Billur Turan
Substitutes, 2010

Trichotillomania is classified as a body-focused repetitive disorder that causes the individual to damage his or her appearance or cause physical injury through hair pulling. This behaviour may be performed at times of stress, excitement, or inactivity. Depression, shame, and isolation may result. One of the main components of behavioural therapy is ‘stimulus control’, which is the use of substitute (non-destructive) forms of stimulation, and the rearrangement of routines and environments. Acting as a distraction Substitutes could prevent actual damage to the hair. Further more, they convey an idea of progress by moving the hair away from the body to the environment in a successive manner. Each object would be used temporarily till the next stage of recovery. However since slip-backs are common, substitutes would be kept both as a reminder of this fact and as an encouragement for continuous effort.

I would like to thank Doç. Dr. Türkay Demir, Dr. Nora Gribbin and Dr. İrem Hamamcıoğlu for their support and insights.


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