Trichotillomania is a disorder in which people pull out body hair such as hair, eyebrows and eyelashes. This disorder is generally tied to psychological triggers such as stress, anxiety and depression. Children can be triggered by school stress, family arguments, grief and friendship problems. Children are more vulnerable to psychological pressure and as a result they may react with behaviors such as trichotillomania.

Some trichotillomania symptoms include significant hair loss, hiding the action of hair pulling and playing or eating pulled hair. This disorder can negatively affect the child’s social activity and school performance. It could also lead to a lack of self-confidence and social isolation.

A family that complains about trichotillomania should first learn about the disorder. As it is important to spread awareness about this disorder. Then through therapy, the reasons and the consequences of pulling out hair should be discussed with the child. Aim to replace the hair pulling with another action and sustain the new action. Work with the child regarding the emotions that the child finds hard to express. Stress and worrying is the main trigger of hair pulling. Family members can also be incorporated into the treatment process. Medication treatment is also an option. However, this decision should be discussed with and prescribed by a psychiatrist. Medication is generally used with phycological treatment and should be adjusted according to one’s need.

Parents should show patience and understanding towards their children and avoid blaming them. It’s important that parents help children identify triggers and ways to deal with them. Also, parents should encourage children to express their feelings and develop their emotional skills. Support groups can be helpful for parents of children that suffer from trichotillomania. This would bring an opportunity to connect with families facing similar experiences. Also, parents should learn about this disorder and how they can support. This will help the child a lot.

Written by Psychologist Saadet Taşyürek Demirel, (Trans. By Sevgi Emma Sarr)

References:

Keser, V., Tükel, R., Karalı, N., Çalıkuşu, C., & Olgun, T. O. (1999). Trikotilomanide klinik özellikler. Turk Psikiyatri Derg, 1, 26-33.

Cumurcu, B. E., & Kaya, B. (2004). Trikotilomani, cilt yolma bozukluğu ve patolojik internet kullanımı olan bir olgu. Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi, 7(2), 127-131.