“Is there any therapy that can stop my son from pulling his hair?”
My son has a tendency to keep pulling at his hair. I've been correcting him but he doesn't stop. Is there any therapy that can help him treat the issue?
1 Answer
Councelor/TherapistChildCounseling
Hi,
Thank you for your question. Yes, there are some helpful therapies for hair pulling, including Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as well as prescribed medication. Your son may have a rare condition called Trichotillomania, the irresistible urge to pull out body hair, that often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Symptoms
include compulsive urge of repeated hair pulling and bare patches on areas where hair has been pulled. The general urge would be to pull out any body hair; the common tendency is to pull out hair from scalp, eyebrows, and eye lids. This condition could be due to abnormalities in brain pathways that regulate emotions, habits, and impulse control. Depression and anxiety may also be predisposing factors. I would recommend that you take your son to a mental health professional to be evaluated and treated for his hair pulling
behavior.
I hope this has been helpful!
Best,
Jenna Torres, PsyD
Thank you for your question. Yes, there are some helpful therapies for hair pulling, including Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as well as prescribed medication. Your son may have a rare condition called Trichotillomania, the irresistible urge to pull out body hair, that often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Symptoms
include compulsive urge of repeated hair pulling and bare patches on areas where hair has been pulled. The general urge would be to pull out any body hair; the common tendency is to pull out hair from scalp, eyebrows, and eye lids. This condition could be due to abnormalities in brain pathways that regulate emotions, habits, and impulse control. Depression and anxiety may also be predisposing factors. I would recommend that you take your son to a mental health professional to be evaluated and treated for his hair pulling
behavior.
I hope this has been helpful!
Best,
Jenna Torres, PsyD