Why Can’t I Stop Pulling My Hair Out?
The question ‘why am I always pulling my hair out?’ is actually pretty common. If you pull your hair from your head, your eyelashes, your eyebrows or anywhere else on your body then you are probably asking whether this is normal and whether other people do it too.
You are, in fact, normal. There are hundreds, thousands, of other people who are also asking themselves the question ‘why am I always pulling my hair out?’. The truth is that it is down to a little known disorder that’s called trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania – What Is It?
Trichotillomania basically means that you pull your hair out compulsively. It isn’t as scary as you might think. In fact, I had this for years before I had even heard of the word! It is a bit like a habit, but hair pullers will also do it at times without realising, which can make it hard to stop.
What Causes People to Pull Out Their Hair?
Trichotillomania can be quite mysterious, and nobody knows for sure what the true reason is for pulling out hair. I had always liked to play with my hair when I was younger, and when I reached the age of 10 it simply developed into pulling it out.
There are many other causes of hair pulling. This can include: childhood trauma, diet, OCD, ADHD, even genetics!
Those that pull out their hair will often never realise why it is that they do so. Don’t worry about finding out just yet – it’s more important that you take the time that you need just to come to terms with what it is.
Finding Support
Give yourself a little time, and when you are ready there are so many ways you can find support. You don’t have to tell anyone about it in real life, you can just start by chatting to people in forums online. For me, writing about it in a blog also really helped – just do whatever feels best for you.
Always just do what feels right in a way that helps you accept pulling out hair as a part of who you are.
What Should You Always Remember? There are SO many others, just like you – you aren’t alone! They all ask themselves ‘why am I always pulling my hair out?!’. Slowly more and more of us are being more open and being able to support eachother on the internet.