What is Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder)?
Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder) is characterized by the repetitive pulling of scalp hair, eyelashes, beard, nose hair, pubic hair, eyebrows, or other body hair. About 2-5% of the general population suffer from hair pulling disorder. A recent term, body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB), has been used to describe these repetitive self-grooming behaviors in which pulling, picking, biting or scraping of the hair, skin, or nails result in damage to the body. Trichotillomania should not be confused with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The compulsive hair pulling often results in bald spots. Hair pulling can occur when a person experiences feelings such as anxiety, excitement, or boredom. Some report that the act of repetitively pulling is pleasurable. Many hours can be spent pulling, and can negatively impact a person's social, work and family relationships.
How We Can Help
Our therapists will use a special form of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), called Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) Model, to help the individual learn specific skills to decrease the urge to pull. For children with trichotillomania, our therapists will guide parents to effectively implement an incentive plan and decrease accommodating behaviors in order to motivate their child to use their coping skills. Treatment begins with assessing the function of the individual's pulling. This can include the need to increase the positive sensations (e.g., "I like the tingling sensation") or decrease negative sensations (e.g., "The hair feels thicker than others") that trigger pulling, thoughts that trigger or maintain pulling (e.g., "My hair needs to look and feel even and perfect"), the negative emotions related to pulling (e.g., boredom, anxiety), the need to fiddle, and particular settings and instruments used for pulling. Specific strategies are used to address these categories, such as finding things to substitute for a particular sensation, thought reframing, keeping the hands busy, throwing away pulling instruments, or banning certain settings that are tempting to pull, to name a few. Our therapists encourage the practice of mindfulness and acceptance strategies, allowing individuals to learn to label their feelings without judging them. The goal is to pursue meaningful activities despite the presence of discomfort, thus promoting better overall functioning.
Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder) is characterized by the repetitive pulling of scalp hair, eyelashes, beard, nose hair, pubic hair, eyebrows, or other body hair. About 2-5% of the general population suffer from hair pulling disorder. A recent term, body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB), has been used to describe these repetitive self-grooming behaviors in which pulling, picking, biting or scraping of the hair, skin, or nails result in damage to the body. Trichotillomania should not be confused with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The compulsive hair pulling often results in bald spots. Hair pulling can occur when a person experiences feelings such as anxiety, excitement, or boredom. Some report that the act of repetitively pulling is pleasurable. Many hours can be spent pulling, and can negatively impact a person's social, work and family relationships.
How We Can Help
Our therapists will use a special form of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), called Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) Model, to help the individual learn specific skills to decrease the urge to pull. For children with trichotillomania, our therapists will guide parents to effectively implement an incentive plan and decrease accommodating behaviors in order to motivate their child to use their coping skills. Treatment begins with assessing the function of the individual's pulling. This can include the need to increase the positive sensations (e.g., "I like the tingling sensation") or decrease negative sensations (e.g., "The hair feels thicker than others") that trigger pulling, thoughts that trigger or maintain pulling (e.g., "My hair needs to look and feel even and perfect"), the negative emotions related to pulling (e.g., boredom, anxiety), the need to fiddle, and particular settings and instruments used for pulling. Specific strategies are used to address these categories, such as finding things to substitute for a particular sensation, thought reframing, keeping the hands busy, throwing away pulling instruments, or banning certain settings that are tempting to pull, to name a few. Our therapists encourage the practice of mindfulness and acceptance strategies, allowing individuals to learn to label their feelings without judging them. The goal is to pursue meaningful activities despite the presence of discomfort, thus promoting better overall functioning.
P H O N E 219.228.7630
F A X 219.228.1083
E M A I L info@anxietybehavioralhealth.com
A D D R E S S 900 Ridge Road, Suite F, Munster, Indiana 46321
F A X 219.228.1083
E M A I L info@anxietybehavioralhealth.com
A D D R E S S 900 Ridge Road, Suite F, Munster, Indiana 46321