Trichotillomania: What the Studies Say

Trichotillomania (TTM) may affect as many as 4% of the population with the highest incidence in childhood and adolescence. It can continue well into adulthood.Formerly considered an impulse control disorder (in DSM-IV), TTM is categorized in DSM-5 as an obsessive-compulsive and related disorder.1Diagnostic criteria include:
• Recurrent pulling out of hair, resulting in hair loss
• Repeated attempts to stop such behavior
• "Clinically significant” distress or impairment
• Not a result of a medical issue
• Not explained by other mental disordersThere are no FDA-approved medications for TTM, making treatment elusive-but the disorder can be effectively treated with behavioral and pharmacological therapies.Advance through the slideshow for "classic" and more current studies on the topic with links to respective research.Recommended reading: "Impulse Control Disorders: Clinical Characteristics and Pharmacological Management," by Jon E. Grant, JD, MD, MPH, Brian L. Odlaug, and Suck Won Kim, MD.For a PDF of this slideshow, please click here.

References:

1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.