Those who suffer from trichotillomania have a difficult time trying to stop hair pulling, which is the main characteristic of this condition.
This behavior is triggered by negative feelings of stress, anger, anxiety, fear, and other stressful types of external stimuli.
To stop hair pulling successfully, there are two main angles of approach to this, and these are medicinal therapy and behavioral therapy.
Those who decide to use medications as a means to stop hair pulling are prescribed drugs which have serotonergic properties, like some forms of antidepressants which are also used by people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorders.
Other types, such as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) can be utilized, as well as other types, Clomipramine (which is also known by the name Anafranil), has been proven to be the most effective.
While studies show that medicinal therapy alone has a very low success rate, this is often used in conjunction with certain types of behavioral therapy.
On the other hand, the use of behavioral therapy, even as a stand alone form of treatment to stop hair pulling behavior, shows enormously higher success rates of 90% or more.
This is the most widely accepted form of treatment, the most well known type of this behavioral therapy being known as "habit reversal".
This brand of therapy helps sufferers to stop hair pulling behavior by instructing individuals on how to monitor their behavior and replace this habitual pattern with more healthy habits, resulting in the success of their efforts to stop hair pulling entirely.
This proves to be the best method of treating trichotillomania to date.