Hypnotherapy for Trichotillomania (hair-pulling)
Trichotillomania, or trich, for short, is the name of a compulsive hair-pulling habit. You pull hair from your head, eyebrows, or eyelashes or more rarely from other areas of your body. Men may pull their beards.
Trich can involve pulling hair from the 'root', twisting hair until it breaks or compulsively snapping off 'unhealthy' hair.
The habit often starts in childhood or adolescence and affects an estimated 2-5% of the population, women have been said to make up 90% of the sufferers, although more recent research points to a more balanced percentage between men and women.
There is no known cause for Trich. No one knows for certain why some people start pulling their hair and others don't.
Once the habit/compulsive behaviour is formed, there are often certain internal or external factors that increase the tendency to pull.
You may pull when you feel overwhelmed or anxious, or when you feel bored, frustrated, or just tired. In other words, when you're over-stimulated or under-stimulated.
Some people pull when they feel in limbo, not quite sure what to do next in their day or when they have decisions to make.
It might be something you tend to do when you drive, or when you sit down in the evening to watch TV. You might pull when you're on the phone, on the computer, or scrolling on social media. It could be in bed or on the sofa or in your car or in front of a mirror with tweezers or just your fingers.
Pulling hair can distract you from self-sabotaging thoughts or boredom or any other uncomfortable feeling or thought and can give you short-lived relief and release and even a certain pleasure.
You can 'zone out' and become completely absorbed in pulling and messing with your hair, wasting precious time and energy.
Once the hair-pulling phase stops, the guilt and regret return in full force.
A negative cycle settles in.
You may suffer trichotillomania in silence, not even knowing that it has a name or that others have it too. It's something you do when you are on your own and secretly. You try to hide and ignore it, and you just can't seem to stop.
Trich can leave you with low self-esteem, ashamed embarrassed, and wondering what is wrong with you.
Is this you?
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You spend a lot of time worrying about what your hair looks like
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You're afraid that people will notice your bald patches, thinning hair, missing brows or lashes
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Your muscles ache from compulsive hair-pulling
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You feel self-conscious, ashamed, and guilty
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You refuse or avoid certain activities for fear your hair loss will be revealed
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Your work and family life suffer. You're late for appointments, isolate yourself so that you can mess with your hair uninterrupted...
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Your personal relationships suffer as a result of Trichotillomania
How Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy can help you recover from Trichotillomania
Trich is a stubborn compulsive habit, this is why I have tailored three different options for you. Choose the one that suits you best
Option 1
Guided Relaxation and Self Hypnosis Workshops
A wonderful way to discover the power of your own mind. This 2-hour online small group workshop is specifically designed for hair pullers and includes self-hypnosis that instills strong positive messages for recovery.
2 workshops are planned each month
This workshop is suitable for anyone who would like a taster into how relaxation and self-hypnosis can really make a difference
During this 2 hour workshop you'll learn and practice different relaxation and self hypnosis techniques and you will recieve access to pre-recorded versions of the exercises after the session
This will include
Breathing and whole body and mind relaxation
Specially created self-hypnosis for hairpullers
Is this workshop for me?
This workshop is for you if :
- You want to create your own self-help tool kit to limit the ravages Trichotillomania has on your life
- You've tried everything and nothing seems to work
- You're simply curious and want to discover the relaxation and self hypnosis techniques
- You want to start gaining control over Trich!
Workshop FAQ
How many people can attend?
I have limited the number to 8 to ensure that you'll have a personalised experience.
How will it work?
The session will take place online via zoom, you can attend from your familiar environment, all you need is to be comfortable and have a good internet connection.
What is self-hypnosis?
Self-hypnosis is a relaxed, focused calm state of mind that you can reach either by listening to the voice of a hypnotherapist or an audio recording . Once in this focused mindset you can either simply relax physically and mentally or work on imagining different behaviours, thoughts and feelings when confronted with certain challenges.
It's a smart, strategic way to train your mind to realise your goals.
Will I have the recordings after the session?
Yes, you will have access to pre-recorded versions of the exercises we will practice during the session.
Will this workshop cure me of trichotillomania?
There is no known cure for compulsive hairpulling, however knowing and effectively using coping strategies to destress and release tension and install positive, strong affirmations deep in your mind will help you feel much more confident and relaxed.
Is this a group therapy session?
No, this is a group relaxation and self-hypnosis workshop specifically designed for Trichotillomania sufferers, it's aim is not to deal with individual issues. You can use this in conjunction with any therapy you're currently undertaking or as a standalone workshop
Is this for children?
No, this is a group relaxation and self-hypnosis workshop for adults. If you'd like to find out more about how I can help your son or daughter you can do this here
Can I book an individual session?
If you wish to book an individual session you can do this here
Option 2
My online 1:1 online sessions blend Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy, Habit Reversal Therapy, Mindfulness, Commitment and Acceptance Therapy and Relaxation Techniques as well as coaching in personalised sessions.
These evidence-proven techniques work to stop the devasting effects of trichotillomania on your life.
Even though there is no known cure for compulsive hair pulling, there are coping strategies and techniques you can use to regain the upper hand. It may never 'go away' but you can certainly limit or even stop it from 'returning'.
Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy brings you awareness of your triggers both internal (thoughts, feelings, sensations) and external (places and situations). It shows you how you can adapt your environment and use practical behavioural strategies to distract and disrupt the trich cycle. You understand how your thoughts and feelings produce the urge to pull and how you can control this.
The deep, relaxed, focused mindset of hypnosis lets you accept suggestions, explore feelings and imagine being pull-free in the peaceful realms of your imagination.
You learn to stop/effectively manage your physical hair-pulling habit and put in place a firm alternative action using a powerful habit reversal protocol.
You develop greater self-acceptance and self-love despite trich.
To help long-term recovery, you also learn skills and strategies to:
- Reduce the harmful effects of negative stress and anxiety on your mind and body by learning techniques to self-regulate your emotions and calm your body.
- Identify, stop and change self-sabotaging, overwhelming thoughts and feelings. You learn what to answer back to trich thoughts such as 'I'll just pull one ....'
- Use strong coping strategies in the case of a lapse.
The wonderful side effect of your sessions is that you not only free yourself from the burden of hair-pulling but also regain loads of self-confidence.
If you’re ready and willing to put in the work and the time, these sessions can at last release you from the overwhelming effects of this habit.
Option 3
This unique programme combines the power of 1:1 online cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy sessions with a Destress Bootcamp which kickstarts your recovery from Trichotillomania journey.
Once you have graduated from the programme you have :
Forever access to monthly online group sessions to benefit from continuing support and
Forever access to new hypnotherapy, relaxation and mindfulness audios as they appear