What is Trichotillomania, Amy Schumer's 'big secret'?
Amy Schumer shared her "big secret" in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Friday. The actor has been dealing with trichotillomania, a disorder that urges one to pull out their own hair. "I think everybody has a big secret, and that's mine...I'm proud that my big secret only hurts me, but it's been what I've carried so much shame about for so long."
What can cause trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania is categorized as a mental disorder, but what causes the disorder is not clearly known yet. Experts are of the opinion that it results from family history, age, and other disorders, as well as stress. People who suffer from trichotillomania often try to masquerade the outcomes. They may pull out the hair on their head or their eyebrows or eyelashes.
Symptoms of trichotillomania
Other than frequent hair pulling, some other symptoms include: -Feeling tense while resisting the urge to pull hair -Feeling happy after impulsively pulling out hair -A distressing social and professional life caused by hair pulling -Bald patches on the spots where the hair has been pulled out, and visible hair loss -Chewing, eating, or playing with pulled-out hair
Complications due to trichotillomania
People who have this disorder are often embarrassed and have low self-esteem. They might avoid social gatherings, and even reject job offers owing to their embarrassment about hair pulling. Constant pulling can leave scars on the scalp, and affect hair growth in the long run. There's no way to prevent this disorder, but treatment as soon as one learns of the symptoms can help.
Therapy might help
There are a variety of therapies to help people with trichotillomania. Acceptance and commitment therapy trains one to practice accepting the hair-pulling urges without actually pulling out hair. Habit reversal will help you practice less harmful habits instead of hair-pulling to counter the urge. Cognitive therapy helps you identify your beliefs in relation to hair pulling and work on them.
