PRINTER'S NO. 4295
No. 875 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY SCAVELLO, ADOLPH, BEYER, BOBACK, BRENNAN, BROOKS,
CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, COHEN, CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, DePASQUALE,
DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE,
GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HELM,
HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, JAMES, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, MAHONEY,
MAJOR, MANTZ, MARSICO, MILLARD, MOYER, MURT, PALLONE, PAYNE,
PEIFER, PHILLIPS, RAMALEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROCK,
SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SEIP, SIPTROTH, SWANGER, VEREB,
VULAKOVICH, WALKO, WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD,
SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the week of October 5 through 11, 2008, as
2 "Trichotillomania Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Trichotillomania, commonly known as "trich," is a
4 disease that results in repetitive hair pulling affecting
5 sufferers not only cosmetically, but psychologically as well;
6 and
7 WHEREAS, People suffering from the disease need support,
8 education and outreach programs as trichotillomania is a
9 relatively common disorder affecting 2% to 4% of the population,
10 including people from all backgrounds, which has both biological
11 and behavioral aspects; and
12 WHEREAS, This disorder affects approximately six million
13 Americans, including as many as one million children, often
1 causing serious distress and self-esteem issues, lowering the
2 quality of life; and
3 WHEREAS, For many, the psychological impact of
4 trichotillomania can be severe, including intense feelings of
5 shame, isolation and loss of control; and
6 WHEREAS, Trichotillomania often begins in childhood, but it
7 affects people of all ages, including teenagers, younger
8 children, adults and senior citizens; and
9 WHEREAS, The disease is equally common in younger boys and
10 girls, but after puberty, it seems to affect more females than
11 males; and
12 WHEREAS, The cause of trichotillomania is not known; and
13 WHEREAS, As with many other disorders, such as alcoholism,
14 the disease may develop due to a combination of genetic,
15 emotional and environmental factors; and
16 WHEREAS, It is also possible that hair pulling may have a
17 number of different causes, just as a cough can be caused by
18 many different illnesses; and
19 WHEREAS, Trichotillomania is currently defined as an impulse
20 control disorder, but there are still questions about how it
21 should be classified; and
22 WHEREAS, It may seem, at times, to resemble a habit, an
23 addiction, a tic disorder or an obsessive-compulsive disorder;
24 and
25 WHEREAS, Research into treatments for trichotillomania has
26 grown steadily over the past decade; and
27 WHEREAS, Although no single treatment has been found to be
28 effective for everyone, a number of treatment options have shown
29 promise for people with trichotillomania, including cognitive-
30 behavioral therapy, medication and support groups; and
20080H0875R4295 - 2 -
1 WHEREAS, Despite its prevalence, little is known or
2 understood about trichotillomania because of the secretive
3 nature of this behavior, however, there is help available for
4 sufferers and their families; and
5 WHEREAS, The Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC) is the
6 national nonprofit organization serving the Trichotillomania
7 community; and
8 WHEREAS, TLC's mission is to improve the quality of life of
9 children, adolescents and adults with trichotillomania and
10 related disorders by promoting research and treatment advances
11 and providing information and support to sufferers and their
12 families through educational events, treatment referrals, the
13 Internet website (www.trich.org) and other publications;
14 therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
16 week of October 5 through 11, 2008, as "Trichotillomania
17 Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
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