Trichotillomania-hair pulling disorder

Trichotillomania-hair pullingThere is no published article on the use of EEG biofeedback with trichotillomania. I had a case involving this condition a number of years ago. After several months of psychotherapy (to no avail) I switched the treatment to EEG biofeedback. I asked him (a 12 year old) to close his eyes and whenever he felt the urge to pull his hair he was to tell me. I watched the raw EEG waveform on the computer while we engaged in this activity. After several minutes of this activity, it became apparent to me that his brain was evidencing higher levels of delta activity when he felt the urge to pull his hair out. The biofeedback sessions were set up to inhibit the delta activity (along the sensori-motor strip). Sessions were conducted on a once a week basis. Within two months he had stopped pulling his hair out and was growing bushy eyebrows. He was discharged.