Trichotillomania Treatment
Here at Trichotillomania Support we’ve seen first-hand that recovery from hair pulling is possible. We say “being the best you can be, means being pull free” so we have compiled the latest information about Trichotillomania treatment using information from published research, surveys of people with trich, and their personal experiences.
There are no agreed treatment guidelines for trichotillomania as large-scale medical research into trichotillomania treatments is lacking, particularly for children. The most commonly used treatments are CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) or SRIs (a type of medication: Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors); both can show improvements but relapse is common. Behaviour therapy shows better outcomes than medication in most studies - a minority of cases are consistently improved by medication.
Research indicates the most successful treatment for trichotillomania is behaviour change therapy (a type of psychotherapy known as habit-reversal therapy) combined with emotional support. Studies suggest that supportive therapies and psychoanalysis without the behavioural therapy aspect are not effective at treating trich. Read people's experiences of different therapies on our forum.
If you’d like to gain access to one of these treatments we recommend you speak to your doctor or enquire with a private practitioner. 51% of 11,625 people we surveyed had never mentioned hair pulling to their doctor because they were too embarrassed, didn’t think their doctor would help or didn’t know it was a recognised condition.
It is our view that a combination of approaches is the best way to tackle trich, and this led us to provide an online coaching program that incorporates aspects of the best treatments to support you through to recovery.
Treatments for Hair Pulling:
* Behaviour Therapies like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) including Habit-reversal Therapy (HRT), or Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
* Supported Coaching with a professional to help guide you
* Medication - read others' experiences: survey results and medication forum
* Hypnotherapy either face-to-face or using a purpose designed recording
* Self-Help using books, goal setting, support websites (like us!), tips, buddies, blogging
* Holistic e.g. homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture
* Dietary Changes & Supplements
* Emotional Support from family, friends, a professional or on our forums and chatroom
Advice for Doctors: Please browse our pages for Health Care Professionals - advice for treating hair pulling
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