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Why Is Trichotillomania Cathartic?

Trichotillomania is a psychological disorder that can cause a lot of emotional pain and shame in those affected by it. Understanding what it is and why it is cathartic will better help those dealing with the illness to seek appropriate treatment.

  1. What Is Trichotillomania?

    • Trichotillomania is a mental illness in which a person has the uncontrollable urge to pull out her own hair. WebMD points out that it is more common in women than men.

    DSM-IV Classification

    • Trichotillomania is classified as an anxiety disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Trichotillomania involves an irrational thought that links to the urge to pull out your own hair.

    How to Recognize Trichotillomania

    • A person with trichotillomania typically will pull hair from her head, usually around the crown. However, in an effort to disguise having the disorder, some people will pull hair from more discreet areas of their body. Keep in mind that this is not an occasional pulling of hair but a compulsive act that often means chunks of hair are ripped out at once.

    How It Aleviates Anxiety

    • People with trichotillomania have an irrational fear that triggers their need to pull out their own hair. By doing so, the person relieves his anxiety until the fear or irrational thought resurfaces.

    Treatment

    • The Mayo Clinic specifies cognitive behavioral rherapy as an effective way to treat trichotillomania. Some people also may be prescribed anti-anxiety medications to help curb the compulsion to pull out their hair.

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