Olivia Munn Opens Up About Her Struggles with Trichotillomania. Here’s What to Know.

Actress Olivia Munn recently shared her struggles with trichotillomania, a mental health condition that causes people to pull out their own hair. Opening up about the disorder has sparked conversation about how common trichotillomania is and what treatments are available.

What’s trichotillomania?

Trichotillomania gives people the strong urge to pull out their hair, often from the eyebrows, scalp, eyelashes, or other areas of the body. Hair pulling is commonly triggered by stress, boredom, or anxiety, and can happen without the person realizing it.

How common is the condition and how’s it treated?

Usually beginning during childhood or teenage years, trichotillomania affects about 1 to 2 percent of people, and is commonly reported in women.

Treatment includes therapy, with one effective approach being habit reversal training. This method helps people become more aware of the urge and replace the behavior with a different action. Stress management techniques are often part of the process. In some cases, medication can also help, especially if anxiety or depression is involved.

Understanding trichotillomania is an important step in reducing stigma. With voices like Olivia Munn’s bringing it into the spotlight, more people may feel empowered to seek support and know they are not alone.

For more information on Jackson Health System’s mental health services, visit JacksonBehavioralHealth.org

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons