Trichotillomania: My Family's Journey to Understanding & Acceptance of This Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior by Renee

I’ll never forget the first time I noticed patches of hair missing from my son’s scalp. I was scared and in a panic. For whatever reason, my son had begun to pull his hair out – literally – and all I could think of was how to fix it. That’s how our journey with trichotillomania (TTM or “trich”) began.

Immediately I contacted my son’s doctor and a therapist. I scoured the internet for any insight possible. I bought hair fibers to help hide the bald patches, bought different hats for him to wear while out of the house and had countless meetings with the school to ensure there were accommodations in place to help him make it through the day. 

Trichotillomania (trick-o-till-o-may-nee-uh), also known as hair pulling disorder, is a body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) characterized by the repetitive pulling out of one's hair. There is no specific cause, cure or generally accepted treatment protocol. 

As parents, most of us begin our trich journey overwhelmed with feelings of guilt, confusion, frustration and desperation. It’s been two years since our journey began and here’s what I’ve since learned:

• I can’t control his pulling, but I can control how I react to it. (This is something that I continue to struggle with.)

• I can’t control awkward situations, but I can help him respond and take them in stride.

• I can’t control the cruelty of his peers, but I can make sure he’s safe and accepted at home.

• I can’t control if he feels shame, but I can make sure I am not shaming him.

• I can’t control the struggles he faces, but I can support him through them.

• I can’t control the progress he makes. 

For more information visit the The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Disorders. 

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