Trichotillomania Treatment Options
How one treats Trichotillomania is greatly dependent on the individual suffering from the disorder which involves the compulsive pulling out of the sufferer’s own hair. There are a number of Trichotillomania treatment options, which are geared towards a reduction in the sufferers’ desire to pull on their hair repeatedly. Studies have found that to best treat Trichotillomania a combination of behavioural medication therapy and mediation is what is used.
The medications that are mostly prescribed in relation to Trichotillomania treatment options are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or tricyclic antidepressants. It is believed that persons who have a chemical imbalance are predisposed to having Trichotillomania and other such obsessive-compulsive disorders. The main reasons for there being different Trichotillomania treatment options is due to the fact that medications have proven not to be very effectual with many of the persons who suffer from this disease. In addition, more often than not, the side effects from these medications are not worth whatever the small number of benefits they proffer the users. The side effects are inclusive of dizziness, weight gain, dry mouth and nausea.
With the behavioural therapy for this disorder, patients are assessed to find out the exact triggers of their hair-pulling. After these triggers have been identified a plan can then be developed by the therapist who will, if right for the individual patient, give them breathing exercises, a method of coping with stress and medication to see if there will be a reduction in their urge to pullout their hair. In addition to the foregoing, it has also been found that hypnotherapy has also been one of the very effective Trichotillomania treatment cures for a few persons as well.
Also among the list of Trichotillomania treatment therapy is biofeedback. The sessions of therapy can be inclusive of the identification of those sensations that usually come with the urge they get to pullout their hair. These sensations include the tensing up of the muscles in the face as well as a feeling of restlessness in their hands. Behavioural therapy would then help them to find other activities to involve themselves in or to use techniques of breathing to reduce the urge to their hair out. This would also include sessions where they would listen to music that is relaxing and peaceful that will also help them to not pull their hair out.
Patients are also sometimes asked to keep a logbook so that they can record when they get the compulsion to pull out their hair. The logbook should have the times of the day and night when they get the urge. This may show you that if there is an avoidance of particular activities then the urge will be significantly lessened.
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