Will anyone find
an explanation to what urges a sudden impulses that is deep within the
brain unable to ever get to but temporary pleasure causes me to pull my
hair in one section of the head.
Have you heard
of this rare problem which is only hitting 2% of our population?
I can explain
such detail and wonder why testing has not been done other than a disease
that is related to our mind. I know what I feel.
will explain
the impulse me why I have a pleasure in a section of my head. I'm 29 years
of age and cannot tell anyone about this battle.
Sincerely,
B.
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Dear B.
What you have
is a relatively common compulsive disorder, named TRICHOTILLOMANIA, or
TTM. It is more common in kids than in adults.
The word comes
from Trich = Hair ~ till = pull ~ mania = madness
Having TTM,
however, doesn't mean that you are mad. In fact, there is a remarkable
lack of mental problems in people who have TTM. There are, however, extreme
cases of TTM which seem to be associated to the branch of obsessive-compulsive
disorders (OCD), requiring medical therapy.
See a page about
that in http://www.trichotillomania.ab.ca/rwpeta/ttm.html
The definition
given by it is:
"Recurrent pulling
out of ones hair resulting in noticeable hair loss. An increasing sense
of tension immediately before pulling out the hair or when attempting to
resist the behavior. Pleasure, gratification, or relief when pulling out
the hair. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another mental
disorder and is not due to a general medical condition (e.g., a dermatological
condition). The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment
in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning."
TTM is an impulse control disorder, and may be related either to pleasure (like it seems in your case) or habit. Many psychiatrists consider TTM to be an anxiety disorder, i.e., pulling one's hairs appears as a conditioned device to decrease anxiety. Feelings of low self-esteem, depression and shame, particularly in women, sometimes are associated with TTM. Therefore, treating anxiety or depression with medication and behavior therapy will help, as with many other manias and OCDs. I would suggest that you consult with a psychiatrist who is a specialist in impulse control disorders. I am sure that you will be free of this disorder with relative ease.
Best regards
Dr. Renato M.E.
Sabbatini
Neuroscientist,
School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Brazil.
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Copyright Silvia Helena Cardoso, PhD