Can anybody offer any help on obsessive "hair-pulling" habits please?

Question

Have a friend whose habit is so out of control she is going bald.

Answer 1

She has stress!! Great tip she needs to wear gloves in the house.

Answer 2

It sounds like she has an ocd issue; obsessive compulsive disorder. I'd get her to make sure her health insurance is up to date and then go see a Doctor. I hear there are drugs to help with it. Good luck friend

Here is a link on what is OCD:
http://www.ocfoundation.org/UserFiles/File/Questions-Answers-OCD-In-Children-Adolescents.pdf

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an Anxiety Disorder which has as its main characteristics obsessive thoughts and ideas, which are sometimes accompanied by compulsive behaviors and actions, often designed to ward off the obsessive thoughts.

There are currently no medical tests which can diagnose OCD. Diagnosis is usually based on information about symptoms as well as clinical observation. Diagnosis of OCD can be made by Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, medical Doctors, Pediatricians or by a multi-disciplinary team.
There is also strong evidence that some people have an inherited tendency to develop OCD and that OCD is linked to problems in brain chemistry, neurotransmission or receptor functioning.

Research suggests, for example, that people with OCD frequently have abnormalities or deficiencies in serotonin levels and that their symptoms improve when this serotonin imbalance is addressed with medication.

Answer 3

Your friend probably needs to speak to someone they trust about the reasons behind the hair pulling. Its generally a distraction and a coping mechanism for other problems. I used to do a similar sort of thing, and I found that if you give yourself something else to distract you that helps. eg) everytime they get the urge, they have to do something else maybe go for a 10 minute walk, or even better something with their hands even something simple like detangling a massive ball of wool! I know that sounds bizarre but anything will do. The main thing is for them to find out the cause behind the compulsion. Good luck with your friend.

Answer 4

Apart from needing help she needs to subsitute this habit for another less harming one, tell her to try and elastic band on her wrist and when she gets the urge to pull hair to pull the elastic band instead...

I hope she sees some light soon but i cant forsee that without help of a counsellor..

Answer 5

Your friend has a disorder called trichotillomania. It is believed to be closely related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (O.C.D.). You can research this disorder on the internet to help your friend understand what is going on. It can be cured, but not without proper treatment. Your friend needs to contact a qualified psychiatrist ASAP.

Answer 6

She has trichotillomania. She needs to see a dr and possibly get on an antidepressant or anti anxiety med and go see a psychologist to learn alternative methods for dealing with anxiety

Answer 7

She really needs to see a doctor as this is an obsessive/compulsive disorder. It has a special name - trichotillomania - and is hard to beat without qualified help.

Answer 8

Hi - my cousin has the same condition, she used to pull out her eyebrows and eyelashes, as well as the hair on her head. I know she went for psychiatric counselling, and now she's stopped... but her eyelashes/eyebrows didn't grow back properly, because she'd spent so many years pulling them out. Good luck with your friend.

Answer 9

i'm an obsessive knot tier, the finer i can get a knot in my hair the more pleasurable it is. i get the knot out without pulling the hair out from the roots. your friend must keep her hair short, so short she can't get a grip on the hair. my safe zone is a number 4.

Answer 10

This is a very good blog, a beginner’s guide to abnormal psychology.
Short, clear and simple; and you can even post your question and contact the author regarding particular subject you are interested in, for FREE

http://sensitive-psychoworld.blogspot.com/