What is Compulsive Hair Pulling? Aka Trichotillomania

What is Compulsive Hair Pulling? (aka Trichotillomania) Trichotillomania (trik-o-til-o-MAY-nee-uh). A DISORDER THAT INVOLVES RECURRENT, COMPULSIVE URGES TO PULL OUT ONE'S OWN HAIR Trichotillomania, also known as compulsive hair pulling, is a disfiguring and emotionally painful disorder. 1% An estimated 1% of the population suffer from trichotillomania at some point during lifetime. The onset of compulsive hair pulling disorder may be as early as infancy (however in toddlers the disorder tends to disappear by itself with age). Peak of onset The estimated lifetime prevalence in adults is between ranges between 5% 3.4% 9 and 13 years old. 0.6% and 3.4%. • 0.6% The effects of Trichotillomania noticeable hair loss interference with social and work functioning Emotional distress Sparse eyebrows or eyelashes For some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. For others, the compulsive urge to pull hair is overwhelming, and all-consuming. | Body areas affected (based on trichstop.com survey) Scalp 31.38% Eyebrows 18.46% Eyelashes 17.56% Beard 3.04% Other 4.38% Arms 4.75% Pubic hair 14.67% O Legs 5.76% | JUST THE FACTS The majority of compulsive hair-pulling sufferers 88% 01 are girls and women (88% based on trichstop.com survey). Many sufferers are very secretive about their condition, that's why this disorder is considered generallyunderdiagnosed and underreported. 02 Compulsive hair pullers typically pull just one hair at a time. Some sufferers pull out their hair for hours each day. 03 At times, both child and adult hair pullers will ingest hair, which can cause a dangerous, intestinal blockage called a "trichobezoar." 04 People with trichotillomania may go to great 8ill 05 lengths to disguise the loss of hair. Many compulsive hair pullers wear hats, wigs, false eyelashes, and makeup to cover their missing hair and eyebrows. Some compulsive hair pullers experience times of spontaneous relief from the condition, only to have it return again months or years later. 06 Trichotillomania is classified as an OCD spectrum 07 disorder by the DSM-5, together with other related disorders such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Excoriation (picking) disorder. There currently is no medical cure for Trichotillomania. However various treatment 08 methods exist, that help to manage and even reduce the compulsion to 0. Currently the cause of this disorder is unknown, but experts agree that there is a mix of biological, psychological, environmental and hereditary factors at play. 09 TRICHOTILLOMANIA TREATMENT Trichtotillomania is often chronic and A few treatment methods exist which have proven effective in reducing and managing the disorder. there's currently no cure in existence which is effective 100%. With regard to psychotherapy HRT (habit reversal training) DBT (dialectic behavior therapy) 02 04 01 03 CBT ACT (cognitive behavioral therapy) (acceptance and commitment therapy) Less common techniques that are sometimes used Hypnosis Biofeedback Holistic approaches (yoga, nutrition) n-acetylcysteine (a food supplement that was reported to be helpful in some cases) NAC DON'T SUFFER IN SILENCE. CONSIDER YOUR TRICHOTILLOMANIA TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES. BROUGHT TO YOU BY TRICHSTOP.COM sources: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trichotillomania/basics/definition/con-20030043 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichotillomania http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/trichotillomania http://www.curetrichotillomania.com/trichotillomania-statistics/ http://www.pullfreeatlast.com/trichotillomania-facts/trichotillomania-information.html trichstop.com Online Trichotillomania Center