What is Trichotillomania? (Questions and answers)

In this section I'll be talking about questions asked by people new to Trichotillomania. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments.

Id like to thank everyone who took part in this, answering my questions! I appreciate it greatly.
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If you're looking for a black and white answer, it's a hair pulling disorder. Is there more to it than just that, though?  Well, lets ask google, shall we?

"People who have trichotillomania have an irresistible urge to pull out their hair, usually from their scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Trichotillomania is a type of impulse control disorder. People with these disorders know that they can do damage by acting on the impulses, but they cannot stop themselves."- https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/trichotillomania

While I agree with most of this statement, some bits just don't sound accurate, for lack of a better word, to me. "Usually from their scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows." Yes, this is true, however a Trichster will pull wherever hair grows, and wherever their hand wanders to.

Yes, we do indeed know it's damaging, but it's not like we are sitting there playing with out hair going "Oh, this is really doing damage to me, ah well" and proceed to do it. All too often, the damage is done before we realise it. Trichotillomania just physically damaging, it's mentally damaging too.

I can't speak for everyone, but when I realise- truly realise- what I've done, I'm a wreak. I've all too often had days sobbing in front of  a mirror, or sitting in a pile of my hair, just repeating over and over "What have I done." There are days where I will simply just avoid my reflection, just so I don't have to look at it myself, I have taken days off of college, cancelled plans with friends, and skipped work, just because I want to be alone, as well as the fear of people pointing out my patches.

I thought I should get the frequently asked questions out of the way, and I'm sure as soon as you read that, the same questions come to mind.

Question one: Why do you do it?

This is, of course, a reasonable question by someone who is new to this, and the answer is, more often than not "I don't know." I could go on and list the reasons I suspect; Stress, anxiety, OCD, Impulse control disorder, or simply a habit. Maybe It's all of the above, no one really knows exactly why-It's different for every person.

Question two: Does it hurt?

This question, again, is reasonable. Most people will say no, which is fair enough, because it doesn't hurt me. However, I should point out that it depends where, and how much your pulling. Of course a few hairs here and there, maybe even a tuft, on your head won't hurt, but if you compare that to ripping out your nose hairs with tweezers (Which is a very bad idea- don't do it!) and oh boy that's enough to make anyone cry.

Question three: Well, why don't you just stop?

This question... I don't even know where to begin with this gem of a question. "Why don't I just stop?" Because it's not that easy! That's like telling someone with extreme anxiety to just "Calm down" and expect them to magically chill. I'll only answer this question maybe for someone who has never heard of this condition, as ill put it down to pure ignorance.

Phew, I'm sorry. That last question really riles me up. Much like this one, which is more of a statement they say.

"You'll never get a partner looking like that!"

I think, out of all the things you can say to a trichster, this is one of the more hurtful ones. Why? It's simply not true. Many trichsters are happily married, or in relationships. Love is love, and it's blind.

"What happens when you resist the urge to pull?

I think this question is a good question, and isn't often asked, possibly because it's not thought of much. From the people I've asked, the feelings are all different.

One 7 year old, lets call him Ralph because I like that name, answered me with "A very itchy itch that you can't scratch no matter what. Like ladybirds crawling all over your body. I like ladybirds."  I thought it was cute. .

Another girl said "I get anxious. So anxious I feel like I'm going to explode My muscles tense- I tense them. I  start to shake my hands too. My whole body twitches." 

One of my friends, Erin, has to pull her door handle every time she enters her room, and has told me "I feel really uncomfortable not doing it, like somethings missing or really wrong"  I then asked her what would happen if I forced her not to do it, she replied with "I suppose I'd get really frustrated and cry"  

Another one of my friends has a habit of biting her nails, as well as playing with her tongue piercing, and has told me she "feels a sense of satisfaction" when avoiding doing both of these. Of course she won't read this but I just thought I'd include it to show that resisting an urge isn't all bad!

Me, personally, I get Stressed, and snappy. I feel so overwhelmed. I also tense up, and at times will shake my hands too.  If its bad enough I'll cry. What Ralph said is true, also. It is like an unscratched itch, like some sot of bug- thousands of them- all writhing around under your skin. However; after that passes, I feel a great sense of pride for overcoming it. It massively boots my confidence in myself.

If you want to get an idea of what that feels like, next time you get an itch, just don't scratch it. Leave it alone and let it build up. This is just a fraction of what Trichsters face every day when trying not to pull their hair.

"Does anything trigger the urge?"

Yes and no. Like I said it's different for everyone. The most common 'Trigger' is other people playing with their hair- I have this one. I can't watch it!

Another major one is emotions. Anger, sadness, anxiety, stress. These can affect a Trichster massively. I know last year in my college course I did a massive amount of damage.

There are other things of course, but these two are the ones that immediately come to mind.


If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask them. I'll reply within 24 hours. (If I don't your device will explode, just FYI)