Help for Hair Pulling
You clicked on this section because:
You pull at your hair, twirl it, pull it out, eat it
Or you pull out your eyelashes or eyebrows, or both
It perhaps feels good when you do it, kind of like a relief or a release
You might have bald patches, or you’re missing eyelashes or parts of your eyebrows
If you have bald patches, you might feel embarrassed to go to the hairdresser
You might hide the bald patches by wearing your hair back, or with a hairpiece or spray-on hair
If you eat your hair, you might have experienced gastrointestinal upsets, or a hairball in the stomach or gut which might have required surgery
You might have strained muscles in your neck, shoulders or wrists
It might have started when you were a child or a teenager
Or you don’t remember exactly when it started or why. It’s just something you’ve always done
You might have high expectations of yourself and others, or consider yourself a perfectionist
You might feel like you experience higher levels of anxiety than others you know
You might experience sensory issues such as sensitivity to light, noise, certain types of fabrics
You might find it hard to sit still
You might also bite your nails or pick your skin
You’ve tried to stop but it’s almost as if something in you does it on its own
You often “catch” yourself doing it
You do it when you’re stressed, scared, anxious, bored
You do it while reading, watching TV, studying, in the car
You do it on your own, rarely (if ever) in front of others
You might have a family member who does it or who bites their nails, cheeks, lips or picks at sores. They might have said they experience a high level of stress or anxiety
You might think this behaviour is uncommon, weird, no one else does it - that you’re the only one
You might feel embarrassed to talk about it with your doctor, or you might have been diagnosed with a condition called Trichotillomania…
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is commonly referred to as “hair pulling”. It’s also known as “TTM” or “Trich”. It sits under the umbrella of Body Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs) which includes skin picking (excoriation), nail biting (onychophagia), lip and cheek biting. These are currently classified in the DSM-5-TR under Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders or Other Specified Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, and in the ICD-10 under Habit and Impulse Disorders.
For some people, playing with their hair is simply a benign habit that feels good. People with Trichotillomania, however, have likely experienced this behaviour as affecting their lives negatively, hindering them socially, causing physical damage (such as bald spots, infections, or soreness in their wrists or neck) and have tried to stop several times without success.
Mindfulness & Hypnotherapy for Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania has typically been one of the more challenging conditions to treat. At present, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with a focus on Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is the go-to treatment strategy for many therapists who work with people with this condition. HRT includes awareness training, also known as mindfulness, as a foundation for successful change.
Hypnotherapy is now being considered as a therapeutic option for hair pulling and other BFRBs with promising results reported. There is still not enough data yet available to say definitively that it works better than other therapeutic modalities and most accounts, including mine, are anecdotal rather than scientifically backed up.
Please note: If your experience of trichotillomania is attributable to, or a secondary characteristic of, a particular physical illness, intellectual disability, substance use issue, or psychosis, then hypnotherapy may not be an appropriate therapeutic pathway for you. It is recommended that you discuss this as a possible option with your primary health care provider or health care team.
What I can offer…
With a combination of mindfulness-based and hypnotherapy techniques, we will explore how you can decrease or free yourself from this behaviour successfully. I can offer:
A safe, non-judgemental environment
Individual assessment and plan based on your needs
Tools and techniques for you to utilise outside of sessions
My support in between sessions via email or phone
Please note: Working with children and adolescents who experience BFRBs can be more challenging because they often don’t choose to attend therapy. If you contact me about working with your child, this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis so won’t be guaranteed.