Hair Pulling/Trichotillomania Therapy and Counseling for Children in San Jose

At the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley, we offer cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for children with Trichotillomania or chronic hair pulling. Our approach with children and their families is practical, goal-oriented, compassionate, and scientifically-based while focusing on your child’s individual needs. If you think your child may be experiencing Trichotillomania, you can learn more about the disorder and our treatment approach below.

What is Trichotillomania in Children?

If your child has trichotillomania, he or she may pull hair on various parts of their bodies, including the scalp, face, arms, legs and pubic areas. For some children, trichotillomania becomes damaging and very difficult to control. Hair pulling can occur anytime but may become worse in stressful situations. Most children with trichotillomania feel shame, embarrassment or guilt about their pulling behavior and hair loss. Younger children may not notice or be bothered by hair loss. Older children and adolescents may be teased and  have low self esteem, anxiety or depression.

Symptoms of Trichotillomania in Children

  • Recurrent hair pulling resulting in noticeable hair loss
  • Pleasure, excitement, or relief when pulling out hair
  • Embarrassment or shame resulting from hair loss
  • Tension and difficulty resisting the urge to pull hair
  • Problems at home or school due to hair loss or pulling

Cognitive Behavioral Model of Trichotillomania for Children

The cause of trichotillomania is not known. While some research suggests that some children may have an inherited predisposition to hair pulling, the causes of the behavior are less important than what is maintaining the problem now. According to the CBT model, hair pulling is maintained by a combination of environmental, emotional, and/or cognitive factors that trigger or reinforce pulling episodes. Pulling can be triggered by specific settings (e.g. bedroom, bathroom) or activities such as driving or watching television. Certain emotions, such as anxiety, tension, and boredom can also trigger pulling episodes, as well as irrational beliefs about physical appearance (e.g. your child may believe that there is too much hair on his/her legs). Pulling is then reinforced by playing with the hair after it is pulled, a sense of relief or satisfaction, tension reduction, or the belief that physical appearance is improved. Pulling also may distract your child from negative and uncomfortable emotions that they wish to avoid.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Children with Trichotillomania

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you and your child learn skills to manage and reduce hair pulling. CBT is a specialized form of therapy that involves helping your child recognize thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with hair pulling. The goal of this therapy is to increase the awareness of hair pulling and replace it with alternative behaviors. During the assessment phase, you and your child will keep track of their pulling episodes, along with the associated triggers, consequences, emotions and thoughts. Your child will learn will learn self-management strategies to prevent pulling episodes and to stop the episodes once they begin, as well as learn to tolerate the uncomfortable emotions that lead to pulling.

Common Goals of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Trichotillomania with Children
  • Decrease pulling episodes and urges to pull.
  • Develop effective management strategies for dealing with pulling triggers and stopping episodes once they begin.
  • Resume daily routine and other levels of functioning.
  • Build coping skills for tolerating uncomfortable emotions and preventing pulling.
  • Enlist family support in helping the child stop pulling.
How to Get Help for Your Child with Trichotillomania in San Jose/Saratoga and Sacramento/Roseville

As a parent, you might become frustrated since it is very difficult to understand that your child with trichotillomania can’t simply stop pulling their hair. Neither you nor your child are to blame for the hair pulling behavior. Punishing children for pulling hair is unlikely to decrease the behavior and can lead to problems with self-esteem. In order to avoid punishment or embarrassment, your child may try to hide or deny they are pulling their hair.

If your child is willing to talk about his or her pulling, it is important to listen and be open-minded. Depending on your child’s age, you may want to share some of the information you have found about the disorder and treatment options so your child feels empowered to make a change. Be supportive, encouraging, and remind your child of what he/she does well. After talking with your child, it may be time to get some professional help.

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley/San Jose specializes in anxiety and OCD therapy and counseling for children. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help your child overcome his/her anxiety-related problems.

Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Child Anxiety and Child OCD near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:

San Jose Therapy CounselingSaratoga Therapy CounselingLos Gatos Therapy Counseling Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy CounselingCampbell Therapy CounselingMountain View Therapy CounselingLos Altos Therapy CounselingSunnyvale Therapy CounselingSanta Clara Therapy Counseling

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Child Anxiety and Child OCD near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:

Sacramento Therapy CounselingRoseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy CounselingFolsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling •  El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy CounselingGrass Valley Therapy Counseling  • Auburn Therapy Counseling

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