by Tim Brunson, PhD

Trichotillomania, which is also referred to as trich or TTM, is an impulse control disorder, which involves recurrent hair pulling, resulting in a noticeable loss of hair. It includes compulsive and habitual pulling of eye lashes, eye brows, head hair, and pubic hair. Tension before the act and feelings of pleasure immediately thereafter are typical affect conditions. The obvious hair loss results in increased anxiety and often may lead to an avoidance of social situations and even intimate relationships. Reduced self-esteem is also a factor. Hypnotherapy is a valid clinical intervention for trich treatment.

The pervasiveness of trich is unknown. One study indicated that 11% of surveyed college students reported symptoms. 92 to 93% of sufferers are female. Scalp hair puling (80%) is the most prevalent form of trich. This is followed by lash pulling (46%) and brow pulling (43.5%).

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OBJECTIVE: To explore the attributes of the therapy encounter valued by repeat users of health-related massage therapy. DESIGN: A qualitative design with telephone focus group methodology was used. A total of 19 repeat users of massage therapy participated in three telephone focus groups where audiotaped semi-structured interviews were conducted. SETTING: Telephone focus group with massage clients from a range of provincial and urban regions in New Zealand. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Summary of reported themes of the massage experience. Data were thematically analysed using the general inductive approach. RESULTS: Six valued elements of the massage encounter (time for care and personal attention, engaging and competent therapist, trust partnership, holism and empowerment, effective touch and enhancing relaxation), four modulators (comfort, contact, connection and caring) and two themes relating to adding experiential value (enjoyment, escapism) characterize the massage therapy culture. CONCLUSIONS: The culture of massage therapy care incorporates a number of characteristics that are congruent with the complementary and alternative medicine approach to health. In addition, massage specific factors were identified. The humanistic aspects of the therapy encounter valued by clients offer insight into the growing use of massage therapy and the success of massage therapy outcomes.

Complement Ther Med. 2009 Aug;17(4):181-9. Smith JM, Sullivan SJ, Baxter GD. Massage Department, Southern Institute of Technology, Private Bag 90114, Invercargill 9840, New Zealand. jo.smith@sit.ac.nz