Jamie Shapiro

A leading charity boss has called for a little known disorder to become a ‘household name’ after a study found that only 4% of people know about it.

Trichotillomania, the illness which causes sufferers to pull out their hair affects one in 25 people globally and leads to ‘painful isolation’.

A 100-person study, which compared prevalence and awareness rates of four mental illnesses returned results which indicated high awareness inequality.

Trichitillomania, despite affecting almost double Anorexia and an equal amount to Alcoholism, had an awareness rate of only four out of 100, compared to Anorexia and Alcoholism’s shared 99 out of 100.

Rebeka Rakes, CEO of TLC, a leading Trichotillomania charity in America, said: “For many people, the shame and embarrassment causes painful isolation and results in a great deal of emotional distress.

“This shame and secrecy is one of the reasons most people still don’t know about a disorder that should be a household term, given its prevalence.

“It’s a ‘Catch-22’. Public ignorance about Trichitillomania makes us ashamed, and it also makes it risky for anyone to end the ignorance by speaking out about having this problem.”

Charities in England, however, still don’t list the illness on their websites, as ‘more research is needed’.

A spokesperson for mental health charity Mind said: “There are competing schools of thought on where Trichitillomania best fits diagnostically and our information team thinks more research is needed.”