Working with an Occupational Therapist to Manage Trichotillomania

Occupational therapists (OTs) can play a vital role in helping women manage chronic hair pulling by providing tailored strategies and interventions that improve daily functioning and promote emotional well-being. Here are some advantages of working with an OT to manage chronic hair pulling:

1. Personalized Sensory Tools and Strategies

  • What They Can Do: Occupational therapists are skilled at identifying sensory needs and developing personalized tools, such as fidget toys or sensory objects, that can be used to redirect the urge to pull hair toward more constructive activities.

  • How It Helps: Sensory regulation is key in reducing the urge to pull hair. OTs can help identify specific sensory needs and create an individualized plan to manage these urges in a way that is both soothing and engaging.

2. Environmental Modifications

  • What They Can Do: An OT can assess the individual’s home and work environments to suggest modifications that reduce stress and environmental triggers for hair-pulling.

  • How It Helps: Making small adjustments to the physical environment, such as changing seating arrangements or creating calming spaces, can make it easier for individuals to manage their triggers in a supportive, less stimulating environment.

3. Development of Routine and Structure

  • What They Can Do: Occupational therapists can help individuals with TTM establish consistent routines and schedules that reduce stress and enhance predictability in daily life.

  • How It Helps: Routine can provide structure and stability, reducing anxiety and providing a sense of control over hair-pulling behaviors. OTs offer practical solutions for organizing daily life and developing a schedule that supports long-term success.

4. Coping Strategies for Emotional Regulation

  • What They Can Do: OTs work closely with individuals to develop emotional regulation techniques that help manage stress and anxiety, which are often triggers for TTM.

  • How It Helps: By learning to manage emotional responses in healthy ways, individuals can reduce the intensity of their hair-pulling urges, leading to better control and improved emotional health.

5. Collaborative, Holistic Approach

  • What They Can Do: Occupational therapists work as part of a broader care team, collaborating with mental health professionals, doctors, and support networks to create a holistic care plan.

  • How It Helps: A well-rounded approach ensures that all aspects of TTM management are addressed, from emotional health and sensory needs to environmental adjustments. This comprehensive care plan helps individuals feel supported in all areas of their lives.

About HFHP

Healing from Hair Pulling (HFHP) offers health education programs and customized action plans for women with trichotillomania. We understand how chronic hair-pulling makes you feel because our team members all have TTM, too!

 

Our easy-to-understand guides teach women like us how to better understand their medical condition and ways to lessen internal triggers in their body that may be making it worse.

 

Take our quick quiz now to better understand your level of hair-pulling!

 

HFHP’s evidence-based, peer-led educational program called UnTrich Yourself™ incorporates personalized action plans with a friendly, private support network -- all designed to help you better manage your symptoms while uplifting how you feel -- physically, emotionally, and in spirit.

 

Join us at healingfromhairpulling.com. Together, let's find what works best for you!

Join UnTrick Yourself™ for Personalized Support

Ready to dive deeper into your healing journey? Join UnTrick Yourself™, our peer-led, evidence-based educational program designed for women who have TTM.

We’ll help you explore your triggers, recognize environmental stressors, and develop strategies to manage hair-pulling in a way that works for you.

With our personalized action plans and supportive community, you’ll find the tools and confidence you need to move forward.

References

Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. (2023). Trichotillomania fact sheet. Retrieved from https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/trichotillomania/#:~:text=Use%20stimulus%20control%20strategies%2C%20which,or%20hats)%20and%2For%20providing

 

BFRB.org. (2023). The role of the family environment in adolescent hair pulling. Retrieved from https://www.bfrb.org/articles/the-role-of-the-family-environment-in-adolescent-hair-pulling

 

National Institutes of Health. (2015). Environmental triggers and management of trichotillomania. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4396507/

 

Umbrella Australia. (2023). Occupational therapy for trichotillomania. Retrieved from https://umbo.com.au/occupational-therapy-for-trichotillomania-hair-pulling-disorder/

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