Symptoms
The main symptom of trichotillomania
Hair pulling
Where the pulling of hair is done during a certain age and can often be outgrown.
(2 possible answers)
Adolescents or early teenage years
Where you visit with someone in order to find solutions to the issue or create ways to slow, block, or stop the issue of hair pulling all together,
Therapy
Red, painful areas where hair has been excessively pulled or removed.
Sores
Often followed directly after the first, and relates to lower self esteem.
(3 possible answers)
Balding, tingling, hair follicle damage
Where the act of hair pulling is meant to soothe or calm someone.
Stress
Antidepressants, antipsychotics, n-acetyl cysteine.
Medications
Shame, embarrassment, anxiousness, worry.
Emotional issues
Pulling fibers from other blankets, animals, clothing, or when not paying attention or focusing.
Automatic Pulling
Often done absently or automatically.
Boredom
Playing with a fidget toy or stress ball, knitting or crocheting, giving themselves a manicure, doodling, a craft project like wood carving or origami in order to keep oneself busy.
Creating distractions
Hair loss or bald or uneven patches on the scalp, body, or face. Repeated pulling can leave tiny scars on scalp, skin, or hair follicles.
Damage to the scalp, skin or hair
Where you focus on the act of pulling due to distress, anger, or impulse
Focused pulling
Due to other people in your family having the same or a similar disorder.
Hereditary (or genetic) disorder
Deep breathing, meditation, or taking a hot bath until the urge goes away.
Stress relief
Eating hair after removing it.
Trichophagia
Rituals like chewing on the hair you pull out, inspecting hair roots, twirling the hair, putting the hair between your teeth, or eating hair
Trichophagia
Anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, mania.
Other mental disorders
Wearing hats, scarves, or bandanas to stop themselves from pulling. They might tie their hair back in braids, ponytails, locs, or other styles that make it harder to reach or cut it short
Blocking reach
Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, recurrent diarrhoea or constipation, and weight loss due to the formation of hair clusters after eating hair.
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