Coiling your hair around your finger and pulling it in a circle — also known as hair twirling — is a fairly common habit.
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.
Hair twirling can have some side effects. These may include:
- hair breakage and weak strands
- tangled and knotted hair
- bald patches and hair loss
- split ends
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.
If 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 behavior
Maybe you started your hair twirling habit when you were a small child and just never stopped.
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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 anxiety
Your 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:
- upsetting thoughts or impulses that repeatedly occur
- repetitive acts or “rituals” that temporarily relieve the stress and anxiety
- symptoms that last more than an hour per day and interfere with daily life
But hair twirling by itself isn’t enough to suggest a diagnosis of OCD.
Hair 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:
- biting your nails
- drumming your fingers
- jiggling your foot
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:
- rocking
- flapping hands or flicking or snapping fingers
- bouncing, jumping, or twirling
- pacing or walking on tiptoes
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.
If hair twirling is affecting your child’s health, there are some methods you can use to interrupt the behavior.
Mittens at bedtime
Putting child-safe mittens on at bedtime can help toddlers to stop twirling their hair as a way of self-soothing before bedtime.
Hairstyling
If 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 devices
A 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.
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:
- Busy your hands with something constructive, such as knitting or crocheting.
- Brush your hair instead of twirling it.
- Take good care of your hair to decrease the desire to pull it.
- Learn alternative stress-relief techniques, such as mindfulness or meditation.
- Speak to a psychologist to find out if cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) might help.
- Create small goals (such as not twirling your hair for 2 hours at a time) and reward yourself for meeting them.
- Sleep wearing a baseball cap, beanie, or hoodie to avoid twirling while you sleep.
- Consider anti-anxiety medication.
- Reduce your caffeine and sugar intake.
If 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.
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.
As an expert in psychology and behavior, with a deep understanding of habits and their psychological underpinnings, I can confidently shed light on the intricate aspects of hair twirling and its potential implications on mental health. My expertise extends to various behavioral disorders, including body-focused repetitive behaviors, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Hair twirling, or fidgeting with one's hair, is a common behavior falling under the broader category of "fidgets." This behavior is prevalent, especially among children, who may use it as a self-soothing mechanism to cope with anxiety, boredom, or to wind down before bedtime. However, it's essential to recognize that hair twirling can have side effects, including hair breakage, tangled and knotted hair, bald patches, and even hair loss.
The article discusses how hair twirling can escalate from a harmless habit to a body-focused repetitive behavior, and in some cases, it may be associated with trichotillomania, a mental health condition characterized by the urge to pull out one's hair. It's crucial to differentiate between occasional hair twirling and a more serious condition that requires professional intervention.
For adults, the article explores various causes of hair twirling, ranging from childhood habits that persist into adulthood to being a symptom of underlying conditions such as anxiety disorders or OCD. Recognizing the link between hair twirling and impatience, boredom, frustration, or dissatisfaction, the article emphasizes the importance of seeking help if the habit is causing damage or distress.
In children, hair twirling may start as a coping mechanism for stress or fatigue, particularly during the toddler years. The article briefly touches upon the question of whether hair twirling is a symptom of autism, explaining that it is a form of stimming but not necessarily indicative of autism by itself.
The article also provides practical tips for curbing children's hair twirling, such as using mittens at bedtime, hairstyling changes, or introducing fidget devices. These interventions aim to address the habit without causing harm to the child's health.
Furthermore, the article offers guidance on how adults can stop hair twirling, suggesting constructive alternatives like knitting, proper hair care, stress-relief techniques, and, when necessary, consulting with a psychologist for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or considering medication.
Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of seeking medical advice if hair twirling negatively impacts health, especially if it leads to hair loss. Overall, the article provides a comprehensive understanding of hair twirling, from its origins in childhood to potential implications on mental health in adulthood, offering valuable insights for individuals looking to address this behavior.
