Trichotillomania, also known as "hair pulling disorder", is a psychiatric disorder characterized by repetitive and intense hair pulling behavior that results in hair loss. The individual feels an urge before the hair pulling behavior and performs the hair pulling behavior with this urge. Some people experience relief after the behavior, while others do not. This situation varies from person to person. As a result of the progression of this disorder, significant hair loss occurs in people.
In some people, hair loss is noticeable enough to be noticed from the environment, whereas in others, especially in the early stages of the disorder, hair loss is not very noticeable. In addition to hair loss, which is the primary consequence of trichotillomania, there are also secondary problems that people experience due to this condition. Secondary problems include severe stress, anxiety, sadness, anger and embarrassment, withdrawal from the social environment, increased negative thoughts about the body, decreased self-esteem/self-confidence and various dermatological disorders. Trichotillomania may be seen alone or may be accompanied by other disorders. Nail biting, skin picking, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders and depression disorders can be shown as other disorders that often accompany this condition. The causes of trichotillomania are still not fully understood. Research on this subject is ongoing. However, it is suggested that stressful life events are effective in the onset of trichotillomania. It is thought to have a function such as reducing stress or regulating negative emotions. It is also seen that genetic predisposition has a very important role.
People often feel shame and anger in particular. They think that there are no other people like them who do this behavior, that it is a very shameful behavior and that there is no cure. For these reasons, they often do not seek treatment. However, according to a study, it has been reported that 3 out of every 100 women and 1 out of every 100 men have trichotillomania. Studies on this subject show that women are more likely to experience this disorder. Contrary to what people think, trichotillomania is a condition that can be treated in psychiatric clinics.
Considering that trichotillomania causes serious stress and loss of function, the search for an effective treatment is inevitable. Today, scientific publications suggest that "Habit Reversal Training" is the most effective method. In this treatment, mainly behavioral methods are used. The main goals of the treatment are to raise awareness about the person's hair plucking behavior and to develop the ability to replace this dysfunctional behavior with a more functional behavior. There may be many "trigger factors" that trigger the person's hair plucking behavior. People often do not recognize these triggers, and because they do not recognize them, they are unable to manage them effectively and healthily, resulting in hair pulling behavior. It is taught that if awareness of the triggers is gained, the urge to pull out hair can be managed in a much healthier way. In summary, this treatment method mainly involves raising awareness of the triggers and learning healthier coping methods.