People with trichotillomania have uncontrollable urges to pull their own hair out of their scalps. They also have these urges for the hair on other parts of their bodies. These people know that this isn’t a good thing to do, and they try to stop, but they find it impossible. After noticing that they have bald spots on their heads, these people begin to feel distressed about it, and it may cause them to miss work, school and social functions. This condition is a mental health disorder that can be treated, but the afflicted person must find this treatment. It can be difficult to do because people with trichotillomania are very secretive about their condition, and they don’t like to broadcast the fact that they have it. Fortunately, there are treatment options, and they can be found on the internet.
We help you find your psychologist
What are the treatment options for trichotillomania?
BetterHelp
Researchers studied the online therapy offered at BetterHelp, and they discovered that subjects suffering from depression stated that they were experiencing less depression after engaging in therapy on the BetterHelp website. This study was done by researchers from San Francisco General Hospital, the University of California - San Francisco and the University of California - Berkeley.
In addition to the research, further evidence of BetterHelp’s efficacy at treating psychological conditions comes from the therapists the company hires. While every therapist has either a master’s degree or a doctorate, they are also all licensed in their states. Therapists at BetterHelp are licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers and licensed marriage and family therapists. Their psychologists are also licensed and accredited and have doctorate degrees.
Each therapist completed the requirements necessary to be certified by their states’ professional boards. This includes the training, exams and practice hours that are required for this honor. You can be assured that your therapist has practiced his or her profession for at least three years. Specifically, they have at least 1,000 hours of hands-on experience practicing in a professional setting.
Findyourtherapy.com
Findyourtherapy.com provides you with a list of several types of therapists and where you can find these therapists online. The website offers several options for where you can find a therapist to treat trichotillomania.
Are there other treatment options?
Other treatment options include the following:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for several mental health disorders. After engaging in CBT, people begin to function normally again, and their quality of life improves dramatically. It may even be better than prescription medications.
CBT helps those experiencing trichotillomania because it addresses the faulty ways that people with this condition think. CBT also helps people abandon thought patterns that lead to negative behavior, such as pulling one’s hair. CBT also teaches people to cope with their bad habits and unhelpful behaviors so that they can be relieved of these symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral treatment teaches people how to think in a less destructive and ineffective manner. It also helps them learn to change their destructive behavior patterns. For example, when people begin to experience the urges to pull their hair out, this therapy teaches them how to calm their minds and relax their bodies. If they are feeling fearful in the moments when they sense the urges, they learn how to face their fears so that they aren't avoiding them by pulling their hair.
The therapy decreases faulty thinking patterns by helping people become more confident in their own abilities. They also learn how to solve problems in a more effective manner than resorting to the destructive pattern of pulling their hair. Lastly, CBT helps people experiencing trichotillomania understand why other people behave as they do.
Dialectical behavior therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy is an option that clinicians use for the treatment of self-destructive patients. This therapy is different because it seeks to help people accept and change their behaviors. For example, patients need to accept the fact that they are engaging in hair-pulling behavior and then they need to change those behaviors. As patients learn new skills, they must complete “homework” so that they can practice these skills. It involves keeping a log of the urges they feel to pull their hair.
Clinicians designate dialectical behavior therapy for patients with disorders that are the hardest to treat. Those engaging in the impulsive behavior common in people with trichotillomania are well-suited for this therapy.
Dialectical behavior therapy focuses on four different ways of teaching patients new life skills. For example, patients learn how to face conflicts by being assertive so that they do not turn inward and harm themselves. Then, they must also learn to be more aware of the people around them. They must learn to be in the present moment and attentive to the emotions that other people are experiencing. They need to learn to recognize their emotions and change them if they are leading to their destructive behaviors. Lastly, they learn to recognize strong emotions without having the need to relieve them by harming themselves.
We help you find your psychologist
Group therapy/support groups
Group therapy is also a psychotherapy treatment, but it teaches people how they can manage their negative behaviors. With group therapy, more than one person will receive therapeutic help from one or two psychotherapists. The advantage of group therapy is that several people are in attendance, and they all have similar experiences that they can share with one another. In general, group therapy will address one issue, so it will be a positive vehicle for helping people diagnosed with trichotillomania.
People receive several benefits from group therapy. Those with trichotillomania may believe that they are the only ones to be diagnosed with this condition. Group therapy for trichotillomania patients would demonstrate that they are not alone. Knowing that this is the case causes people to feel less isolated and part of the community again.
The group is also a safe place for those experiencing trichotillomania to share their feelings about the disorder. It may be one of few places where they feel free to admit that they have this condition. It also makes them feel comfortable enough to talk about their destructive behaviors. The understanding environment helps them release the frustration they feel of not being able to stop their destructive behaviors. In group therapy, patients hear about experiences from other people and begin to see things in a new light.
The group is highly important because each member can feel as if he or she belongs to the group. This sense of belonging makes it easier for people with trichotillomania to share their stories with others. The group also encourages members to make changes they need to make and begin the healing process.
Self-help
Not everyone is interested in seeing a therapist. They would rather heal themselves and maintain their independence. Self-help encourages them to do this by themselves or by taking advantage of guided literature. One manner of helping oneself is to determine what your short-term and long-term goals are. You can decide for yourself whether or not these goals are achievable or not.
When using self-help to initiate changes, you must write down all of the positive attributes of achieving your goals. Just writing these attributes down is enough to motivate people to make these changes happen. If they take it further and determine a date by which they would like to achieve the goal, it has an even bigger impact on moving them toward achieving their goals.
The medical community believes that self-help is a legitimate option for improving one’s life. However, if you aren't using legitimate sources, it will turn out to be untrue. For example, you can find several books that will lead you in the right direction. You can also find many websites that have correct and useful information to help you, but you have to be sure that you are looking in the right places.
Conclusion: Finding trichotillomania therapy near me
Trichotillomania is a disorder that people like to hide from others, so it isn’t easy for you to announce the fact that you need a therapist for this reason. Now, you have the internet to help you with your search, and with the internet, you can perform a search without having to tell anyone why you are searching. What is even better is the fact that you can have your trichotillomania therapy online with a confidential platform. You will finally get the trichotillomania therapy that you need without any embarrassment and for an affordable price.
We help you find your psychologist