What kind of mental illness causes you to eat your hair?

by admin
Filed under: illness 

I met this girl over the weekend who eats her own hair. Not just like nibbling, but eats large chunks at a time. Apparently this is a mental illness, does anyone know what it is?

I believe it is called Pica. A friend of mine has it. She says it is caused by the amount of stress she is under and the fact that her mom used drugs while she was pregnant for my friend.

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11 Comments on What kind of mental illness causes you to eat your hair?

  1. Swimmer on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 6:13 pm

    2. Cat scratch fever (my cat is always licking herself and barfing up hairballs).
    References :

  2. monica on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 6:34 pm

    3. Maybe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
    References :

  3. workingclasshero on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 6:50 pm

    4. It's called Pica. A disorder that is characterized by eating non-food items. See this web-site for a clear & easy to understand explanation:

    http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/pica.html
    References :

  4. Sonya on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 7:40 pm

    5. Good question. I once met a girl who liked to suck on her hair, but she never actually swallowed it; that's kinda weird.
    References :

  5. Joy on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 8:04 pm

    6. tricomania
    References :

  6. Pops on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 8:16 pm

    7. Its called stupidity. In a medical display floor in Bethesda Naval Hospital, there is a red hair ball displayed about the size of a baseball. A red headed girl chewed on her hair until a hairball formed in her stomach. She had to have surgery to get it out….and THATS a fact.
    Pops
    References :
    Seen with my own eyes.

  7. I LoVE CASINO ROYALE on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 8:29 pm

    8. yeah its called being mental and you eat your own hair cuz you think its normal. or your shampoo tastes mighty darn good!
    References :

  8. Toadsputum on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 8:41 pm

    9. pica…eating non-food items such as hair, dirt, glue, etc. prevalent with mr/dd, autism and pregnant women
    References :

  9. melzie3 on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 8:54 pm

    10. I believe it is called Pica. A friend of mine has it. She says it is caused by the amount of stress she is under and the fact that her mom used drugs while she was pregnant for my friend.
    References :

  10. Rebecca M on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 9:19 pm

    11. Pica – this is more common in young children but usually dissappears with age, however, in more extreme cases it extends into childhood. People with this disorder eat things like dirt, clay, feces, etc.
    References :

  11. cswilson139 on Mon, 24th Nov 2008 10:01 pm

    12. trichophagia (tricho·pha·gia) (trik”o-fa´jə) [tricho- + -phagia] the habit of eating hair, a form of pica.
    References :
    http://www.merckmedicus.com/pp/us/hcp/thcp_dorlands_content.jsp?pg=/ppdocs/us/common/dorlands/dorland/dmd_t_18.htm

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