Natural Recovery in Trichotillomania

Absence of comorbid OCD was the strongest predictor of natural recovery from trichotillomania: 19.05% of those with natural recovery had lifetime OCD versus 43.43% of those with current TTM (LR chi-sq

Effect: improvement; 19.05% vs 43.43%, age-adjusted p = 0.0023

Absence of comorbid ADHD was significantly associated with natural recovery from trichotillomania: 14.29% of those with natural recovery had lifetime ADHD versus 34.29% of those with current TTM (LR c

Effect: improvement; 14.29% vs 34.29%, age-adjusted p = 0.0116

Absence of comorbid panic disorder, skin picking disorder, and tic disorder were each independently and significantly associated with natural recovery from trichotillomania after controlling for age:

Effect: improvement; Panic: 22.22% vs 40.57% (p = 0.0268); Skin picking: 17.46% vs 34.29% (p = 0.0315); Tic: 3.17% vs 16% (p = 0.0362)

Lower rates of anxiety disorder (63.49% vs 76.57%, p = 0.0489), bipolar disorder (14.29% vs 26.29%, p = 0.0445), and eating disorder (20.63% vs 34.86%, p = 0.0319) were observed in those with natural

Effect: null; Anxiety: age-adjusted p = 0.1258; Bipolar: age-adjusted p = 0.1309; Eating: age-adjusted p = 0.1267

24.9% of adults with lifetime trichotillomania experienced natural recovery, defined as no longer having TTM symptoms and never having received therapy or medication for TTM. Hair pulling stopped on a

Effect: improvement; 24.9%