Trichotillomania and children

Trichotillomania and children

Introduction

Trichotillomania is the psychological disease. This disease is also called as hair pulling disorder. Compulsive hair pulling is the behavior of trichotillomania disease. In this disease, person pulls out one's own hair repetitively (Franklin et al., 2011). Following are the 5 behaviors for which trichotillomania must be diagnosed:

The pulling out or taking out one's own hair repetitively causes visible hair loss.

The increasing feeling of tension occurs before pulling out one's own hair or at the time when person is attempting to oppose this behavior of trichotillomania (Franklin et al., 2011).

While engaging and involving in this behavior, person feels pleasure, relief and gratification.

Another medical or mental condition does not cause this condition.

The behavior of hair pulling causes considerable impairment and distress in many areas of the life of sufferer of trichotillomania (occupational, work or social) (Franklin et al., 2011).

The disease of trichotillomania causes because of biological factors like genetic risk and these factors play a vital role in causing trichotillomania (OCD, 2009).

Most of the people begin pulling their hair during their adolescence or childhood. However, the disease of trichotillomania can initiate in any age including pre-school or infant. Girls and boys are affected equally from trichotillomania amongst children whereas women are most affected by trichotillomania as compared to men amongst adults (OCD, 2009).

Sufferers of trichotillomania pull their hair of any part of the body but the most common body parts are scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, pubic area and beard (OCD, 2009).

Sufferers of trichotillomania pull their hair at any time. They do this at their desk at work or in the classroom. However, following are those activities in which sufferers of trichotillomania pull their hair:

Laying in bed

Watching TV (OCD, 2009)

Sitting at the computer

Reading a book

Sitting at a stop light

All the articles that will be discussed in this paper discusses about the hair pulling amongst childhood. This article will provide some useful and helpful suggestions for parents of those children who are engaged in the behavior of hair pulling and trying to deal with this behavior of their children (OCD, 2009).

Statement of the problem

It has been observed that in United States there is 5 percent of total population of United States who is suffering from trichotillomania. Stress in the sufferers of trichotillomania can worsen the hair pulling habit. Financial problems, pending exams, work problems and relationships problems can worsen the hair pulling amongst the sufferers of trichotillomania. These discussed stresses come under the category of negative stress. However positive stress like buying a car or home, planning for vacations or getting married can also play a vital role in worsening the habit of hair pulling amongst the sufferers of trichotillomania (OCD, 2009). The situations of positive stress can bring about the nervousness and therefore produces stress on the body which consequently increases the hair pulling.

Treatment must be taken before trichotillomania reaches to its height. Behavior therapy, medication and education appear to be the most helpful treatment forms. Every individual or sufferer of trichotillomania will ...