What Causes Trichotillomania?

Stress

Stress can be good, but it can also do a lot of harm to the body. In fact, psychologists refer to negative stress as distress. Distress occurs when a stressor causes an individual to react with fearful or avoidant behavior, physical symptoms like increased heart rate, and a negative mood. Distress is something that contributes to the development of trichotillomania in a few ways. One, distress from the unwanted thoughts about hair pulling pushes the person to compulsively pull their hair. Hair pulling causes the distress to vanish, further compelling an individual to hair pull in response to the obsession. Two, distress may cause the obsession to form in response to negative events or stressors that happen to a person. Once the obsession with pulling hair is present, the patient may feel compelled to pull their hair by the previously described mechanism.

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Functional Or Structural Brain Abnormalities

There are many psychologists and scientists who believe functional or structural brain abnormalities may cause trichotillomania. Studies have found the orbital frontal cortex, caudate nucleus, and thalamus could potentially cause trichotillomania if they become structurally or functionally abnormal because each plays a key role in suppressing and controlling unwanted, obsessive thoughts. Data in this field of study is still in its infancy, so the specific regions of the brain that may or may not be involved are still somewhat uncertain. Additionally, the mechanism through with these structural or functional abnormalities may contribute to trichotillomania are still unknown. More research is still needed, and the research currently out is conflicting in regards to this mechanism.

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