Table Of ContentTHE HAIR-PULLING PROBLEM
Beware as long as you live,
of judging people by appearances
— Jean de la Fontaine
The
Hair-Pulling
Problem
A Complete Guide to Trichotillomania
F P , P .D.
RED ENZEL H
2003
Also by Fred Penzel
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders:
A Complete Guide To Getting Well And Staying Well
Oxford New York
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Copyright © 2003 by Fred Penzel
Published by Oxford University Press, Inc.
198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016
www.oup.com
Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
permission of Oxford University Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Penzel, Fred.
The hair-pulling problem : a complete guide to trichotillomania / Fred Penzel.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-19-514942-4 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Compulsive hair pulling. I. title.
RC569.5 .H34 P466 2003
616.85'84—dc21 2002012721
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
This book is dedicated to all those
brave and beautiful people
who also happen to pull their hair.
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Acknowledgements
A
fter writing all the acknowledgements for my last book, I thought I
had managed to thank just about everyone I knew, but it seems that I
have gone and collected a whole new group. Before I get around to
them, let me thank the host of people who are becoming regulars. My greatest
thanks would be to my wife, Dr. Wendy Penzel, now my professional colleague,
who has never failed to give of her wise advice, moral support, and time. I
must admit that without her help, these books would simply never have hap-
pened. Next, I would like to thank my son Joe, who has taught me more about
being a person, a father, and a psychologist than any other teacher I have ever
encountered. He is a pure human being in the best sense of the word, and has
always generously given of his time with me so that I could help others. He
has also, without realizing it, helped me to have a clearer view of the com-
plexities of the subject of this book. He is the best person I know.
I must also thank Christina Pearson, founder of the Trichotillomania Learn-
ing Center, who happens to be one of the wisest, most inspiring, and most
compassionate people it has ever been my pleasure to meet. I have probably
learned more about the realities of Trichotillomania from simply being around
her and listening, than through any other teacher or experience I have en-
countered. Also, she is a friend. I would certainly be remiss if I did not thank
my colleague, Dr. Charles Mansueto, of Silver Springs, Maryland. On a pro-
fessional level, he has probably been one of my greatest influences and his
thinking on the subject of hair pulling has very strongly shaped my own. I
should add that in addition to being extremely knowledgeable and producing
sharp, and intriguing insights, Dr. Mansueto happens to be one of the best
natured, most humorous, and caring psychologists one could ever hope to
meet. I count him as a friend. I must also extend my appreciation to Ruth
Golumb and Sherri Vavrichek, therapist colleagues of Dr. Mansueto’s, whose
excellent self-help book for kids and views about hair pulling have also been
real influences on my work.
Of course, I could not forget my editor and agent, Barbara Bergstrom, who
has polished my writing, valued my work, and placed it in an appropriate
setting. She guides me through the maze that is book publishing. I’m sure I
have made her quite nervous on more than one occasion, but she has handled
it all with her usual good humor and unflappable nature.
viii Acknowledgements
Further thanks must also be given to all those at Oxford University Press,
most notably, Joan Bossert, associate publisher, who has been there at every
step of the publishing process, and who has shown a belief in my work and
my words that enabled this, and my previous book, to come into being.
I would also like to mention a number of people I have come to know over
the years through TLC who have always been supportive and helpful to me in
uncountable ways. They include Jen Raikes, chair of the TLC board of direc-
tors, and TLC board members Joan Kaylor, Erin Sullivan, and Sue Price.
I would also like particularly to thank all the people who contributed the
personal stories of their lives and struggles with trichotillomania. They are as
beautiful and brave a group as you will find anywhere.
And of course, I cannot forget to thank H.N. for his constant personal in-
spiration, and his advice to “. . . always go straight at ’em.”
d d d
HAIR, Galt MacDermot, James Rado, and Gerome Ragni
© 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970 (Copyrights Reserved) James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Galt MacDermot,
Nat Shapiro, and EMI U Catalog Inc.
All Rights administered by EMI U Catalog Inc.
All Rights Reserved Used by Permission
WARNER BROS. PUBLICATIONS U.S. INC., Miami FL. 33014
Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair!
Shoulder length, longer (hair!)
Here baby, there mama,
Everywhere daddy daddy
CHORUS:
Hair! (hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair)
Flow it, Show it
Long as God can grow it, My hair!
— Title song “Hair” (from the Musical, “Hair”)
Description:Trichotillomania, one of the family of obsessive-compulsive disorders, may afflict as many as 6 to 8 million people in the United States. Now, a leading authority on obsessive-compulsive disorders, Dr. Fred Penzel, has written the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and authoritative guide to this syndr
