Is There Any Hope For Tricotillomania?

QUESTION:

Dear Dr. Heller,

I have Tricotillomania, and I have since I was 4.  No one can seem to help me with my problem.  I am 21 years old and I pull my eyelashes out.  Please help me.  Is there a drug I could take so I won't do this anymore?  I have tried everything else.  I'm about to give up hope.

Thank you

ANSWER:

There is no drug for tricotillomania.  It's often an obsessive compulsive symptom designed to deal with anger.  For many, high doses of Prozac work well.  For most, all the treatable anxiety disorders need to be treated in order to get the symptoms under control.  My screening test may be of assistance to you at http://www.BiologicalUnhappiness.com/screen.htm