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Do You Often Pull Your Hair? We Will Tell You How To Stop That Habit!

17th November, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

This review talks about pulling hair, a frequently met problem in our days. Trichotillomania, a hair pulling disorder, is a mental disorder that involves an irresistible urge to pull out hair. This behaviour occurs to the point of noticeable hair loss. The most common areas for hair pulling are the scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows, but may involve hair anywhere on the body.

Trichotillomania is categorized as an impulse control disorder due to the fact people feel not capable to refrain from the impulse to pull hair from their bodies. It is also categorized as an Obsessive Addictive Spectrum Problem due to the fact of its similarities to Obsessive Addictive Problem, like the compulsive and repetitive aspects of the behaviour. Evidences and symptoms of trichotillomania (hair pulling) include: patchy hairless areas on the scalp or other areas of your body, presence of other associated behaviors such as inspecting the hair root, twirling the hair, pulling the hair between the teeth, chewing on the hair or eating hair (referred to as trichophagia) or playing with pulled-out hair.

Many people who have trichotillomania try to deny the fact that they cannot stop hair pulling. Consequently, they may try to hide their hair loss by using hats, scarves, and false eyelashes and eyebrows. The specific cause of trichotillomania is not yet known, but it appears to involve both biological and behavioral factors. Being a serious disorder, one should take the following aspects into consideration, as they may represent the risk factors in your case: your sex, negative feelings and positive reinforcement. Regarding one person’s sex, although far more women than men are treated for trichotillomania, this could be for the reason that women are very likely to seek medical advice. In early childhood, boys and girls appear to be equally affected. Talking about negative feelings, it is clear that, for many men or women with trichotillomania, hair pulling is a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings, such as stress, anxiety, tension, loneliness, fatigue or frustration. People who have trichotillomania could also have other emotional problems, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or eating disorders. When thinking about positive reinforcement, some people find that rubbing pulled hair against their faces or lips feels good, or that pulling out hair feels satisfying. As a result, they continue to pull their hair to preserve these positive feelings.

Furthermore, biofeedback, an approach that teaches you how to manage or modify certain physical responses, also may help. For example, biofeedback can teach you how to decrease muscle tension in your face, forehead and neck without resorting to pulling. It can also help decrease anxiety and draw attention away from unwanted behaviors.

All the above being taken into consideration, it is evident that, to some, how to stop hair pulling may represent a real challenge, but the crucial fact is to realize the importance of this disorder and its outcomes on those who suffer from it. Trying one of the solutions pointed out above surely represents a step ahead towards a better life and an improved overall image.