Trichtillomania Causes

A definitive cause of Trichotillomania is as yet undiscovered. Many have speculated that the hair pulling disorder is a result of biological, psychological or behavioural aspects. There is even a suggestion that young children may pick up this trait by observing adults, whereas others believe the causes to be chemical or stress related.

One of the more common theories highlights the emotional and psychological sides to the condition. Mental distress and anxiety are suggested by many to be instrumental in  causing the compulsive pulling out of hair from the head, eyelids, eyebrows and the body as a method of coping with these traumatic feelings. Some trichotillomania sufferers have also been known to display symptoms of other conditions, such as depression or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Biologically speaking, suggested trichotillomania causes range from gene mutation to chemical abnormalities. Some experts believe that trichotillomania sufferers carry an altered gene, SLITRK1, whose job is to tell the body to create specific proteins. This type of gene mutation is often suspected to be inherited by one or more close relatives.

Sometimes, the causes of trichotillomania can be linked to habitual or learned behavioural patterns. This hair pulling may arise in childhood as a result of observing an adult or sibling, leading ultimately to becoming a habit, and after time, may develop into a coping mechanism to help deal with stress.

Discover how to deal with Trichtillomania here.