Trichotillomania and Anxiety

trichotillomania and anxiety

There’s a connection between trichotillomania and anxiety. It is the same mental disorder that causes many people to pull their hair. People who suffer from trichotillomania experience anxiety as a major trigger to the hair pulling. But while this isn’t the main cause of trichotillomania, anxiety often triggers episodes. You can reduce your anxiety and hair pulling episodes by eating a balanced meal and eating energy-boosting snacks. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these can exacerbate anxiety.

One study compared participants with and without trichotillomania and anxiety to those without. It found that trichotillomania was more severe in those with anxiety disorders. Additionally, people with anxiety disorders were more likely to have pre-potent motor responses, which was also significantly impaired. This relationship between trichotillomania and anxiety disorders deserves further research. Further, it may reveal the importance of treating trichotillomania and anxiety simultaneously.

Although the association between trichotillomania and anxiety is well-established, there are still a number of gaps in our understanding of the causes of TTM. In particular, it is not clear why anxiety is associated with trichotillomania. This gap in our understanding of the condition is particularly troubling for treatment. While there are many ways to treat anxiety disorders, the best treatment for trichotillomania patients is a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapy.

Fortunately, there are now treatments for trichotillomania and anxiety. Although the causes and effects of trichotillomania and anxiety may be completely different, the most important aspect of treatment is controlling anxiety and stress. You must learn how to deal with anxiety in a way that avoids the triggering of Trichillomania. Using effective cognitive behavioral therapy and behavior modification techniques, it’s possible to reduce the risk of recurrence.

If you have a child who pulls their hair, it may be a sign of an underlying mental disorder. Your child’s clinician can help you to identify whether the behavior is automatic or focused. A behavioral therapist can also help your child learn a competing response to the pulling. This may be in the form of developing healthy ways to manage their emotions. If your child is prone to hair pulling, this type of therapy can help you manage these emotions.

Trichotillomania is a form of self-harm. It’s similar to self-mutilation or cutting disorders. However, hair pulling is usually not accompanied by significant pain. People with this disorder may pull hairs on their chests, underarms, and eyebrows one by one. This may even be triggered by certain stressors. The relationship between trichotillomania and self-harm is weak.

While it’s not yet clear how anxiety contributes to hair pulling, research suggests that the two can be related. Anxiety is a common trigger of hair pulling. In addition to being a catalyst for hair pulling, anxiety can also trigger hair pulling. Ultimately, the cause of hair pulling is unknown. There’s no clear evidence, but some researchers suspect that anxiety is the primary cause. Regardless of the cause, trichotillomania and anxiety are related.

As an experienced therapist, Dr. Gola has extensive experience in cognitive-behavioral therapy. She has worked at the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety and the University of Pennsylvania. She also completed training at the TLC Foundation. She has a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Delaware and a Masters and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from LaSalle University. In addition, she serves on the ADAA public education committee.

Treatment options for trichotillomania include medication and professional treatment. Treatment may include therapy or medication to control the urge to pull hair. Trichotillomania is often an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sufferers often report a high rate of anxiety and depression. As a result, hair loss can lead to visible bald patches and other signs of an underlying anxiety disorder.

A combination of medication and therapy is often necessary to treat the condition. In some cases, medications may not be enough. Trichotillomania can also co-exist with anxiety disorders. However, psychiatrists do not consider trichotillomania an anxiety disorder. The two disorders are similar in that the sufferer will experience an incessant urge to pull hair that will eventually cause thinning and patchy hair loss.