Trichotillomania, the medical term for hair pulling, is a condition marked by an overwhelming desire to pull out one’s hair. But since this is a really common undesirable habit, you are not alone in having it. We’ll get into the specifics of hair pulling in this piece, investigating the causes of this behaviour and offering helpful solutions on how to stop hair pulling and how to stop hair pulling in adults.
What Causes Hair Pulling
Often, trichotillomania is a complex illness with multiple connected causes. Environmental, psychological, and biological factors all have a role in the emergence and maintenance of hair pulling behaviours. For prevention and treatment to be effective, it is essential to understand the underlying causes.
1. Biological factors: Trichotillomania may be caused by hormone fluctuations, neurotransmitter abnormalities, and genetic predisposition.
2. Psychological factors: Hair pulling habits may be triggered as a coping technique by emotional distress, anxiety, stress, or other psychological disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
3. Environmental factors: the onset and persistence of hair pulling may be influenced by trauma, abuse, or major life changes. Furthermore, some environmental factors or circumstances, such as loneliness or boredom, can amplify the impulse to pull hair.
The Consequences of Hair Pulling
There can be serious emotional, social, and physical repercussions for people who pluck their hair. The effects of trichotillomania can be profound, ranging from apparent hair loss and possible skin damage to feelings of shame, embarrassment, and low self-esteem. Examining these repercussions encourages people to make changes by making them realise how urgent it is to get help.
- Understanding the inner turmoil: The inability to control the behaviour that results in hair pulling frequently causes discomfort, guilt, and anxiety. This creates a vicious cycle of humiliation and additional hair pulling.
- Impacting interpersonal interactions: People with trichotillomania may withdraw themselves or find it difficult to communicate their condition to others, which can strain interpersonal relationships.
- Physical repercussions: Regular hair pulling can cause hair follicle damage, bald spots, eyebrow baldness, and patchy hair loss, which may eventually result in permanent hair loss.
How to Stop Hair Pulling Habit
I know it’s not easy, but you can break free from this unwanted cycle with time and effort. Here are several strategies to help you stop this hair pulling habit:
a) First and foremost, it’s important to be self-aware. Observe the where, when, and why of you want to pull out your hair. You can begin to identify trends and triggers by maintaining a little hair pulling habit journal and tracking your progress. You can create plans to break the behaviour once you are aware of it.
b) Behavioural strategies: Habit reversal training (HRT) is a successful strategy. It entails substituting positive behaviours such as playing with a fidget toy, squeezing a stress ball, or sketching, with hair pulling. It all comes down to choosing a task that occupies both your hands and thoughts.
c) Stress management should not be neglected. It is a monster that has the power to exacerbate the habit of pulling hair. Explore stress-reduction methods that suit you, whether it’s yoga, mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, or taking regular pauses to engage in enjoyable activities.
d) Speak with a hypnotherapist for expert assistance. Hair pulling is an undesired habit that is stored in the subconscious, just like all habits. We can quickly break the habit utilising the power of hypnosis, allowing you to stop it without having to rely solely on willpower—which can be difficult!
b) Finally, never undervalue the influence of help. Seek out online networks or support groups to establish connections with people who have gone through comparable circumstances. A sense of understanding and validation can change everything.
Final thoughts…
Although hair pulling is clearly a complicated problem, by doing research and considering your options, you’ve already taken a positive start towards breaking this behaviour. Just keep in mind that you are not alone. Be gentle to yourself, focus on the present moment, and maintain your commitment. Along the road, there can be obstacles, but that’s alright. Continue trying, learning, and getting the help you require. This is something you can handle!
If you need further assistance on on how to break free from this unwanted habit – check out my “Hypnosis for Anxiety ” hypnosis service during which I can help you to feel calmer and delete this unwanted habit for good.
I’m a clinical hypnotherapist with over 15 years of experience, and to date, I have helped over 100 clients from Poole, Bournemouth, Southampton, Bath, London, Bristol, the United States, and as far afield as New Zealand to overcome anxiety. Regardless of where you reside, I am fully equipped to assist you in the same manner so do get in touch if you need my hypnosis help too. Here is the link to my website www.alexsaxton.com and here is the link to my calendar if you would like to book a consultation wwww.alexsaxtoncalendar.as.me
