The term “trichotillomania” originates from the Greek words “thrix,” suggesting “hair” and “tillein” suggesting “to pull” and “mania,” the Greek word for “insanity” or “frenzy”. As the name suggests trichotillomania is a psychiatric condition in which an individual has an uncontrollable desire to take out his/her own body hair.

For people suffering from trichotillomania, hair pulling is more than a routine. It is rather a compulsive behavior, which the person discovers very tough to stop. The cause of tricholomania is expected to be the imbalance of chemicals in the human brain.

People with trichotillomania pull their hair out of the root from locations like the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and even the pubic area. Some people even pull handfuls of hair, which can leave bald spots on the scalp or eyebrows. Other people pull out their hair one hair at a time. Some check the hairs after pulling them out or play with the hair after it’s been pulled. About half of individuals with this condition also have the routine of putting the plucked hair in mouth.

Trichotillomania has been mentioned as a disorder in extremely early historic records. But scientifically the condition trichotillomania was first described in 1889 by the French doctor Francois Hallopeau. The condition is rare – data show it impacts just 1% to 3% of the population, although new research recommends that the rate of hair pulling might be around 10% or greater.

Trichotillomania affects about two times as lots of girls as young boys. Many people who have trichotillomania develop the condition during adolescence. It can start when an individual is as young as 1 year old.

Trichotillomania is typically the cause for embarrassment, aggravation, pity, or anxiety for those people affected with the condition. Those people likewise suffer from low self-esteem. Since of this reality, social alienation is common in trichotillomania clients.
Medical professionals don’t understand much about the cause of trichotillomania. This is one factor why the impulses that lead to hair pulling can be stronger when an individual is stressed out or fretted.

Experts think that the actual cause of tricholomania is the imbalance of chemicals in the brain. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters are part of the brain’s interaction. When something disrupts how neurotransmitters work it can trigger issues like compulsive habits.

Considering that trichotillomania is a medical condition, it’s not something many people can just stop doing when they seem like it. People with trichotillomania usually require assistance from medical professionals before they can stop. With the ideal aid, though, most people conquer their hair-pulling urges. This help may include therapy, medication, or a combination of both.

There are treatments in which special behavior techniques are used to help individuals recognize the urge to pull hair prior to the urge becomes too strong to withstand. The patient discovers ways to resist the urge so that the urge becomes weaker and after that disappears.

Many individuals find it practical to keep their hands busy with a different activity (like squeezing a tension ball or illustration) throughout times when the urge of pulling hair is strong. Even activities like knitting while enjoying TV appears to assist.

For people suffering from trichotillomania, hair pulling is more than a habit. People with trichotillomania pull their hair out of the root from places like the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or even the pubic location. Some people even pull handfuls of hair, which can leave bald spots on the scalp or eyebrows. Other individuals pull out their hair one hair at a time. Some inspect the strands after pulling them out or play with the hair after it’s been pulled.