pulling out hair

When an individual suffers from Trichotillomania, they will have the irresistible urge to pull their hair out. When an individual initially feels the urge to pull their hair out, they will first feel their hair and notice that it is unusually coarse, whether or not it actually is. The individual will feel the hair and possibly play with their hair for a while before actually pulling their hair out. This sensory stimulation achieved by feeling the hair strand itself is the beginning of the act of trichotillomania.

Resisting the Urge

While feeling a strand of hair, an individual will have an irresistible, uncontrollable urge to pull the hair out; regardless of if they understand it is harmful to them. After an individual pulls out a stand of hair, they experience a huge sense of relief immediately following the hair pulling. This relief is very temporary, and will often create feelings of guilt or shame, which will create additional urges to pull more hair. This hair pulling cycle is difficult to break and often results in an extreme loss of hair on the head, eyebrows or eyelashes.

Biological Reason for the Urge

The urge to pull one’s hair out is seen to be as a result of an underlying chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. The actual act of pulling one’s hair out provides much needed relief from unwanted feelings of anxiety, depression or other unwanted emotions. This urge is habit forming and becomes the main coping mechanism for emotional distress. While pulling hair out, a person may consciously know that they should not be doing so, but disregards this because the feeling of relief they get is so powerful. It is much like a person who uses drugs or a bulimic that purges after eating. The sufferers know that it is harmful, but they continue the behavior because the reward is so enticing, and often irresistible.