What Is Trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania (pronounced: trik-oh-till-oh-may-nee-ah) is a type of psychological condition that involves strong urges to pull hair. The condition is fairly rare - statistics show it affects only 1% to 3% of the population, although new research suggests that the rate of hair pulling may be around 10% or higher.
Trichotillomania affects about twice as many girls as guys. Most people who have trichotillomania develop the condition during adolescence. But it can start when a person is as young as 1 year old.
People with trichotillomania pull hair out at the root from places like the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or pubic area. Some people pull large handfuls of hair, which can leave bald patches on the scalp or eyebrows. Other people pull out their hair one strand at a time. Some inspect the strand after pulling it out, or play with the hair after it's been pulled. About half of people with the condition put the hair in their mouths after pulling it.
Trichotillomania isn't just a habit that a person can easily stop. It's a medical condition.
Trichotillomania is a type of compulsive behavior, which means that people with the condition feel an overwhelming urge to pull their hair. People with trichotillomania also may experience other compulsive behaviors, such as nail biting or skin picking. Some may have problems like depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Compulsive behaviors like trichotillomania can sometimes run in families.
Trichotillomania often leads to embarrassment, frustration, shame, or depression about the condition. Self-esteem problems are very common among those with trichotillomania. They usually try to hide the behavior from others, which can make it difficult to get help.
Why Do People Feel Compelled to Pull Their Hair?
Doctors don't know for certain what causes trichotillomania. Some think it might be related to OCD since OCD and trichotillomania are both anxiety disorders. This is one reason why the impulses that lead to hair pulling can be stronger when a person is stressed out or worried.
Experts think that compulsive behaviors like hair pulling may be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters (pronounced: nur-oh-tranz-mit-urs), are part of the brain's communication center. When something interferes with how neurotransmitters work, it can cause problems like compulsive behaviors.
Sometimes compulsive behaviors happen when the mind mistakenly thinks that activities like hair pulling will provide relief from stress or other problems. Some people with trichotillomania say that they notice a pleasurable feeling when they pull their hair or get relief from uncomfortable feelings. (This isn't the case for all people with the condition, though; some, like Daria, don't know why they do it.)
Any relief that comes with hair pulling usually only lasts for a moment. The urge almost always returns. That's because when the mind becomes used to giving in to the powerful urges that go with compulsive behaviors, the behavior is reinforced. The mind gets trapped in a cycle of expecting to have the urge fulfilled.
