Trichotillomania is a hair-pulling disorder, where sufferers have recurrent, tempting urges to pull out hair from their scalps, eyebrows, or other areas of their bodies. As they give in to these habits, they might experience severe hair loss. Trichotillomania (Trich) is diagnosed based on its symptoms. There’s no specific test for it.
A doctor might refer someone who has symptoms of Trich to a psychiatrist or psychologist. The psychiatrist or psychologist will interview the person and see if they might have an impulse control disorder.
For some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. For others, the compulsive urge to pull hair is overwhelming.
What are some causes?
Trichotillomania can be related to emotions:
Negative emotions
For Trich patients, hair pulling releases uncomfortable feelings such as stress, tension, anxiety, loneliness, fatigue, or frustration.
Positive feelings
People with trich often find that pulling out hair makes them feel joyful. It becomes a habit to maintain these positive feelings.
Many people who have trichotillomania also pick their skin, bite their nails or chew their lips. Sometimes pulling hairs from pets or dolls or materials, such as clothes or blankets, may be an early sign of their illness(1). Most people with trich pull hair in private and generally try to hide the disorder from others.
Who suffers from it?
Some factors may boost your risk of trichotillomania, including:
Age
Trichotillomania usually occurs in the early teens, between ages 10-13(2). It can last throughout life, though symptoms will appear and disappear.
Genes
In some families, the tendency to hair pulling may be genetic. It’s more likely if another family member has it.
Other mental health disorders
If you live with trichotillomania, other mental health problems may surface(3). These mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Stress
Severely stressful situations or events may trigger trichotillomania in some people.
Complications
Trichotillomania can have a significant negative impact on your life. Apart from obvious hair loss, there are also other complications.
Complications may include:
Emotional distress
Many people with trichotillomania report that they feel embarrassed. They may experience low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, or resort to alcohol or street drug use because of their condition.
Social avoidance
Due to the embarrassment that many sufferers feel because of hair loss, they avoid social activities and job opportunities. Trichotillomania victims may wear wigs, style their hair to disguise bald patches, or wear false eyelashes. Some people may avoid intimacy for fear that their condition will be discovered4.
Skin and hair damage
Constant hair pulling can cause scarring and other damage, including infections, to the skin on your scalp or the specific area where hair is pulled and can permanently affect hair growth.
Hairballs
Eating your hair may lead to a massive, matted hairball (trichobezoar) in your digestive tract. Over the years, the hairball can cause weight loss, vomiting, intestinal obstruction, and even death.
Conclusion
If you’re suffering from trichotillomania, we’re here to help. Contact Genesis II today by clicking here.
Photo Credit: Engin Akyurt Via Pexels
Footnotes:
1.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trichotillomania/symptoms-causes/syc-20355188
2.https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/trichotillomania.html
3.https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/trichotillomania/
4.https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/hair/longform/a36858/female-hair-loss/
