30 • happiful.com • September 2019
in the way of UK-
based information.
Nor will you come
across many real-
life experiences. I
know that it’s not
one of the more
common mental
health problems but,
according to Anxiety
UK, it is now thought
to be more prevalent
than previously
acknowledged.
Although there
have been no large
studies to date on
the prevalence of
trichotillomania, one
in the US showed that,
among a sample of
students, 1–2% had a
past or current history
of trich. So, it would
seem that perhaps
it’s more about the
reluctance of people
to open up about their
struggles that is adding
to the elusiveness of
the disorder.The reality of the
condition, in a world
that prizes hair (in all the
right places), means that
trich sufferers feel even
more isolated and at
odds with their feelings
Author: Becky WrightGET SUPPORT
For more information and advice
about treating trichotillomania, visit:nhs.uk – The NHS site has further
details on symptoms, causes, and
support, along with information on
treatments, and self-help advice.counselling-directory.org.uk or
hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk –
For information, articles, or to find a
professional who can support with
treatment options.I spoke to Natalie Richardson
about her experience.
“I struggled with trich
briefly as a young child, but it
resurfaced in my 20s and it’s
something I still struggle with
today,” she tells me.“I’ve no idea what the trigger
was as a child; I used to twirl my
hair around my finger and then
rip it out in chunks. But, when it
restarted a few years ago, I think it
was triggered by the breakdown of
a long-term relationship.”So, why does it occur?
For anyone who’s not experienced
these feelings, I bet it’s a hard
one to comprehend. Why not
just stop? It’s a question I’ve
asked myself hundreds of times
before. But, for anyone with the
impulses, I’m sure they’d tell you
the same thing. Telling someone
not to do something they feel an
overwhelming urge to do is like
telling someone not to scratch
when they have an itch.
The problem is, it’s not entirely
clear what causes trich. Experts
have hypothesised it could be a
way of dealing with emotional
distress – perhaps even a type of
self-harm. Louise isn’t convinced
though: “Sufferers can find the
pain from pulling the hair out
rewarding, which is what has
led to trichotillomania being
likened to self-harm. However,
trichotillomania sufferers
rarely report a desire to punish
themselves, and the behaviour
can be triggered at times of
under-stimulation – rather
than always being a response to
intense emotions, as self-harm
usually is.”
Others suggest it could be due
to a chemical imbalance in
the brain, or due to changing
hormone levels in puberty. For
some people, though, it’s thought
that trich could even be a type of
addiction; the more they act on
the impulse, the more they want
to keep doing it.