls more than boys.
The more you pull your hair out, the more you want to keep doing it.
Trichotillomania may bea reflection of a mental health problem. Psychological and behavioural theories suggest that hair pulling may be a way of relieving stress or anxiety .
In some cases, trichotillomania may be a form of Self-harm , where the person deliberately injuresthemselves as a way of seeking temporary relief from emotional distress.
Your GP may examine areas where the hair is missing to check nothing else is causing the hair to come out, such as a skin infection.
In trichotillomania, bald patches are an unusual shape and may affect one side more than the other.
It involves discussing emotional issues with a trained therapist.
In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that may be recommended. It helps you manage your problems by changing how you think and act.
CBToften involves behavioural therapy,also known ashabit-reversal therapy,which aims to help you change the way you behave for example, by reducing your hair-pulling behaviour.
If you have trichotillomania,it's important you receive emotional help and support. This can be from family, friends or self-help groups.
Organisations such as Trichotillomania Support are good places to start if you're looking for support.
Trichotillomania is a condition where a person feels compelled to pull their hair out.
Most people with trichotillomania pull out hair from their scalp, but some pull out hair from other areas, such as their eyebrows, eyelashes and genital area.
There's no single cause of trichotillomania but there are a number of theories about why it may occur. It may be a reflection of a mental health problem.
You should visit your GP if you are pulling your hair out, or if you notice that your child is.
The most effective treatment for trichotillomania is therapy that aims to change your hair-pulling behaviour, combined with a network of emotional support.
Trichotillomania (hair pulling) can have a significant impact on your quality of life. It can also cause further medical problems.