The 9 Minute Trichotillomania Cure!!!

THE CURE!!!

For my second blog post I wanted to write about this website I found claiming to have the “nine minute cure to Trichotillomania.” That being said, I would like to start off by saying before I even read it I doubted this lonely blog post had the cure-all concerning Trich, and after reading it over I was most definitely right. With that in mind I didn’t really choose this source for it’s “cure,” but rather it’s explanation of the disease. As I was scrolling down the page I came across a heading that said “Common trichotillomania symptoms include…” and here’s the list that followed:

1) Obsessive hair pulling that results in serious hair loss…
2) A sharp increase in tension right before you begin pulling your hair out.
3) An immediate sense of pleasure when pulling hair out.
4) Extreme distress in your social life, job, and every area of your life is affected by this condition.

Coincidentally I found a similar list of symptoms concerning heroin use…

1) Obsessive heroin use results in hair loss…
2) A sharp increase in tension right before heroin is injected.
3) An immediate sense of pleasure when heroin is injected.
4) Extreme distress in your social life, job, and every area of your life is affected by this condition.

Truth be told, the list of symptoms regarding heroin use is something I came up with, and while it may seem a bit funny, or out of place, the reality is everything I said is completely true. As I continued reading the article I found an interesting quote, “This is the dangerous cycle of trichotillomania, it actually becomes addicting to pull your hair out.” Well go figure!!!

As I was explaining in my previous post, recovery from chemical dependency may be perceived as a harder task than treating Trich, but is it really? When an outside chemical is introduced to the brain, especially a chemical it enjoys, a “path” or connection is made, usually one that leads to use in the future as a means of coping. When recovering addicts remove the chemical as the normal course of action when dealing with stress the brain craves it, it needs more and more. This is the reason for so many cases of failure with recovery, commonly referred to as a “relapse.” When connections are made in the brain chemically as a means of dealing with stress, which could be referred to as the “easy way out,” it becomes tremendously hard to reverse.

Incidentally, pulling hair also creates a chemical response in the brain, one that if abused could potentially lead to a full-blown Trich disorder…and guess what? HARD TO REVERSE! Since I want to be scientifically correct with what I’m trying to explain here I started searching for the “feel good” chemical pathway in the brain…I knew there was one, but I forgot the details….it’s been awhile since I learned the material, when I came across this, a “hair pulling scalp massage!”

Apparently “pulling hair” can be so enjoyable people will even pay for it, or in some cases demand it during sex! Now obviously in 99% of these cases the hair isn’t actually removed, but for individuals with Trich that do…can’t you imagine the RUSH!?!? So what is a “hair pulling massage?” According to the massage website, “A Gentle but firm pressure is used to glide from your scalp to the ends of each small section of hair. The resulting pressure at and beneath your scalp is both pleasurable and beneficial. Hair pulling scalp massage causes a release of tension in the micro muscles surrounding each hair follicle, restoring pliability to your scalp, and causing the relaxation response in your entire body.” …key words here being, “relaxation response in your entire body.” The page continued, “…The relaxation response lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, slows respiration, neutralizes stress chemicals, and counteracts the “fight or flight” response.”

“The hair pulling scalp massage releases endorphins, your body’s own natural pain killers, it is effective for: headaches (including migraines and sinus), whiplash, neck and shoulder tension, TMJ dysfunction syndrome, neurological trauma, nerve injury, body aches and stiffness, mental tension, and emotional upset. Taking into consideration that Trich is a destructive process unlike the scalp massage; there are still many similarities in effect.

That being said, Trich is similar to chemical dependency in that they both potentially involve chemical interaction with the brain. If an individual begins pulling their hair out as a means of coping, releasing the endorphins, he or she might have a hard time refraining from this course of action when confronted with stressful situations in the future. So for anyone out there with Trich that feels hopeless over something that might not be viewed as a “major issue” by the eyes of society, I say to you, find it as problem, find help, you’re addicted…Shit, I’m addicted.

“Hair Pulling Scalp Massage” Information.

Other interesting information from the “cure” article:

What Are Secondary Symptoms Of Trichotillomania?

Other common symptoms of trichotillomania include skin picking, nail biting, high levels of anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts.


Most trichotillomania suffers have embarrassment, frustration, shame, and depression about the condition...plus was worst is most people never want to share this condition with anyone, which makes it very difficult to get others to help you. 


Denial of the condition is very common.


A bowel infection will be caused if the hair that is pulled is eaten on a consistent basis.

Why Do You Pull Out Your Hair?

Trichotillomania sufferers have developed what psychologists call "secondary gain." You unconsciously have a secondary gain for pulling out your hair. Some female sufferers even do it to sabotage their success with men because they do not like being hit on by the opposite sex.

What you must realize is that absolutely everything you do is out of a need to gain pleasure and avoid pain.

You're brain is wired to do this, it is your basic survival instincts to move towards pleasure and move away from pain.
Your brain always has a positive intent...even if it is pulling out your hair.