Compulsive Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania) and Medication

Posted: May 05, 2009 | Comments: 0 | Views: 334 | Bookmark and Share

Compulsive hair pulling could possibly be an indication of trichotillomania, which is basically a psychologically based response to stress that is emotionally triggered by negative stimulus such as fear, anger, anxiety or stress in general. You´ll need to have a proper diagnosis performed in order to make sure of any particular case of compulsive hair pulling possibly being a result of the presence of trichotillomania, particularly when such behavior is evident in young children. Compulsive hair pulling in children may simply be nothing more than a passing phase, much in the same way that the phase of thumb sucking can be present for a time in many toddlers.

It is of considerable note that although compulsive hair pulling is generally treated with the same powerful "behavioral enhancement" drugs that are given to patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), the actual truth is that "trich" is not caused by a cerebral chemical imbalance at all. Far from it, it´s actually an emotionally triggered psychological response to stressful and emotional stimulus, and no amount of medicating the symptoms away will do anything to eliminate this condition from the sufferer´s life. The actual truth of the matter is that this becomes a type of slavery, as any "effects" will only last as long as these harmful drugs are taken continually - once off the medication, the condition still proves to be prevalent.

Therefore, compulsive hair pulling in essence can only be effectively treated with behavioral training techniques that are non-intrusive and have no harmful side effects such as the neuroleptic drugs (antipsychotics), those with serotonergic properties such as given to OCD patients and powerful antidepressants so often do. As a matter of fact, the methods and techniques known as the behavioral substitution type have been reported to have profound effects in completely eradicating compulsive hair pulling with life-long results. Those who employ these techniques can live a happy, normal life without any dependency on powerful and harmful medications.

Trichotillomania medication has been a very controversial topic of discussion, especially considering that this condition is not caused by a biochemical source, nor is it the result of a cerebral chemical imbalance. This has been widely misconstrued in the past, and even to this day the recently revealed facts have met with some resistance from medical professionals who have traditionally relied heavily on prescribing powerful drugs to treat their patients with.

The actual truth is that the hair pulling behavior which is highly characteristic of this particular condition is inaccurately viewed as a problem resulting from a chemical imbalance in the brain, when in truth it is actually an emotionally triggered psychological response to stress. Consequently, no type of trichotillomania medication can ever really cure anyone of this disease outright.

The absurdity of trichotillomania medication is in its non-specific nature to the condition... this condition is most usually treated in the same way as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which is an entirely different condition. As patients are medicated with these drugs, often having serotonergic properties, powerful antidepressants and neuroleptics (antipsychotics), using these as a method of trichotillomania medication, they´re only hazing over the symptoms. If you stop taking the medication, the effects of trichotillomania are still present and ongoing.

Rather than the use of trichotillomania medication, sufferers are experiencing inordinate successes with psychologically based behavioral training sessions. This form of treatment, especially those known as "behavioral replacement" or "behavioral substitution", has proven to be the safest non-intrusive form of treatment showing the most firmly established permanent results reported by sufferers to date. Results are experienced immediately within mere minutes, and the effects have proven to be life-long for most of those who have used this form of treatment.

(ArticlesBase SC #901573)

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