Trichotillomania—sometimes called Hair-Pulling Disorder—is a condition where someone feels a strong, often uncontrollable urge to pull out their own hair. This can lead to noticeable hair loss and cause a lot of stress, embarrassment, or shame.
It’s classified as part of the Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in the DSM-5 and falls under a group of conditions called Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs).
Core Features of Trichotillomania:
- Repeatedly pulling hair from areas like the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, or other body parts
- Trying but struggling to stop or cut down on the hair-pulling
- Hair loss that can lead to feelings of shame, hiding the behavior, or avoiding social situations
- Pulling episodes that can be either automatic (done without really noticing) or focused (more deliberate)
- Often feeling tension or an urge before pulling, followed by relief or satisfaction afterward
Types of Hair-Pulling:
- Automatic Pulling: Happens without full awareness—like when doing other tasks or zoning out
- Focused Pulling: Happens on purpose, often in response to specific urges or thoughts
- Most people experience a mix of both automatic and focused pulling
