Trichotillomania Anxiety – Effective Treatments

Trichotillomania is a condition that affects approximately 1% of the world’s population, in which sufferers have repeated, recurring episodes of behavioral patterns characterized by hair pulling. The exact etiology of trichotillomania anxiety disorder, however, is not known. Trichotillomania occurs as a result of a dysfunction of the reward system in the brain, where one form of stimuli (like food) causes a stronger response than another (like exercise). This form of behavior is similar to OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in that the person must perform the behavior in a certain way in order to satisfy the urge, but differs from OCD in that there is no specific order required.

Like most trichotillomania anxiety disorders, hair pulling is rooted in psychological causes. The tendency to pull hair or clothing has many causes; usually they are related to childhood events, stressful situations during childhood or adult life. It can often be seen as an extension of behavioral patterns of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Trichotillomania can result from an illness, like Tourette syndrome; it can also develop later on in life, after other mental health issues and/or medications.

There is no known proven technique for treating trichotillomania anxiety or curing it completely. Treatments for this condition are typically in the form of behavioral therapies (like the behavioral treatment techniques used at work), medication and therapies aimed at changing the chemical imbalances that give rise to this condition. Therapy and medication are most often effective for people with mild to moderate cases of trichotillomania anxiety. Medication works by altering the chemicals in the brain, allowing the sufferer to control their actions. Most commonly, these are the drugs used to treat OCD, or anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Treatments can be somewhat successful, but the condition may still recur. The main difficulty with treating trichotillomania is that, in the patient, the cause of the behavior is not found. This means that behavioral therapy, while a very good technique, cannot be used to stop the repetitive behavior once and for all. For this reason, it may be necessary to find other ways of dealing with this condition.

While some trichotillomania sufferers do find that the use of prescription medications to help them control their compulsive hair pulling, many simply give up and become couch potatoes. While medications may indeed provide some relief, they often require a great deal of dedication to continue to take them. Additionally, the medications themselves can have some pretty nasty side effects. This makes it a much better idea to try a more natural approach to trichotillomania anxiety.

Fortunately, there are quite a few different therapies that are highly successful at curing trichotillomania anxiety. These therapies often include some combination of behavioral training, hypnosis, relaxation techniques, dietary changes, and biofeedback. With the right therapist or program, results have been reported in as little as two weeks. Better yet, many of these programs can be done at home, so that the individual doesn’t have to even leave the comfort of their own home.

If you’re interested in curing yourself of trichotillomania anxiety, you can certainly learn to do so from a variety of online sources. Some of these guides offer very useful tips and tricks for eliminating trichotillomania anxiety, while others go into greater detail. Whichever guide you choose, however, it is important to remember that this condition is actually a psychological issue, and therefore, curing yourself does not necessarily mean the end of your behavioral issues.

In addition, there is a growing body of research that suggests that trichotillomania may have a genetic cause. While this may still remain to be proven scientifically, the overwhelming majority of trichotillomania sufferers seem to share certain characteristics, including obsessive preoccupation with hairiness and hairless spots, tendency towards hair pulling and hair washing, and a severe anxiety or fear related to trichotillomania. For these individuals, any sort of behavioral treatment, such as behavioral therapy or medications, may prove to be ineffective. However, for those who are more open to alternative therapies, such as hypnosis, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or even biofeedback, results have been very promising. It is these newer, more radical treatments that offer the most promise for those suffering from trichotillomania anxiety.

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