Happiful September 2019

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Trichotillomania: Pronounced: trik·oh·til·oh·may·nee·uh Definition: A compulsive desire to pull out one’s own hair 28 • happiful.com • September 2019
In the spotlight: Hair-pulling disorder Have you ever had an urge to do something and not really understood why? I have. Throughout my adolescence, I was plagued by trichotillomania Writing | Becky Wright Trichotillomania, or trich for short (because who’s got the time for seven syllables when you’re an impulsive hair-puller?), is an old friend of mine. For me, it meant years of pulling out hair from my scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes but, for others, it can be hair on any part of the body. At the age of 13, I had near enough no eyelashes, no idea why I couldn’t stop pulling them out, and an ever decreasing sense of self-esteem. I hated myself for what I was doing but, equally, I couldn’t make myself stop. I came to rely on makeup as a masking tool, hiding the physical signs that something was going on inside my head. I can’t actually place a finger on the first time I had that urge, but, of all the struggles I’ve faced in my life, this is one that I’m still yet to understand. What is hair-pulling? From my own research, I know that trich is often triggered by anxiety, and is commonly linked with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). However, while there are some similarities between the two, there are a couple of key differences. To understand more, I spoke to chartered counselling psychologist Louise Watson, who explains: “The main difference is that OCD rituals are driven by the need to rid oneself of an intrusive thought, whereas the urge to pull a hair out in trichotillomania is often not preceded by a thought. “Pulling hairs can be a response to anxiety, and instances of pulling can often increase at times of stress, but pulling can also just as often be a response to other mood states. And, it can happen entirely unconsciously,” says Louise. So, rather than being initiated by an intrusive thought, it is a bodyfocused repetitive behaviour that is done to reduce tension, stress, or even out of habit. 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. Particularly as symptoms typically rear their head during adolescent years, which can already be a tricky time for self-esteem and body image. How common is trich? If you do a Google search (and, believe me, I’ve Googled it a lot over the years), there isn’t much >>> September 2019 • happiful.com • 29
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