trichotillomania
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of trichotillomania
1900–05; tricho- + Greek tíll ( ein ) to pluck, pull out + -o- + -mania
Explanation
Trichotillomania is an obsessive, irresistible urge to pull out your own hair. It's a serious mental condition. Many psychological compulsions and conditions include the word mania, such as pyromania, which is a compulsion to set fires. Another is trichotillomania, a condition suffered by people who can't help pulling out their own hair. This goes way beyond the frustrated saying "I was pulling out my own hair!" This is a real mental-health problem that can cause serious behavior and appearance problems for the sufferers. Anyone who thinks they might have trichotillomania should consult a doctor.
Vocabulary lists containing trichotillomania
Psychological Conditions and Disorders
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Psychology
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ruben's partner Amber Phillips said she first became aware of Ruben's trichotillomania when they were watching TV.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
If my trichotillomania had not got really bad after wasting a lot of money then I would never have created the lash oil that is keeping my business afloat.
From BBC ● Dec. 28, 2024
The "Life & Beth" creator and star recently revealed that she has "trichotillomania."
From Fox News ● Mar. 25, 2022
Their lead compound, SXC-2023, has even progressed to phase II clinical testing, where it is being administered to patients with an impulse control disorder called trichotillomania, also known as the hair-pulling disorder.
From Scientific American ● Jan. 13, 2020
The news that there was a name for her condition – trichotillomania – was immense.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 23, 2018
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
