Trichotillomania

A reader describes her worries about her daughter’s anxiety-related issues

Dear Dr Eddie,

My daughter has low self-esteem and is anxious much of the time. Her habit of pulling out her hair (which I have learned is also known as trichotillomania) has left her with bald patches which make her even more anxious. She has been like this for the past three years. She attended CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) at the HSE this year and was assessed, but they found no diagnosis and she is no longer going. They showed her techniques to help with her anxiety, but she doesn’t find them useful. I have been bringing her for craniosacral therapy, but I don’t think she is getting much from those sessions.

She has managed to make a few friends, but she still finds it hard to mix socially outside of school. She likes very little about herself and the loss of her hair is now a huge source of anxiety. She fears that it may never come back and the worry caused by her thin hair only brings on urges to pull it out more. Her school work is suffering badly, as her interest in school and in other activities is poor. Lately, she is finding ways to avoid school altogether. She has always been strong academically, a high achiever, so this new attitude is out of character. Her life is very stressful. I feel that if she could get her hair back, then her confidence would improve, and she might be less stressed.

Dr Eddie, I’m running out of solutions and I don’t know where to turn next. All I do know is that I’m watching a bright, healthy girl ruining her own life.

Thanks Mary, Cork