SLBMI
Anxiety Disorders Center>> Anxiety Related Disorders
That We Treat>> Hair
Pulling (Trichotillomania) and Other Body Focused Repetitive
Behaviors
Hair
Pulling (Trichotillomania) and Other Body Focused
Repetitive Behaviors
Trichotillomania (TTM) causes people to pull out the
hair from their scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, or other
parts of the body, resulting in noticeable bald patches.
It is currently defined as an impulse-control disorder,
but there are still questions about how it should
be classified. It may seem, at times, to resemble
a habit, an addiction, a tic disorder or an obsessive-compulsive
disorder. It is estimated to affect one to two percent
of the population, or four to eleven million Americans.
How Do I Know If I Have Trichotillomania?
Although the symptoms range greatly in severity, location
on the body, and response to treatment, most people
with TTM pull enough hair over a long enough period
of time that they have bald spots on their heads (or
missing eyelashes, eyebrows, pubic, or underarm hair),
which they go to great lengths to cover with hairstyles,
scarves or clothing, or makeup. The persistence of
the compulsion can vary considerably: For some people,
at some times, it is mild and can be quelled with
a bit of extra awareness and concentration. For others,
the urge may be so strong that it makes thinking of
anything else nearly impossible.
What
Are Other Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors?
Skin Picking (aka, neurotic excoriation, dermatillomania).
Characterized by repetitive picking of one's skin to
the extent it causes damage. Individuals may pick at
skin variations such as moles, freckles, or blemishes.
This problem can lead to infection and permanent scarring.
Nail
Biting (aka, Onychophagia). Characterized by repetitive
biting of one's nails and/or cuticles to the extent
it causes pain or damage. This problem can lead to infection
and permanent scarring.
What Treatments Are Available?
Research into treatments for trichotillomania has grown
steadily over the past decade. Although no one treatment
has been found to be effective for everyone, a number
of treatment options have shown promise for some people
with TTM. SLBMI offers both cognitive-behavioral therapy
and pharmacological therapy for TTM.
- Cognitive-Behavior
Therapy
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy is a form of psychotherapy
that seeks to alter behavior by identifying the precise
factors that trigger hair pulling and teaching skills
to interrupt and redirect responses to those triggers.
The specific name for the cognitive-behavioral treatment
of trichotillomania is Habit Reversal Training or
HRT. An HRT therapist will encourage hair pullers
to develop an increased awareness of the times of
day, emotional states, and other factors that promote
hair pulling, as an important precursor to being able
to control the behavior. Then the hair puller will
learn strategies to include relaxation as well as
an alternative response to pulling. One study by Azrin,
Nunn, & Frantz (1980) demonstrated a reduction
in hair pulling of over 90%.
- Pharmacological
Therapy
A number of medications have shown promise in reducing
the severity of TTM symptoms. Most of these fall under
the category of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs), which include Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft
(sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine), Luvox (fluvoxamine),
Celexa (citalopram), and Lexapro (escitalopram). A
related medication known as clomipramine is sometimes
used as well. Additional medications are being investigated
and may be suggested by your physician. The effectiveness
of these drugs for hair pulling ranges considerably.
A small percentage of people find these drugs stop
their hair pulling completely, while others experience
no effect at all. Still other people have found the
urges to pull their hair reduced somewhat, for varying
periods of time.
If
you would like more information on symptoms, causes and treatment of Trichotillomania available
at SLBMI or would like to make an appointment, contact
us at info@slbmi.com or 1-877-245-2688.
If
you would like more information on Trichotillomania
in general, you may want to contact the Trichotillomania
Learning Center at www.trich.org.
Please know that we are here to help you.
Treatment for Trichotillomania:
Now that you have read more about Trichotillomania and Other Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors, the next step is to seek help.
Frequently, people are hesitant to make the first step. Please know that our Institute is nationally recognized and our clinicians are ready to work with you.
In order to receive help the first step is to contact our Intake Coordinator.
For our Macklind office call 314-534-0200.
For our West County office call 636-532-9188.
Our toll free number is 877-245-2688.
Our Intake Coordinator will match you to one of our clinicians who will evaluate your
concerns and make recommendations to you.
The first step is an important one and only you can place the call.
Remember, we are here to help you.
Your insurance coverage will also be reviewed by the intake coordinator.
Click here to contact the Anxiety Disorders Center
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