Trichotillomania is thought to occur in between 0.6% and 2.5% of children, although the numbers could be much higher as most people suffer from trichotillomania without ever being diagnosed. Trichotillomania in children is sometimes categorized as a short-term habit of hair pulling, and if it only occurs for a couple weeks or a month, it may be just that. However, if hair pulling (or skin picking) lasts more than a couple months, it may meet the criteria for trichotillomania.
We have often found that children and adolescents with trichotillomania also suffer from one or more of the following – anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive tendencies, ADD/ADHD and/or perfectionism. These conditions often occur concurrently because they have the same root cause, which is neurotransmitter dysfunction.
Neurotransmitters control many of the body’s processes; imbalances in neurotransmitter function can cause a host of disorders, including trichotillomania. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that a child with neurotransmitter dysfunction may experience one or more of these disorders. The good news is that by correcting the neurotransmitter imbalances, all dysfunction caused by those imbalances will be addressed and improved.
If you or someone you care about compulsively pulls their hair, please review the information on this site and learn as much as you can. When you are ready to address and correct the underlying neurotransmitter imbalances that lead to trichotillomania, please contact us.
