For those who don’t feel comfortable with support groups, cognitive behavioural therapy or using pharmaceutical medicines there is always the alternative of using alternative therapies.
Dr Da Costa says of alternative therapies: “There have been reports that several therapies such as hypnosis, biofeedback or even just changing your diet and exercising can be helpful to some sufferers.”
Beating Trichotillomania is not easy and even harder when dealing with the stigmas dealt to them by society.
Dr Da Costa says she knows of one young girl who suffers from Trichotillomania, but her parents refuse to believe that her baldness is caused through hair-pulling. “She’s admitted to me that she pulls her hair, but her parents can’t accept it. I explained the situation to them, and they stood up and walked out in complete denial. This means that this young girl is going to have to go through this alone. And that’s not right.”
More often than not those who stop pulling hair will eventually resume it. Stephanie thought she had completely beaten the disorder after not pulling her hair for a year, but only recently started up again. “I tried honestly to stop, but found myself doing it again. But I’m determined to beat this. I will beat this.”
Article comments
1 - Anonymous
Thank you for this article. I have suffered with TTM since I was 3 years old, focused on my eyebrows and lashes, but I didn't know that it had a name, or that other people suffered this until I was 25. All of the shame and embarrassment you described are completely accurate.
2 - jmac76
there are definitely people out there and a few good websites, which are worth checking out. It was a personal article for me, as I also suffer from it so know the extent of how horrible it can be and the shame stigma.
3 - Leef Smith
Thank you for this excellent and informed article!
I would only add a note about all the amazing work that the Trichotillomania Learning Center does in helping to promote awareness around trich, advocate for research, and work toward ending the suffers of millions of people with trichotillomania
4 - Sarah
excellent article!
i'd just like to point out that SSRIs are NOT addictive(see Dr. Da Costa's comment).
however, you are correct in stating that they've been shown to have minimal effectiveness with hair-pulling behavior. SSRIs HAVE been shown to help a LOT with depression and anxiety.
right now, the best treatment that we know about for TTM is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
5 - iamrj
Good article. I enjoy reading it. I just wrote an article about alopecia (hair loss) and, while researching it, I ran across a comprehensive survey of Trichotillomania research. The information was compiled by Manjit Kaur Ubhi, who uses hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming and cognitive behavioral techniques in her work with hair pullers. Her very informative survey is available online. Anyone wanting to delve deeply into sociopsychological aspects hair pulling should check out Manjit Kaur Ubhi's work.
6 - Tonia
I have just realized I have TTM, I can remember pulling out hair one strand at a time when I was a teen and even younger. But it has just reared it's ugly head just before my daughters wedding. Mine is a little different. I pull out my husbands facial hair. Has anyone else heard of this?
7 - kml
wow-i have had ttm since age 10..i am now almost 20 years old and i haven't been able to stop. it is true that medications don't really have the affect said intended..i have tried various medications with no luck. the embarassment and harassment of society makes having this illness even more unbareable. i have never personally met anyone with the same thoughts as mine...towards trich..i wish i could know why i started doing this..what triggered it..ttm has seriusly mad a HUGE IMPACT ON MY entire life...i can not picture my life without it.. it has sketched me out to be this person i am.. and i am fully ashamed of it. i would do anything to be able to stop..anything
8 - cc
i am 24 years old and have been pulling out my eye lashes since i was 12. recently i moved back to my home town a couple years ago back in with my divorced parents and i started pulling severely more and started using more drugs and drinking more. i guess i have family issues. i got treatment for my alcohol and drug problem and have been clean for 6 mnths now. i still have this trichotillomania problem tho i have to learn to deal with. i dont know how but i refuse to take ssris's. i generally pull n play with my eye lashes while driving in the car, watching tv or on the computer reading something. it's hard. i guess it's anxiety
9 - im worried
I am a 16 year old boy and i think i have this.
I just twirl my hair all the time. The area between my ear and forhead.
I have pulled out so much of my hair, im really worried... im already depressed and suicidal, this is crossing the line.
10 - Cindy
Hey there im worried. Do you have someone to talk to in person or on the phone right now? Can you call a friend?
11 - Cindy
im worried,
Here is a place online you can go, no matter where you live or what time it is. They don't tell you what to do or judge you, they just listen.