Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Support Group

I am reading a book right now called "Help for Hair Pullers" by Nancy Keuthen, Dan Stein and Gary Christenson

There are some interesting techniques for quitting hair pulling that I thought I'd share:

COMPETEING RESPONSES:
Replacing the motor sequence of hair pulling with another behavior that utilizes the same muscle groups involved in hair pulling (making a fist, grasping the steering wheel while driving, squeezing a Koosh ball.

These techniques should be done for a minimum of two minutes and are meant to provide a temporary interruption in hair pulling, during which your urges may lessen.

STIMULUS CONTROL TECHNIQUES:
Modifying your environment in order to decrease opportunities to pull.

These techniques focus on those factors that precede the actual pulling (avoiding situations associated with pulling like reading or watching TV, or leaving a trigger situation once an episode starts by doing something like going for a walk, getting a drink or snack, taking a relaxation break, or washing your face.) Stimulus control techniques can also be employed while you remain in the trigger situation.

Some ideas:
-wearing gloves
-using Band-Aids
-fake nails
-applying hand cream during sedentary activities
-aviod reading or computer work when stressed or having urges
-interrupt or change activity if you experience urges or pulling
-take a 5 minute relaxation break when you have an urge to pull
-use a hand exerciser in situations when hands are idle
-play with paper clips, string, textured ribbon, or floral wire
-use a Koosh ball, Silly Putty, a Slinky, or other hand toys or play with a pen that has a top that can be pushed in or out
-play with sticky Scotch tape instead of hair root
-use hair pulling hand for other activities (holding the phone, etc.)
-pop bubble wrap
-stroke or groom your pet
-walk around the house when using a portable phone
-choose public environments for sedentary activities (library for computer work, family room for reading)
-change body posture to decrease access to hair sites
-sit in a differnt location than where you normally pull
-eliminate hair touching and looking

For scalp hair:
-conditoner in hair
-style hair to decrease access to desired hairs
-use hairspray to alter texture
-wash or wet hair to alter hair texture
-dye or tint hair to cover gray or white hairs

For eyebrows and eyelashes:
-Vaseline or Scotch tape on eyebrows
-apply makeup that smudges with touching or pulling
-wear false lashes
-obtain professional eyebrow grooming or set regular times for eyebrow tweezing (if excessive)

SETTING GOALS:
Start with reasonable goals and adjust accordingly (not pulling for an hour, not pulling while reading, etc.)

REINFORCEMENT STRATEGIES:
Using rewards to increase the frequency of a desired behavior (using coping startegies) or decreasing the frequency of an undesired behavior (hair pulling).

RELAXATION AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES:
Tensing each muscle and then focusing on relaxing each muscle

COGNITIVE STRATEGIES:
Identifying thoughts, emotions and behaviors that cause pulling. These maladaptive thoughts can initiate, mediate or worsen pulling. There are three categories: the value of pulling, permission-giving beliefs and automatic thoughts about a situation that produces negative emotions.

Examples of Maladaptive thoughts:
-"You are a weak person and can't control your hair pulling"
-"the white hairs are OK to pull"
-"It's Ok to pull from the left side so that it matches the right"
-"Just one hair is OK"
-"You might as well pull out those hairs that are bothering you because if you resist now, you'll just pull them out later"
Posted on 06/07/08, 09:06 am