Trichotillomania-Things Not to Say

With up to 4 percent of the population suffering from trichotillomania, it is shocking how little the disorder is talked about. Sufferers often face harsh comments due to lack of education and understanding. The first step in being able to help is knowing what not to say to someone with trichotillomania.

"Just stop pulling."

If it were as easy as "just stopping", really, nobody would have hair pulling disorder. There are causes and reasons that bring a sufferer to pull, and telling someone to just stop can be embarrassing, hurtful and even drive the sufferer to pull more.

"You've ruined your hair."

Telling a sufferer of trichotillomania that they're ruined their hair, or look bad as a result of their compulsive hair pulling, is damaging and unnecessary. Trichotillomania is draining and hard enough to cope with, and making someone feel even worse about the effect trich has had on them isn't helpful at all. They probably feel bad enough about what their mental illness has caused them, so why make it worse?

"You don't look like you have trich."

On the other hand, sufferers can be told they don't look like they sufferer from trichotillomania. The amount of hair someone has doesn't determine how much-or how little- they are suffering. Also, people with trichotillomania don't just pull the hair on their head. People can pull leg, eyelash, pubic, and eyebrow hair. Anywhere they grow hair, they can pick from.

"If you keep pulling, it won't grow back."

Trichotillomania is a mental illness, that can sometimes even be chronic in sufferers. Knowing what to say to help them stop when you see them suffering is hard, but scaring them into stopping is rarely the way to help.

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