Coiling your hair around your finger and pulling it in a circle — also known as hair twirling — is a fairly common habit. Show
Twirling your hair is part of a group of behaviors called “fidgets.” Children, especially, may twirl their hair as a way of self-soothing to calm anxiety, wind down before bedtime, or simply deal with boredom. The habit of twirling your hair can simply be a nervous habit, but there are times that it can be a sign of an underlying health condition. Twirling your hair can also hurt your hair, resulting in knots, split ends, and hair breakage. Does hair twirling have any side effects?Hair twirling can have some side effects. These may include:
Hair twirling can escalate from a nervous habit or a childhood distraction to a body-focused repetitive behavior. There’s also a belief that hair twirling habits can lead to trichotillomania. This is a mental health condition that causes an overwhelming urge to pull out your own hair. Hair twirling causes in adultsIf you’re an adult with a hair twirling habit, it’s possible that it simply carried over from childhood. It could also be a symptom of another condition. Body-focused repetitive behaviorMaybe you started your hair twirling habit when you were a small child and just never stopped. There’ssome researchto suggest that there’s a link between this type of behavior and impatience, boredom, frustration, and dissatisfaction. Hair twirling can alleviate boredom and also help you wind down when you’re feeling tired. If you tend to only twirl your hair when you’re fighting to stay awake during a meeting, or when you’re streaming your favorite show in your PJs, it could be that you’ve always had the habit. And unless your hair is becoming damaged or falling out, there’s no need to be concerned. Symptom of anxietyYour hair twirling might have started in childhood or adolescence and developed into something you do when you’re anxious. If you twirl your hair when you feel nervous or when you’re coping with intrusive, anxious thoughts, that habit might be a symptom of an anxiety disorder. Sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)Hair twirling can be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). If you have other symptoms of OCD, your hair twirling habit might be a part of your condition. Other symptoms of OCD include:
But hair twirling by itself isn’t enough to suggest a diagnosis of OCD. Causes of hair twirling in toddlers and older childrenHair twirling in children may start as a coping mechanism for stress or fatigue during the toddler years. Since it’s hard to express complicated emotions or control your surroundings when you’re a child, sometimes the body takes over and creates a physical coping mechanism instead. Is hair twirling a symptom of autism?Hair twirling is a form of stimming, or self-stimulation. Other examples of stimming include:
Stimming isn’t always related to autism, but some stimming behaviors can be related to a diagnosis of autism. Repetitive behaviors linked to autism often include:
In cases where a child has been diagnosed with autism, hair twirling can become a destructive behavior that needs to be addressed. But hair twirling by itself isn’t enough to suggest that your child needs to be evaluated for autism. Read about autism symptoms in young children here. Curbing children’s hair twirlingIf hair twirling is affecting your child’s health, there are some methods you can use to interrupt the behavior. Mittens at bedtimePutting child-safe mittens on at bedtime can help toddlers to stop twirling their hair as a way of self-soothing before bedtime. HairstylingIf your child’s hair has been damaged by hair twirling, you may want to address the problem by simply giving them a short haircut. Without hair to twirl, your child may have a rough time self-soothing for a couple of days. But by the time the hair grows back, the habit should be gone. Fidget devicesA fidget device can provide the distraction and relief that your child looks for, without damaging their hair. There are devices available made of imitation hair that your child can twirl as they relax during the evening. How to stop twirling your hair (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});If you want to stop twirling your hair, the treatment you choose will depend on the reason that you do it. Here are some ways to stop twirling your hair as an adult:
When to see a doctorIf you’re noticing that hair twirling is having a negative impact on your or your child’s health, you should seek advice from a doctor. If you or your child are experiencing hair loss from this habit, you should seek assistance. A general doctor may be able to refer you to a mental health professional if you or your child need one. Takeaway People twirl their hair for lots of different reasons. Sometimes, the habit develops in childhood and simply doesn’t go away. Other times, twirling your hair can be a symptom of an underlying health condition. A doctor can offer treatment options if twirling your hair is affecting your or your child’s daily life. What is it called when you keep touching your hair?Trichotillomania, also known as trich, is when someone cannot resist the urge to pull out their hair.
What does fiddling with your hair mean?to make small changes to something to try to make it work: Stop fiddling about with your hair - it looks fine.
Why do people touch their hair around me?Touching the hair can be a subconscious way to feel more in control. Someone may touch their hair when they are feeling insecure, or if they are feeling nervous about something. We often see girls or women touching their hair when they are attracted to someone, which is a self-grooming gesture.
What does a woman touching her hair mean?When women try and act flirtatious with you, their hand automatically goes to their hair and they start twirling it around or swiftly move them with their fingers. It either means she's attracted to you or that she's in the mood to flirt around a little.
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