Do I have Trichotillomania?
The following set of questions is designed to help you get a better idea of whether or not you exhibit signs of Trichotillomania, and if you do, how severe they are.
Please answer the following questions based on your hair pulling behavior in the past week (7 days). Choose the response that is most relevant to your situation. If you are unsure about any of the questions, please estimate to the best of your ability.
This questionnaire is adapted from various psychometric tests such as the Hair pulling scale (Massachusetts general hospital), the NIMH Trichotillomania Sympton Severity Scale (NIMH-TSS), and other BFRB scales such as Milwaukee Inventory for the Dimensions of Adult Skin Picking (MIDA) (Walther,Flessner, Conelea and Woods, 2009) and the Skin Picking Scale-Revised (Snorrason, Olafsson, Flessner, Keuthen, Franklin and Woods, 2012).
This questionnaire is not exhaustive and is not meant to replace a comprehensive assessment by a qualified mental health professional. Also, it is important to differentiate between Trichotillomania, which is a psychological condition, to medical conditions that have to do with hair loss. Consult a doctor for medical examination if you are uncertain.
How frequently do you experience the urge to pull your hair?
How intense are the urges to pull?
Do you lose control of your pulling behaviour?
Do you find it effortful to resist your temptations to pull?
How much time do you spend pulling your hair every day?
Does your pulling behaviour affect your daily functioning (for example, delay in getting out of the house, interfering with work or relationship)
Do you avoid activities (for example, participating in social events or activities that require you to expose your pulled spots) because of your hair pulling behaviour?
Are you distressed (for example, anxious, ashamed, guilty) by your hair pulling behaviour?
How much physical damage do you currently have due to pulling?
Your scores indicate that your hair pulling problems are mild. It is possible that your pulling is a response to specific situations and events. It does not seem to interfere greatly with your daily functioning at the moment. However, we recommend that you continue monitoring these behaviours to ensure they do not deteriorate. It may be beneficial to build greater awareness of its triggers by keeping a diary or journal of the times you pull you hair. You can also consult the following resources:
Your scores indicate that your hair pulling problems are moderate. It is possible that your pulling behaviours are a response to specific situations and events. It appears that your compulsions are interfering in some areas of your daily functioning. We recommend that you continue monitoring your hair pulling behaviours and seek support to manage them. This has the added benefit of ensuring that your pulling does not deteriorate.
Your scores indicate that your hair pulling problems are severe. It appears that they are interfering with your daily functioning across different contexts. It is possible that your hair pulling behaviours are a response to specific situations and events. Seeking professional help is highly recommended to help alleviate and manage your problems.
Your scores indicate that your hair pulling problems are extremely severe. It appears to be impeding on your daily functioning and stopping you from engaging with activities or people around you. We strongly encourage you to seek professional attention to help alleviate and manage your problems.
