Trichotillomania Tips

Trichotillomania is a compulsive habit of pulling out hair. It can be found in males and females of any age, and it can involve pulling out one's own hair (including from eyebrows, eyelashes, beard and usually scalp), or the hair of pets or other people. It is related to nail biting and skin picking in causes and triggers. The traditional treatment has been behavioral therapy, though hypnotherapy and some drug treatments offer some degree of relief not fully studied yet. Several things you can do to stop the habit.

Awareness

• Because trichotillomania has subconscious triggers or stimuli, one of the most important steps in dealing with the habit is to become more aware of it. Some hair-pullers twist their hair or otherwise play with it first, and becoming aware of the fact that pulling can be preceded by any contact the hands have with the hair sometimes allows them to stop earlier in the process. If much hair has been pulled out in one area, taking a photograph of the bald patch and displaying it in common areas where pulling occurs may help inhibit the habit. Taking note of places and situations that more frequently result in hair pulling can also help catch the habit earlier.

Competition

• With greater awareness of the habit, hair-pullers sometimes reinforce it when they catch themselves by practicing a competing habit. Many will let go of the hair and clench both fists when they are inappropriately touching their hair. As fist clenching becomes more habitual, it can be used to replace hair pulling when the impulse arises.

Stimulus Control

• Until awareness and competition are established, some hair-pullers will try to control the stimuli that play a part in their habit. They place obstacles in front of the habit, like wearing gloves, hats, bandanas or even swim caps. The obstacle may increase awareness of the habit and allow the hair-puller to stop the pulling before it starts.

Affirmation

• Because the behavior is rooted so deeply in the consciousness, hair-pullers often find that affirming their intention to stop the habit is useful. Repetition, preferably out loud and looking into a mirror, of some positive affirmation--like "I will leave my hair alone today after I style it"--will work better than a negatively phrased one--like "I will not pull my hair today." The subconscious often does not hear negatives, and focuses only on the verbs and nouns, i.e., I PULL HAIR. It is also important to carry this affirmation through to descriptions of yourself to others. You are a person who is learning to stop pulling hair. When you refer to yourself as a hair-puller in any way, it reaffirms that negative pattern.