Psychiatry & Psychology | By December 02, 2008 | By Sabrina Behrens, MA | 2 Comments

Pulling Your Hair Out – Complexities of Trichotillomania

Many of us have felt overwhelming anxiety or worry that has made us want to “pull our hair out.” There is a real psychological disorder where sufferers actually yank out their hair as a result of unwanted emotions or feelings called trichotillomania. Individuals have an irresistible urge to pull out hair from his or her own body or occasionally from the body of others.

Trichotillomania is seen to have a neurobiological basis. Because it is triggered by a variety of stressful or traumatic life events, simple one-fit-all treatment modalities such as use of anti-depressant medications (e.g. SSRIs) will not completely cure the trichotillomania. There is no magic pill or quick fix for trichotillomania management. It is a complex disorder and requires equally complex therapy. Read more →