~Trichotillomania Awareness~
Trichotillomani (Trich for short) is a condition where people have the compulsion to pull hair from their head, eyebrows, eyelashes, and other parts of their body.
Things to know about Trich
~Trich is one of a group of behaviors known as body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs)~
~1 in 50 people will experience Trich in their life~
~Trich is obsessive disorder and people that have Trich can not control pulling.
~If untreated Trich will be a chronic condition that one may deal with their whole life ~
~Hair pulling can be in a goal directed or automatic manner~
~People may pull to reduce boredom, frustration, depression, anxiety, excitement, and a number of other emotions triggered by positive and negative situations~
~People may pull without even being aware that they are doing it in the moment~
~Trich causes shame and embarrassment and may lead people to hide and try to cover up their hair loss and bald spots~
Common misconceptions of Trich
1. Trich is a rare disorder
Trich is not rare. There are over 200,000 cases of trichotillomania in just the United States every year. This number is just the number of people who are seeking professional/medical help. There are hundreds of thousands of people undiagnosed or untreated.
2. Trich is a result of trauma
There is no common cause of Trich. It is true that some people who suffer with Trich have reported negative events in relation to pulling but not every person has experienced negative events. Even in 2020 the causes of Trich are still being researched but it is believed that there is a genetic component and/or more complicated than one root cause.
3. Trich is OCD
Trichotillomania is on the Obsessive-Compulsive disorder spectrum but they are not the same. An OCD compulsion is a repetitive act or behavior in response to a particular obsession. In contrast Trichotillomania is a compulsion that may be obsessive but also may be self-soothing. OCD is typically associated with negative emotions and distress over their obsessions and compulsions. Those wuth Trich may experience pleasure or relief from pulling. The disorders are similar but different and it is possible to have both.
4. Hair pulling is harmless
To those that do not have Trichotillomania it may seem like a harmless habit but this disorder can impact someone’s everyday life and lead to serious problems . The shame and embarrassment associated to the consistent pulling will lead to an increase in social anxiety and depression. Those that suffer from Trich may ingest their hair which can also damage to the intestines. If the hair is pulled persistently it can lead to damaged hair follicles preventing the hair from ever growing back.
5. People with Trich can just stop or be cured
Trich is not a bad habit to be overcome but instead a mental health disorder. Since it is a compulsion people can not resist the urge to pull or may not even know hat they are pulling. Even if someone seeks treatment there is no cure. Since the cause is unknown the cure for it is still unknown as well. There is no medicine to stop the urge but treatment can allow you to manage the urges and prevent pulling by replacing the urge with a different mechanism.
Things you may not know about Trich
~It is not just hair pulling. People with Trich may pick their skin or bite their nails.~
~Some people even do it in their sleep~
~One treatment option is hypnosis~
~Trich can develop at any time in a person’s life~
~Even though it is a common disorder much it not known about it or is it talked about~
Things to avoid saying to someone with Trich
~Just Stop~
~Why do you pull your hair out~
~You can totally see your bald patches~
~That’s weird~
~You’ll grow out of it~
~You should cover up~
~Why don’t you love yourself*~
Ways to properly support those with Trich.
~The easiest thing to do is to educate yourself on the disorder so that you can have an understanding of what they may be going through~
~Offer support but do not preach because you do not know what it is like to deal with this disorder. Support them by helping them find and access support groups and resources. Be empathetic more than sympathetic~
~Instead of offering advice just be a listening ear and reassure them that you love and accept them. Remind them that this mental disorder does not make them ugly and does not make them weak~
~Help your loved one identify behavioral patterns associated with their pulling. Helping them discover what factors lead to pulling and actions that follow pulling can help that person treat Trich. This can help discover triggers and possible alternative coping mechanisms. This is useful but do not do it unless your loved one has expressed this is something that would help them. A lot of people with Trich are embarrassed by it and do not want attention brought to it or for people to know when they pull~
~The most important thing you can do is to resist watching , commenting, and judging them while they are pulling/picking and following. Trich is a chronic disorder that won’t go away quickly so do not expect them to just stop over night. Be there for them while they are in treatment or making progress but making comments may risk damaging their motivation and progress~
~Support their efforts to help themselves and encourage their persistence~
Resources to learn about Trich
To learn more about Trichotillomania please visit these sites
https://www.bfrb.org/learn-about-bfrbs/trichotillomania
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/trichotillomania.html
https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/trichotillomania-hair-pulling
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/trichotillomania/