Trichotillomania is associated as another obsessive-compulsive condition wherein individuals are known to pull their hair continuously and unconsciously. People with this disorder have an irresistible urge to pull hair from the head, eyelids, and other body areas. What causes it?
And no, it’s not just incessant pulling – trichotillomania persons attempt to stop their hair-pulling habits, but only to fail at the end of the day. Do you know anyone who’s suffering from this condition that needs help?
Facial hair-pulling consists of removal of the eyelashes and eyebrows. Hair-pulling from the head results in deep patches of bald spots. It can be distressing for a person to have this condition because it affects them in various ways. How?
- Bald spots can lead to low self-esteem and may affect personal, social, or occupational life.
- The incessant hair-pulling is nerve-wracking enough to the person who can’t control themselves.
- And, the cause of this condition may be hard to treat or maintain. Common causes often include the environment of the person, stress, and keystone habits.
People with this condition will do anything to disguise their hair loss. Please take note, that trichotillomania is known as a mental disorder, alongside depression, chronic stress, and severe anxiety. Be careful about how you talk with a person with trichotillomania – because, it’s not that easy.
Trichotillomania disorder may be mild and manageable to some individuals. However, there are people suffering from an overwhelming urge which leads not only to hair loss, but also sleep loss, severe apprehension, and panic attacks.
Oh, if you don’t know – I’m a trichotillomania victim also.
A reformed one – I guess? I’m writing this article to reach out and help others who are suffering from this condition also.
Symptoms of trichotillomania
If you have trichotillomania as I do, you know what it feels like. Signs and symptoms may include:
- Repeated hair-pulling from scalp, face, and all over the body
- Strong, irresistible urge to pull hair
- A sense of relief after pulling the hair
- Large spots of hair loss found in the scalp or facial region
- Playing or touching hair in certain matters (Mine starts with twirling)
I’ve read in some articles that some individuals eat their own hair – now, that’s just sad. It’s called trichophagia or the Rapunzel Syndrome. Doctors find it uncommon to see someone who does that. And in my life, I haven’t seen anyone who has done that also.
Why people pull their hair
Hair-pulling, while it’s a mental state with physical consequences, is actually built on emotional factors. The symptoms usually start when they’re triggered by stress, tension, or depression. Some people start to pull their hair when they’re bored, lying down on a sofa or bed, or watching a TV.
Others started with a keystone habit like after doing their hair and makeup routine, taking a bath, or brushing their hair. Some persons are triggered by a situation they can’t control such as most women when having menstruation due to hormonal changes.
But often, emotions play a huge role in trichotillomania. Here’s what causes one to start why people pull their hair.
Stress reliever (focused)
Hair-pulling is often preceded by stress, anxiety, or tension. People pull their hairs to feel relief. When one feels frustrated, pressured, or fatigued, they are focused and intent on pulling their hair whenever they feel these emotions.
Automatic hair-pulling
Hair-pulling is done due to varying degrees of awareness. Mindless activities such as watching television, browsing on social media, or humdrum food eating can trigger trichotillomania.
Body-focused habits
Repetitive behaviors can induce trichotillomania in some individuals. Actions such as combing one’s hair, lip chewing, or nail-biting can further lead to hair-pulling. By minding these habits, you get to breakdown a keystone habit which causes trichotillomania.
Hormones
Women are known to have strong tendencies towards hair-pulling. This condition worsens when there’s a change in body hormones that trigger this habit. For instance, menstruation can throw off the body’s natural rhythm and leads to women picking their hair strands. Some hair-pulling urges happen after taking slimming and hormonal pills also.
Genetics
Do you have an aunt who pulls their hair? Or, how about a mother who suffers from trichotillomania also? Genetics plays a huge role – and it’s more common in various households in the Philippines.
Mixed factors
There are individuals who engage in hair-pulling as a result of one of the factors mentioned above.
Trichotillomania affects such individuals over a long period of time. Think – years. Once you find yourself with this hair-pulling disorder, visit a doctor. The first doctor people usually see is a general physician; however, it’s best to visit a psychiatrist or psychologist as well.
Complications
A normal hair-pull might not seem serious; however, it can have a huge impact on your life. Complications of the condition might lead to:
Diseases, infections, and other medical conditions
Large bald spots on the head are at risk for UV rays from sun exposure. Moreover, it may cause scarring and infections to where your hair is being pulled.
Emotional distress
Trichotillomania individuals are ashamed of their appearances – but, more so, with the fact that they can’t stop themselves from pulling their hair. Depression, stress, and anxiety have a reciprocal relationship with trichotillomania. The latter happens when these feelings are present, and thus, further leads to more negative emotions.
Poor social life
Embarrassed? You’re not alone. People with this condition tend to wear wigs and fake lashes to hide their bald spots. Of course, this leads to the curiosity of regular people and would further pick on the victim.
There are various treatments for trichotillomania which involves mindfulness and habit tracking. There are no approved medications that specifically treat trichotillomania. People who visit their doctors, however, might be given anti-depressant pills.
How to treat trichotillomania
I did mention that I’m a reformed trichotillomania victim. My experience involves no visits to the doctor, but instead, a practice on mindfulness, lifestyle change, productivity organization, and habit tracking. Oh, and I journal a lot.
Disclaimer: Remember, I took baby steps to improve myself. Meaning, I didn’t actually stop my hair-pulling but lessened it through the years. I can’t say how my self-help therapy will work on others. Take note – what works for me, may not work for you. I’m not liable for any outcome you have when you tried these treatments.
But, feel free to try these techniques – to your own accord. Who knows? It might work for you too. Other people have tried it. It’s all about finding what works for you.
Take note: It will take time. It’s not an overnight success.
Meditation and deep breathing
I’m a huge fan of meditation. I do it daily to clear my mind of any worries and feel more confident about myself. Try meditating for 2 minutes and see if you can work your way to 20 minutes. If you haven’t started meditating at all, don’t force yourself on this exercise for 1 hour.
Meditation improves relaxation, mood, focused, and clarity (See article 1 and article 2 here). What’s more, it teaches you to become more mindful of your actions.
Habit tracking
By being mindful, trichotillomania victims get to learn and track their hair-pulling situations. Ask yourself: Does it occur when you’re tense? Have you pulled your hair when you mindlessly eat that bag of chips?
What I do is to write it down on my habit tracker notebook and apps like ENGROSS. I even place it on walls where I can see my DO NOT PULL YOUR HAIR notice. If I end up pulling my hair, I drop a coin or bill on my money jar. If I survive the day without pulling my hair, I reward myself.
Self-cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT allows you to evaluate belies revolving around hair-pulling. For instance, you keep telling yourself you’ll feel great after pulling yourself, but you wake up to the reality that it’s really not. CBT squashes any distorted beliefs associated with trichotillomania. You can seek professional CBT from doctors.
When it comes to self-CBT, I do mantra meditation. I keep telling myself that “trichotillomania won’t give me happiness” and it only “gives temporary relief from stress.”
Talk therapy/self-talk therapy
Talking with a psychologist or psychiatrist will help individuals explore what triggers their trichotillomania. What’s more, it helps make them more relaxed and be open to what they really feel. While there’s no medication to directly treat insomnia, psychiatrists will prescribe the individual some anti-depressants.
Self-talk therapy is what the word says it is. You talk to yourself out from trichotillomania. If you find self-talk hard to do, it’s best to seek professional advice from doctors.
Group therapy
I always wanted a group therapy, but I don’t know where to find one. Trichotillomania is a scary and embarrassing condition. And oftentimes, the victim feels alone and isolated. Group therapies are helpful because you find support from people with similar struggles.
It’s hard to do it alone. If you fail on finding traction or success from these self-treatments, seek help from a professional. Ask your doctor for a recommendation to control trichotillomania.
Endgame
If you know a trichotillomania victim, NEVER MAKE FUN OF THAT PERSON. It’s like making fun of a mentally depressed person. And, that’s just wrong. Furthermore onto this article, never make comments such as:
- “Can you just stop?” Believe me. We can’t just stop. It’s hard to stop. We’ve been asking ourselves the same question for over 10 years. This question further adds the shame and guilt one feels – and further sinks to a black hole loop of endless depression.
- “You need to relax.” It’s a tricky statement since not all victims respond positively to it. When trichotillomania is more than just relaxing – it’s mentally exhausting. Honestly, it not just about relaxing – it’s all about behavior also.
- “You need to cut your hair so you can’t pick them anymore!” Not true. Once the hair grows, the picking will still continue. It’s not just about the hair – trichotillomania is deeper than that.
- “You—“ Stop staring at the person. Unless the victim tells you to observe him or her, staring at trichotillomania individuals will make them feel guilty and ashamed.
Oh, honey. Trichotillomania is a perplexing condition that always leads to no good. It’s best to be empathetic than be sympathetic over a victim. If you’re suffering from trichotillomania, tell me in the comments on how you cope up living with this condition.
