Serious Symptoms Linked To Trichotillomania

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.