Trichotillomania OCD - Treating Trichotillomania

If you suffer from trichotillomania, you are probably quite unhappy about it. This condition is characterized by the irresistible urge to pull hair out of your head and pluck them out with your tweezers. This behavior can then result in bald patches on your head and the person suffering from this condition may become completely bald. For the people who suffer from this disorder, this condition can be incredibly embarrassing. In fact, many sufferers withdraw from society because they feel that everyone is looking at them.

trichotillomania ocd

People with trichotillomania often have a hard time at school and work. It can therefore be hard to maintain a full time job. Some people try to hide their hair because they are afraid that if they show their hair in public, people will laugh at them. They therefore avoid social situations where their hair may be obvious and therefore lose opportunities to gain attention and affection from others.

People who suffer from this condition will often go into fits of anger when they realize that their hair pulling is not controlling them. Trichotillomania is a difficult disease to treat as the root causes have yet to be discovered. Treatments such as neuroleptic drugs (antipsychotics) which work by altering brain chemistry have had limited success in treating trichotillomania. Other forms of treatments include antidepressants that are used to treat anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorders. Trichotillomania sufferers often respond well to cognitive behavioral therapy, which teaches them how to recognize their triggers (triggers can be any negative event or thought) and ways to get rid of these triggers once they have occurred.

There are no known cures for trichotillomania. Medications that are used to treat OCD such as Haldol or VigRx can help control symptoms but cannot treat the cause of trichotillomania. Treatments such as behavioral therapy, which teaches sufferers how to recognize their triggers and ways to avoid them, can be quite successful in eliminating trichotillomania altogether. This form of treatment is by far the most widely used and successful for curing trichotillomania.

Trichotillomania can have many causes and theories. Because it is a highly researched disorder, there are many different potential causes. Some researchers believe that trichotillomania is a genetic disorder, passed down from the genes of sufferers. Because the disorder is seen more frequently in children than in the general population, those suffering from it appear to have certain developmental problems. Trichotillomania can also be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Often times, those who suffer from this disorder have abnormally low levels of dopamine in their brains.

Trichotillomania sufferers can be helped through various means. One way to help treat trichotillomania is through the use of behavioral therapy. With this type of therapy, sufferers learn techniques to control their compulsive hair pulling and eventually stop the behavior completely. Because this condition is often treated with medication, those who suffer from this often find that they need multiple medications to control the symptoms of this disorder.

Another commonly used treatment for trichotillomania is hypnotherapy. People who suffer from this condition have often tried many other methods to rid themselves of this condition but have found little success. With hypnotherapy, patients attempt to control their urges through repeated exposure to the trigger(s) of their Trichotillomania. Since this type of therapy often requires repeated sessions, many trichotillomania sufferers eventually find that they must attend these sessions on a near-weekly basis in order to keep the symptoms of their condition under control.

The most widely used way to treat trichotillomania ocd is through the use of neuro-linguistic programming. This treatment attempts to help those suffering from this condition better control their obsessive behavior and replace it with rational thinking. Those who have experienced this therapy claim that it has cured them completely and they are no longer trichotilllomania prone. Though it does have some effectiveness, it is important to note that this is only a form of therapy and must be used in conjunction with other forms of therapy in order for the most benefit to be achieved.