A New Year has come and gone and just like that the vigour and excitement at the prospect of a new beginning is replaced by the reality of life. The turn of the proverbial calendar page from December 31 to January 1 fills us with hope as many of us resolve to do better, to be better. Sadly, only 8% of the 45% of Americans who set New Year’s Resolutions in 2014, achieved their goals. The stats are even more against you if your resolution is around self improvement, including the goal to stop hair pulling, skin picking or any one of the body-focussed repetitive behaviours (BFRBs).  Of course this does not mean that we should not set New Year’s resolutions or that we should not resolve to stop pulling. What it means is that we need to reassess how we go about making these goals a reality. And for most of us, the part we are missing, is the PLAN!

It is not uncommon for people to subconsciously play with, twirl or pull at their hair when anxious, tired or bored, nor is it uncommon for people to routinely pull out grey hairs or split ends. For many repetitive hair pulling is just a bad habit that has no real impact on their daily lives. But for some, this practice can be so consuming that it starts to have a negative impact on day to day functioning, their social lives, and can cause significant emotional distress. In these instances, hair pulling has evolved from a bad habit into a recognized clinical disorder known as trichotillomania, or compulsive hair pulling disorder.

Trichotillomania is listed by the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Centre (GARD), as well as the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) as a rare disease. In the US a condition is considered rare if it affects less than 200,000 Americans, and are often referred to as orphan diseases.  But is this really true? Are there only 200,000 or fewer sufferers – or are there far more, who either go undiagnosed or do not report the condition at all, even in anonymous studies? Trichotillomania has deep roots in self-consciousness, guilt, and shame, and it is widely underreported due to these factors.

Trichotillomania affects all people at all ages. There is evidence of onset varying from childhood to late adulthood and for varying reasons, from genetic predisposition to comorbid mental health conditions such as Obessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxiety Disorder. One thing that is certain about this condition, along with all the other Body-Focussed Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs) such as Dermatillomania and Trichophagia, is that it has a harmful impact on the body, which is a cause of tremendous shame and embarrassment for the sufferer.