can pulling your hair out, constantly, be a disorder or something?

Question

my friend, who is 17, has this thing of pulling her hair out everytime she gets mad and just because she does. it's getting me kind of worried cause she's a little bald in one spot of her head lol i don't mean to laugh at it but it's kind of stupid. and then again she's smoking cocaine, so maybe it's the cocaine?

Answer 1

I had a friend who's sister did it compulsively, and she was almost completely bald.

My wife does the same with her eyelashes.

There is a term for it: Trichotillomania, as so many other people have pointed out.

Answer 2

YES ITS A DISORDER, the condition is called trichotillomania feel compelled to pull out their hair.
Trichotillomania is often caused by severe stress or psychological problems. It's classified as an "impulse control disorder" that's closely related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD).
Trichotillomania is a type of compulsive behavior and its causes are not clearly understood. Symptoms usually begin before the age of 17. It may affect as much as 4% of the population. People with this disorder will often seek the help of a dermatologist initially. Women are 4 times more likely to be affected than men.

Answer 3

Trichotillomania is a primary psychiatric disorder, but, from a dermatological standpoint, it is one of traumatic alopecia. The causative trauma to the hairs occurs as a result of the patient's repetitive hair-pulling behavior. The compulsion is characterized by increasing tension that is finally relieved when the hair is pulled. Patients may describe an unrelenting pain or itch that builds until they pluck the hair.

Two subtypes have been described: focused pulling and nonfocused (or automatic) pulling. Focused pulling is an intentional act to control aversive feelings. Nonfocused pulling is generally a habitual type of pulling. Patients in dermatological clinics largely are in the latter group. Some patients show both subtypes of hair pulling together or with various overlapping behaviors.

Answer 4

There are a whole bunch of nervous-type disorders that go along with drug addiction, and specifically with stimulants like cocaine and meth. I don't know what all fo them are, but I do know that pulling out hair is one of them, and scratching until you bleed, and then not being able to leave the scabs alone is another.

Sounds like your friend needs help. Perhaps, since you know about her problem, you should try and get some for her.

Answer 5

My cousin has the same problem. She's 25 now and has been doing it since we were very little. It's a mental compulsion that is controllable in a way. But not very. It's related to the stress they are under and how they deal with it. Drug use can only add to the stress. I would tell your friend that she might want to look into a rehab for her drug use or she will end up with a toupe before she's 21! I'm not kidding, my cousin has one. It looks really cute and you can't tell if you don't know her.
Best of luck. Stay away from the dope! Support recovery from drugs and alcohol!

Answer 6

Trichotillomania is actually a disorder characterized by compulsive hair pulling.

Answer 7

Dealing with this problem , the friend of yours should go to physician to check what's wrong with her. This is the only way she should do, cuz you'all don't really know if she got a hidden disorder. She should visit physician as SOON as possible.

Answer 8

Yes

Trichotillomania: a psychological condition where people feel compelled to pull out their hair

Answer 9

could be the cocaine messing with her mind but she may have an underlying condition also

Answer 10

That could be a disease, I think it is called trico something She should see a doctor, they may be able to get her some medication that can help.