Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of behavioral therapy, which has a goal to accept what a person cannot control while committing to behaviors that will help that person improve their life. ACT is an evidence-based therapy approach, which focuses on mindfulness and acceptance, alongside a focus on changing one’s behavior, to improve a person’s psychological state.
A study conducted by Lee et al. (2018) found that ACT may be a potential treatment for trichotillomania, or hair pulling disorder, as it addresses behavioural components of the disorder that other therapies have difficulty addressing. The researchers found that for those suffering from trichotillomania, partaking in ACT helped reduce the severity of symptoms, as fewer hairs were pulled. However, the researchers noted that the therapy did not help reduce urges to pull.
Overall, the findings suggest that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can help those dealing with hair pulling.
That being said, it is always important to remember that not every treatment works for every person with trichotillomania, and it is important for therapists to take individualized approaches to develop unique treatment plans.
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