Hope you find this useful
Taken from: http://www.trich.org/
Trichotillomania (TTM) is an impulse disorder that 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.
Who Gets Trichotillomania?
TTM seems to strike most frequently in the pre- or early adolescent
years. The typical first-time hair puller is 12 years old, although
TTM has affected people as young as one and as old as seventy. It is
thought that ninety percent of those with TTM are women, but research
is inconclusive and it may simply be the case that men are less likely
to seek treatment and can more easily hide their symptoms. A form of
TTM that affects very young children appears to occur in males and
females at an equal rate and seems to be more benign in nature.
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, at times, the urge
may be so strong that it makes thinking of anything else nearly
impossible.
Why Doesn't Anyone Seem to Know about Trichotillomania?
TTM did not appear in the popular media in the United States until
about 1989. As a result, many people with TTM have gone for many years
without adequate information about their condition, or appropriate
treatment. Consequently, the one symptom that most people with TTM
share is shame.
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. TLC will make referrals to
practitioners of any of the following therapies, at no charge.
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a form of therapy that seeks to alter
behavior by identifying the precise factors that trigger hair pulling
and learning skills to interrupt and redirect responses to those
triggers. Cognitive-behavioral should be performed by a psychologist
trained in this method and well versed in trichotillomania-something
that may be easier said than done, as there is not an abundance of
psychologists with this specialty. The 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. Some hair
pullers have had success with simple behavioral devices such as
putting bandages on their fingers to interfere with pulling, keeping
records of their hair pulling, or changing environmental cues that can
trigger pulling.
Pharmaceutical 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), the most commonly known of
which is Prozac. The effectiveness of these drugs for hair pulling
ranges considerably. A small percentage of people find these drugs to
stop their hair pulling completely, while others feel no effect at
all. Still other people have found the urges to pull their hair
reduced somewhat, for varying periods of time. Researchers are
studying the possible benefits of combining drugs with
cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Support Groups & Sharing
Many hair pullers have discovered that the shame of being alone and
hiding the condition can make it even harder to focus on strategies to
reduce pulling. Joining a support group can go a long way toward
erasing the shame and making people with TTM feel "normal" again. TLC
maintains a database of support groups around the country for people
with TTM, and referrals are free. TLC will also assist with the
formation of new support groups. Some support groups are entirely
peer-run; others are run by a mental health professional. Many groups
feature a "check-in" time-a time for members to report on their
progress-which can help reduce pulling.
Alternative Therapies
There are anecdotal reports that several alternative therapies,
including hypnosis, biofeedback, dietary changes, and exercise, among
others, have been found helpful by many people. |
