Serious Symptoms Linked To Trichotillomania

Constant Hair Pulling

Constant hair pulling is one of the main symptoms of trichotillomania. Some patients engage in the behaviors much more often than others, but all individuals with trichotillomania pull their hair on at least a semi-consistent and repeated basis. The most common sites for hair pulling are the eyelashes, eyebrows, and scalp, but patients might pull hair from other areas of the body as well. They may pull their leg hair, arm hair, or pubic hair. Affected individuals don't always use the same site; some change their hair-pulling sites over time. Another significant factor is patients repeatedly try to lessen their hair pulling or stop it entirely, but they aren't successful in controlling it.

Pleasure Or Relief After Pulling Hair

Individuals with trichotillomania may feel relief or pleasure after they pull their hair. This is especially true of focused hair pulling. The process of pulling the hair out might bring a feeling of satisfaction. This positive association between hair pulling and good feelings makes it even more difficult to stop. They may continue pulling their hair so they can experience the good feelings. The behavior shares many similarities with substance use disorders, including the affected individual not feeling in control of their behavior and experiencing positivity or euphoria when engaging in the behavior. Even if they feel pleasure in the moment, though, they'll still often experience distress and impaired social functioning regarding their hair loss.