When Testing is Necessary

The majority of people with trich (over 80%) don’t require any testing to achieve results using amino acid therapy; we can make adjustments to the supplements and lifestyle via weekly or bi-weekly consultations (either over the phone or in office) to help them eliminate the urge to pull. However, a small minority of people may require several tests to optimize their neurotransmitter function and eliminate the urge to pull.

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Whitney’s Story

Following is an amazing testimonial from one of our clients.  Read on to learn Whitney’s story and hear how we can help.

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Trich and Stress

I have been reading a lot of blog posts from people that suffer with trich and although the exact reasons and situations in which they find themselves pulling are very different, many of them find that they pull more (or begin pulling again) after acute periods of stress. We’ve discussed this topic a couple times on this site (search for “Stress” for more information), but it’s worth repeating that stress can increase the urge to pull because it can create neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain.

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Lifestyle Habits to Help Improve Sleep

Recently, we did a post on the negative impacts lack of sleep can have on increasing the symptoms of trichotillomania (see Can Skimping on Sleep make Trichotillomania Worse?). This happens due to the relationship between sleep and neurotransmitter levels – if you sleep less (or erratically), your neurotransmitter levels will likely become imbalanced, which will increase your urge to pull.

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Getting Back to the Basics – Start at the Beginning

You have the urge to pull. You can resist the urge, but it can take a lot of effort to do so. If you give in, you may or may not like what you feel after you pull (exhilaration, pleasure), but you probably don’t like how you feel (guilt, shame, despair) or the end result of pulling (i.e., bald spots, thinning or non-existent hair, eyebrows or eyelashes, etc.). You feel out of control and powerless to change it.

This is a typical scenario and when it comes down to it, we have to start at the beginning – with the urge to pull. If we can eliminate the urge to pull, we can eliminate everything that comes after it.

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I’ve Tried Amino Acids Before & They Didn’t Work

I recently had an initial consultation with a woman – let’s call her Mary – that had been suffering from trichotillomania for 34 years. Mary had tried “everything” to get her urges to pull under control, including many different medications, various forms of psychotherapy, and supplementation including 5-HTP. Since 5-HTP is one of the amino acids we use as a part of our amino acid formulas, she assumed that she had already “tried” our approach as well. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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I’m Pulling MORE – What’s Going On?

“I started following my program and I’m pulling MORE – what’s going on?!”

The urge to pull that is so prevalent in trichotillomania is caused (in most people) by an imbalance in neurotransmitter function. To correct this imbalance, we have found a combination of amino acid supplements that provide the body the exact nutrients it needs to be remarkably effective. In fact, we have been able to help over 86% of the people that come to us with trich completely eliminate the urge to pull.

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Food Allegies and Trich

We have covered a number of ways that different environmental and genetic factors could adversely affect trichotillomania in this blog. This post will focus on another common biological cause for neurotransmitter imbalance that can exacerbate or cause trichotillomania, and that is food allergies or food hypersensitivities.

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Can Skimping on Sleep Make Trichotillomania Worse?

As you read through the numerous articles and research on this blog you will quickly see that we have found that imbalances with certain neurotransmitters (which are brain chemicals that control most of the body’s functions) can lead to a great many disorders, including trichotillomania and the urge to pull, depression, anxiety, compulsive and/or obsessive thoughts and behaviors, food cravings, binging behavior, addictions, migraines and many others, including sleep disturbances. Therefore, it would not be surprising to find a relationship between these seemingly varied imbalances.

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Trichotillomania and Food Cravings

Many people that suffer from trichotillomania also experience other symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalance, which can include any of the following:

In particular, we have been seeing a lot of people suffering from trichotillomania that also have insatiable cravings for sweets and/or simple carbohydrates, including breads, cookies, candy, chips, pastries and similar foods. Most people that have this combination of sugar cravings and trichotillomania don’t realize they are connected, and they often feel helpless on both accounts. However, I am here to tell you that not only are they related, they can both be resolved using the same techniques.

Balanced Amino Acid Therapy

Both the urge to pull and cravings for sugar and sweets are regulated by your brain chemistry. The chemical messengers responsible for this regulation are called neurotransmitters, which include serotonin and dopamine. Imbalances in your neurotransmitter function will cause miscommunication, which often leads to symptoms including the urge to pull, cravings and any number of the conditions listed above. However, restoring proper neurotransmitter balance will improve communication and alleviate these conditions.

One of the keys to establishing proper neurotransmitter function is the employment of balanced amino acid therapy. This means that a health care professional trained in the proper use of amino acids will help you determine exactly the right mix of amino acids and cofactors you need in order to establish optimal neurotransmitter function. Once this occurs, not only will your urge to pull disappear, your cravings will also be substantially reduced or eliminated altogether. This occurs because you are addressing the root cause of your problems, and by digging down to the root, you can manage a whole host of symptoms due to neurotransmitter imbalance.