How to Help Others With Trichotillomania

If you have already heard of trichotillomania, not necessarily the word but the condition, then that is a great help. One of the hardest things about telling anyone or showing anyone you have trich is the fact that people have never heard about it or don't understand. If you noticed someone pulling or someone told you and you had never heard of it, then it is also a great thing that you are taking the time to look it up in an effort to understand it.

There is a lot of information on trichotillomania online, so learn a bit more about it if you can. You can find out more from official organizations and medical website.

Your first reaction tp pulling out hair might have been to think that it is 'weird' or 'why do they do it to themselves?' but you need to realise that everyone has something like this: biting nails, picking skin, grinding teeth, picking split ends, cracking knuckles. True, these conditions are not all the same or for the same reasons but the more you learn about them and about trich, the more you realise just how 'weird' absolutely everyone can be.

If you have noticed a loved one pulling out hair and they haven't spoken to you, it might be worth approaching them about it. This may be a really embarrassing moment for them, though knowing you have heard of the condition and do not judge them but love them anyway will ultimately be a great help. They may not have even heard that it is a condition themselves: they may feel they are the only one doing it. If you let them know that they are normal, this will be a huge weight off their shoulders. However, always remember that they might just not want to talk about it.

Many people, including parents and partners, just tell those effected to 'stop it'. Now, if it was really that easy to stop, wouldn't they have already stopped? In many cases they might just end up doing it behind your back, or feeling ashamed by themselves after these constant reminders that they can't 'just stop'.

The truth is, finding a trichotillomania cure is very hard.

Finding other ways to help might be hard for you, and it may depend on the personal feelings. You can try keeping their hands busy, distracting them or simply letting them talk about their condition. Letting them know you still think they are beautiful may also help.

Sometimes you might not be able to help. There are so many reasons for people pulling that it is hard to understand, and some days will be worse than others. Just be there even if you know you can't help.

Helping someone with trichotillomania won't be easy. Many forums have sections for parents of pullers, partners, or just anyone who knows someone with trich. Talk to others and share ideas in order to learn more about something which is hard for you to understand. The best way to help your loved one find a trichotillomania cure is to support them and help them understand their own condition.