Psychological Disorder Makes People Pull Out Their Own Hair

Do you constantly pluck hairs from your head or your face when stressed? You might have a disorder called trichotillomania.

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Following is the transcript of the video:

Dena Rabinowitz, PhD: Trichotillomania is compulsive hair pulling. Where people pull out their hair either from their head, their face, or anywhere on their body in response to either a habitual need to pull, a compulsive feeling, or anxiety.

When people with trichotillomania pull their hair, they're often looking for different things. Some people look for the sensation. Some people like to see the hair. And some people actually will nibble off the end, the follicle.

The most common places that people pick their hair from in trichotillomania is their head. But we also see a lot of eyebrows and eyelashes. We can see arm hair, leg hair, and sometimes even pubic hair.

Most people aren't born with trichotillomania. It's something that can develop in childhood and adolescence, and it's usually in response to some sort of trigger of anxiety or stress.

Trichotillomania isn't dangerous, but it has some social consequences in that the more you pull your hair, the more bald patches and absence of hair you have, which can lead to social ostracization or criticism.

Treating trichotillomania involves a couple things. The first is we want to look at what is the pattern that people engage in this habit. Where do they pull the most? What causes it?

We often try to give people stress management, anxiety management tools, so that they're less triggered to pull. And then we work on something called competing response and habit reversal. Which is a way of teaching people alternate behaviors that are more adaptive to help them relieve their stress instead of pulling their hair out.

There a lot of body-focused behaviors that can be compulsive. What makes something often maladaptive or more normative is the percent of people who do it and the amount of interference it causes.

So lots of people will bite their nails, pick at a scab, pick at their cuticles. It doesn't mean it's a problem. But when you do it at a frequency that it causes interference in your daily life and causes distress, either because you're causing damage to the nail beds or you're doing it so much that it causes social interference, then it really is a problem. And it's similar to trichotillomania in that way.

[mariahgomes]

I pull my hair every time when studying and usually search for split ends

[cattlecastle]

I'm so glad this is getting more awareness, I've been doing this is for years, and it's never something people like to accept

[JustEdgeOfficial]

It does help to know that it's not that of an uncommon thing. Holy shit, I've been pulling my hairs since I was 10 and I was so afraid because I thought I was the only one in the entire world that ever did that.

[leonkennedysrizzler]

For me, I pull my hair when I’m studying or I’m watching something or basically when I’m just bored. I pull out curly, dry hair or hair that have tips that feel odd. I also sometimes look for split ends. Another thing is that sometimes, I keep the hair that I pulled out for no reason.

[king.e]

I like feeling the thick hair that I pull out 😂

[reagansterling]

This comment section is helping me feel less alone. Thank you for speaking out❤️ None of us are alone

[goofycawfee]

I need to stop pulling my hair i have this and I realize that I pull my hair more often when I’m sad or stressed

[whoviankaleigh]

I started doing this as a teen. It’s probably because of stress. It’s definitely compulsive because if a hair has a different texture than the others or if it’s significantly longer than the others in whatever strand of hair is in my face, then I have to pull it. My hair has thinned out a little in one spot but it kind of blends in with where it parts so it’s not too terribly noticeable...I hope.

[addison]

The feeling of the pulls feel so good its hard to stop. When the whole root actually comes out its so satisfying. I bite on that part and i dont kno why. I love but and i wish i could stop

[quantalor]

The feeling is amazing especially certain spots

[chelsafilibeck]

Picked my hair while watching this...how do I stop😣😣

[moonchildasmr]

I have this. It's so annoying....
😒😒😒😒😒

[myriamrosado]

I have this condition and i tend to do it more when I'm stressed. I look for the feeling of very wavi texture then when i find the wavi texture i pull the hair in the front and the back

[megantaylor]

I had this as a kid. For me, it was a compulsive behavior that became a coping mechanism for anxiety and sometimes an avenue for self-harm. It took about four years of trying to quit to get better. I wish I had had some kind of explanation for what was happening because I felt like I was going crazy.

[championeshadow]

I've got this. It's not fun, and comes a lot from stress from school and Work.

[denizabsz]

I had this for 6 years. 2 months ago I decided to stop. Only self control and willpower helped but I'm finally not bald my hair growing back. It's really hard, like controlling your breathing all the time and I still can't stop touching my hair but at least not pull it.
*Just focus on your hands* this is my advice :')♡

[rarazahira]

I have trich since 10 years ago... I keep searching for the 'strange' structured hair, pulled it, and nibble off the follicles.. I've tried to stop, but it keeps coming back...

[destinymartinez]

I am a mother of a teenager with Tritochomania!!! Is really hard and sad to see my son going thru all this anxiety and pulling his hair!!! I spoke to the doctor about having a solution because seen him without hair makes me very sad and I suffer with him too!!! As long your anxiety is calm and control you will longer have this!!! This disease isn't forever as long you control the anxiety and stress!!! I just hope and pray you kids convince yourself you could do better in life without Tritochomania in your life!!! Another thing parents don't get mad they just get sad and when they feel hopeless they in a way express themselves in a insult way because they don't want you to continue pulling your hair and be bully at school or anywhere you go!!! God bless you kids and I will have you in my prayers with my son!!!

[ElNingyou]

I’ve done this off and on over the years starting when I was about ten. It’d usually happen during idle at-home moments like while watching television and movies. Honestly it just felt good. There is no pain involved. I’d only pull out either the finest or the coarsest hairs and leave the rest alone. I made bald patches the first time in spots where my hair tends to be fine, but the hair grew back despite the appearance of follicle removal, and it always seemed to after bouts since. Occasionally it’s become an unconscious behavior and hard to moderate. Cutting my hair short has always alleviated that problem; my hands never think to bother “maintaining” short hair.

[burden]

I do this all the time and I don't notice...