Personal toll of trichotillomania: behavioral and interpersonal sequelae

Patients suffering from trichotillomania are at risk for significant mood and interpersonal problems. Using a clinical sample, this study sought to clarify the nature and types of problems experienced by patients and to examine how these problems might be interrelated. The charts of 67 patients who sought treatment for trichotillomania were reviewed. The majority of patients reported problems with affect and interpersonal relationships. Public and social activities (e.g., haircuts, sexual activities) were avoided by a large number of patients. Self-esteem, shame, feelings of unattractiveness, depressed affect, and secretiveness were all interrelated, suggesting that these issues might best be conceptualized as a cluster that needs to be considered in the etiology, effects, and treatment of trichotillomania.