Is trichotillomania a reason for your hair loss?

Is trichotillomania a reason for your hair loss?

You may have the urge to constantly pull your hair. You may even be ashamed of it, but you can't control it. The reason you are doing this is because you may have trichotillomania. Trichotillomania is an impulse disorder in which a person experiences a constant urge that they may be unable to resist to pull their hair. Impulse control disorders are conditions in which you have a strong, uncontrollable urge to engage in self-destructive behavior. Some examples of impulse control disorders are pyromania and kleptomania. Pyromania is the urge to set fires and kleptomania is the urge to steal. The true cause of trichotillomania has not been understood or found, but researchers believe it is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Trichotillomania can also be a genetic disorder as it runs in families.

Symptoms of trichotillomania

Not everyone has the same symptoms of trichotillomania. Some pull their hair strand by strand, while others may pull large clumps of it. Some people may do this consciously and feel good about pulling their hair, while others may pull their hair unconsciously without realizing it. After pulling the strand, some may inspect it or even swallow it. The symptoms are usually:

Pulling hair causes hair loss in patches

satisfying feeling when pulling hair

Shame and even deny what they do

Experience relief when hair is pulled

playing with pulled hair

Rub the pulled hairs on your lips

How common is trichotillomania?

Trichotillomania is a fairly rare disorder, with only about 1 percent of the population possibly suffering from trichotillomania. This condition usually occurs in women, who outnumber men by a ratio of 3 to 1. There is a problem determining the frequency of people with trichotillomania. This is because people tend to deny that they have the disorder and do not seek help from professionals. Trichotillomania usually begins between the ages of 11 and 13. However, there is a possibility that children aged 1 to 2 years may also have trichotillomania and hair pulling.

Dealing with trichotillomania

If you feel that you or someone you know is suffering from hair loss due to trichotillomania, it is advisable to seek out a professional team of hair experts. The hair exercises can give you tips to control trichotillomania before it's too late. People need help from professionals to control their hair-pulling impulses. Common treatment for trichotillomania includes:

MEDICATIONS: If treatment for trichotillomania is not necessary, the hair expert may prescribe medications such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to help people control their urges to pull hair.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY: In this therapy, the hair expert will teach you how to manage and recognize your hair pulling urges so that you don't pull your hair unconsciously. The hair expert will show you how certain situations cause hair strands and how you can control or change them and stop the hair loss caused by them.

BEHAVIOR CHANGE: The hair expert recommends that you get busy when you feel the urge to pull your hair. You could squeeze a stress ball or do activities like knitting, reading, cooking, etc.

Controlling trichotillomania can be difficult, but if you work with the hair expert and treat your condition, join support groups made up of other people who have a similar situation as you to overcome trichotillomania.

Inspired by Jamme Darke