Celebrities go through extreme amounts of scrutiny, constantly living under pressure and having to stomach all their personal feelings in order to continue their work. Olivia Munn is no stranger to this feeling. The American actress recently opened up about struggling with an uncommon condition that was triggered due to a paparazzi shot. She revealed she lives with trichotillomania, a lesser-known mental health condition. This news comes after her public battle with breast cancer, highlighting her continued openness about her health journey. “I did the horrible thing, which was to read the comments... And they were like ‘I think she set this up!’” In a recent episode of ‘Armchair expert’ podcast, Munn shared that her trichotillomania began after an incident with paparazzi between 2009 and 2010 when she was dating Chris Pine. The insensitive comments turned out to be a trigger for her, and she explained it was the beginning of her condition. What is Trichotillomania? Trichotillomania, also called trich or TTM, is a condition where people have strong, repeated, and uncontrollable urges to pull out their hair. This hair can come from their scalp, eyebrows, or other body parts. Munn explained that the urge to pull can be quite intense and it is a sensation that feels like “oh this eyelash feels like its going to come out, even though it is not”. Once you pull it, she details, there is a small second of pain, then satisfaction followed up with immediate regret. The National Health Services UK explains that people with trichotillomania often feel a certain sensation. They feel a lot of tension building up until they pull, and once they do, they often feel a sense of relief. Sometimes, hair pulling happens when someone is stressed, but it can also happen without them even thinking about it. While most people pull hair from their head, some also pull from their: EyebrowsEyelashesGenital areaBeard or mustacheBald patches may appear unusually shaped and affect one side of the head more than the other. Trich can lead to feelings of shame and low self-esteem, often causing individuals to try and conceal their condition. What Causes Trichotillomania? The exact causes of trichotillomania are not entirely clear, but potential factors include: Coping mechanism For some, pulling hair might be a way to deal with strong emotions like stress or anxiety. It could be a kind of self-soothing behavior. Chemical imbalance There might be differences in the brain's chemicals that affect how a person controls urges or handles rewards, making it harder to stop pulling hair. Hormonal changes Changes in hormone levels, especially during puberty when the condition often starts, could also be a factor. Genetics If someone in your family has trichotillomania, you might be more likely to develop it too, suggesting that genes could play a part. Can Trichotillomania Be Treated? The main way to treat trichotillomania is through a therapy called habit reversal training, which is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapy focuses on helping you replace the urge to pull your hair with something harmless. It typically involves keeping a diary to track when and where you pull your hair, which helps you identify and understand your triggers – the specific situations or feelings that make you want to pull. Once you know your triggers, you can work on replacing the hair-pulling action with a different, less harmful behavior, like squeezing a stress ball or making a fist. Support from loved ones is also a key part of this process, providing encouragement as you work to change the habit. Other self help tips according to NHS are, Squeeze a stress ball or similar object.Form a fist and tighten arm muscles.Use a fidget toy.Wear a bandana or a tight-fitting hat like a beanie.Take a soothing bath to reduce stress or anxiety.Practice deep breathing until the urge subsides.Exercise regularly.Apply plasters to fingertips.Cut hair short.