What Causes Trichotillomania?

Occurrence Of An Aggravating Trigger

The occurrence of an aggravating trigger can lead to trichotillomania. One aggravation isn't enough to develop the disorder, but continuing aggravation may lead to hair-pulling patterns. When episodes are related to aggravation, they often resemble obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms more than self-harm. The triggered brain begins engaging in obsessive thought spirals and compulsions. In the case of trichotillomania, the compulsions relate to hair pulling. Individuals may create elaborate rituals around their hair pulling or be selective about the kinds of hair they pull. Resisting these compulsions can be very difficult and cause increased distress even after the aggravating trigger has subsided. Aggravating triggers can be everything from sensory problems to irritation at others.

Learn about a related condition to trichotillomania now.

Relation To Dermatillomania

Dermatillomania, otherwise known as excoriation disorder, is a mental health disorder in which patients pick at their skin. Symptoms include recurring skin picking that results in injury, repeated attempts to cease, and significant impairment or distress related to the symptoms. These symptoms are also not caused by another medical condition or psychiatric issue. In one study of individuals with dermatillomania, an estimated thirty-eight percent of patients also had trichotillomania. The co-occurrence of these disorders may be because compulsive skin picking and hair pulling are both body-related behaviors that produce the same reactions in the brain. It's unclear whether dermatillomania and trichotillomania usually develop simultaneously, or whether having one predisposes an individual to developing the other later in life.