How to stop pulling your hair while studying

I pull from my beard and mustache, mostly at my desk, so I know how easily it happens when your attention is somewhere else. Studying is a lot like desk work in that way, with a few extra problems of its own: long reading, exam stress, and late nights.

Most of this comes from habit reversal training, the approach with the most research behind it for hair pulling (trichotillomania). A 2014 review of clinical trials found a large effect on hair pulling for behavior therapy. If most of your pulling happens at a computer rather than over a book, start with the computer guide instead.

Why studying sets it off

Researchers describe two styles of pulling. Automatic pulling happens while you're absorbed in something else. Focused pulling is more deliberate, often a response to an urge, stress, or a hair that feels wrong.

Studying sets up both. When you read, your eyes and mind are busy and your hands aren't. You sit in one spot for a long time, often with your head propped on a hand, which puts your fingers right next to your hair. And studying tends to be either stressful or dull, sometimes both in the same hour.

Track your study sessions

For a week or two, jot down each time you notice you've pulled: what you were studying, where you were sitting, the time, and how you felt. Keep the log in the margin of whatever you're working on, so it's always there.

Look for the specifics. Maybe it's reading but not problem sets, or the library is fine and your bed isn't. That tells you which sessions need the changes below.

Notice it earlier

The first part of habit reversal training is awareness training: learning what comes right before a pull, like your elbow going up onto the desk or your fingers starting to search. Catching that moment is much easier than stopping halfway through.

A sticky note on your book or a bracelet you can feel on your wrist both work as reminders. If you study on a Mac, the app I built, DeskGuard, uses the webcam to spot when your hand stays at your hair or face and puts up an alert. Video stays on your Mac. You can try it free on the Mac App Store.

Keep both hands busy

The second part is a competing response: something you do with your hands that makes pulling impossible, held for about a minute or until the urge passes. Studying gives you an easy one, because you can hold a pen or highlighter in your pulling hand and use it.

Take notes by hand, underline as you read, or keep a finger on the line you're reading. If you read on a tablet or laptop, hold a fidget instead: putty, a smooth stone, a spinner ring. A lot of pulling is about how the hair feels, so something with a similar texture can help.

Barriers for long reading

Small obstacles give you a few seconds to notice. A hat, headband or hood covers the scalp. Bandages or finger cots on your thumb and index finger make it hard to grip one hair, which helps with brows and lashes. Some people wear thin gloves during long reading. Keep tweezers and mirrors out of your study space.

How you set up a session

• Study in shorter blocks, like 25 or 45 minutes, with a real break between them. Get up during the break.
• Sit at a desk or table instead of in bed or on the couch, where it's easier to lean on your hand.
• Try reading standing up, or at a counter, for the sessions where you pull the most.
• Study somewhere with other people around, like a library, if you pull less when you're not alone.
• Turn off your laptop's self-view in video study groups.

Exam weeks

Pulling often goes up when stress does, so expect exam weeks to be harder and plan for them. Start studying earlier so there are fewer late nights. Put the barriers and fidgets out before the week starts, not after a bad night. Sleep and meals matter more than they seem to when you're cramming.

If you have a slip, don't treat it as proof that nothing works. Note what happened and keep going.

Getting help

Trichotillomania is a recognized condition, and plenty of students deal with it. If it's causing hair loss, distress, or getting in the way of your work, talk to someone. Many colleges have free counseling. Ask whether anyone there knows habit reversal training or the ComB model, or ask for a referral. The TLC Foundation for BFRBs has a directory of specialists and online support groups.

Common questions

Why do I pull my hair when I read?

Reading keeps your eyes and attention busy while your hands have nothing to do, and you tend to sit still for a long time. That is the setting where automatic pulling, the kind you don't notice, happens most.

Does exam stress make hair pulling worse?

For many people, yes. Pulling can be a way of coping with stress, so it often goes up around deadlines and exams. Planning for those weeks ahead of time helps more than trying to hold out.

What can I hold while studying so I don't pull?

A pen or highlighter in your pulling hand works for a lot of people, because you are already using it. Putty, a smooth stone or a spinner ring also work. Keep it on the side you pull with.

Can my school help?

Many colleges have free counseling services. Ask whether anyone there has experience with habit reversal training or body-focused repetitive behaviors, or ask them for a referral.

Related: How to stop pulling your hair while working at your computer

This is general information from my own experience and from habit reversal training resources. It isn't medical advice, and DeskGuard isn't a medical device or treatment.