About one-third of people with hair-pulling or skin-picking disorders reported past-year cannabis use
In a survey of people with body-focused repetitive behaviors, 33% reported past-year cannabis use, and cannabis users pulled or picked more days per week and reported greater distress.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Approximately 33% of individuals with trichotillomania or skin picking disorder reported past-year cannabis use. Cannabis use was associated with more days per week spent pulling or picking, and in trichotillomania specifically, cannabis use was associated with heightened distress.
Key Numbers
Approximately 33% of participants reported past-year cannabis use. Cannabis users reported more days per week of pulling or picking. In trichotillomania specifically, cannabis use was linked to heightened distress.
How They Did This
Online survey of individuals with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) collecting rates of past-year cannabis use and clinical measures of trichotillomania and skin picking disorder severity.
Why This Research Matters
Cannabis use rates in people with body-focused repetitive behaviors have received little research attention despite rising cannabis use in psychiatric populations. Understanding whether cannabis use correlates with worse BFRB symptoms could inform treatment approaches.
The Bigger Picture
This study opens a new line of inquiry into how cannabis intersects with compulsive behavioral conditions. Whether cannabis worsens BFRBs or people with more severe symptoms are more likely to use cannabis remains unclear.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine causation. Online survey introduces self-selection bias. No information on cannabis use frequency, quantity, or product type. Small scope limits generalizability.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis use worsen pulling/picking behaviors, or do people with more severe symptoms turn to cannabis?
- ?Would specific cannabinoids (CBD vs. THC) have different effects on BFRBs?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 33% past-year cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary cross-sectional survey with a narrow clinical population. Provides initial descriptive data but cannot establish directionality.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication
- Original Title:
- Rates and Clinical Correlates of Cannabis Use in Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Disorder.
- Published In:
- The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 213(6), 145-149 (2025)
- Authors:
- Collins, Madison, Grant, Jon E
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06244
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What are body-focused repetitive behaviors?
BFRBs include conditions like trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling) and skin picking disorder (excoriation). They involve repetitive self-grooming behaviors that cause distress or physical damage.
Does cannabis cause more hair pulling or skin picking?
The study found an association but could not determine the direction. People who used cannabis pulled or picked more days per week, but it is unknown whether cannabis drove the behavior or whether those with worse symptoms were more likely to use cannabis.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06244APA
Collins, Madison; Grant, Jon E. (2025). Rates and Clinical Correlates of Cannabis Use in Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Disorder.. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 213(6), 145-149. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001832
MLA
Collins, Madison, et al. "Rates and Clinical Correlates of Cannabis Use in Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Disorder.." The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001832
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Rates and Clinical Correlates of Cannabis Use in Trichotillo..." RTHC-06244. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/collins-2025-rates-and-clinical-correlates
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.