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This blog was originally posted on Ten Percent Happier on April 22, 2022 and is reprinted here with permission

The fear of vomiting can become so all-consuming and terrifying that eating becomes a struggle and weight loss becomes dangerous. As sufferers try to protect themselves from throwing up, their world shrinks until it becomes impossible to work, go to school, or to socialize.

Body Dysphoric Disorder (BDD) is described as the disease of “self- perceived ugliness” or “self-imagined ugliness.” It is also seen as a distressing preoccupation with one or more physical non-existence “defects.” In the DSM-5, BDD is classified under Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders.

What is Trichotillomania (TTM)?

This consists of compulsive urges to pull one’s hair resulting in noticeable hair loss. Hair-pulling can be any part of the body like arms, pubic hair, eye lashing, legs, etc. 

Why do people do this?

Everyone’s skin crawls when they hear nails on a chalkboard (remember chalkboards?).

1. Latch on to triggers that set you off.

Figure out what frightens you and examine how your anxiety reaction is triggered. Your goal is to identify your particular triggers, so you can manage your fear when anxiety levels are low.

College is typically a challenging experience with some expected highs and lows. For some it is also the time during which common mental health problems start. Because of this, you have to talk to your kid about mental health before school starts.

I recently discovered that two friends of mine suffer from trichotillomania, or compulsive hairpulling. It came as a surprise to me, and even as a clinical psychologist, it was difficult to detect because neither one of them pulls out their hair in an obvious manner.