Amy Schumer, an American stand-up comedian and actress, has opened out about her battle with trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania is a mental disease that causes persistent, irrepressible cravings to pull hair from your scalp, eyebrows, or other parts of your body despite trying to stop, according to the Mayo Clinic, and Amy is speaking out for the first time about her years-long fight with the disorder.
In Amy's new series Life & Beth, her character struggles with the disorder, with one scene ending with the camera panning to a clump of hair as she whispers about wearing a wig.
The mother-of-one said in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, that her character was influenced by her personal experience with trichotillomania.
The 40-year-old comic revealed that she has struggled with
Amy said that when she was a child she pulled out so much hair that she needed a wig and ‘everybody knew’ when she came back to school.
“I think everybody has a big secret and that’s mine. And I’m proud that my big secret only hurts me, but it’s been what I’ve carried so much shame about for so long,”
she said of the disorder, which began before her teenage years.
“It’s not that I used to have this problem and now I don’t. It’s still something that I struggle with.”
Amy who will be one of the hosts of the 2022 Academy Awards says the disorder surfaced during a particularly stressful time, as her father declared bankruptcy and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis shortly thereafter.
Her mother also left him for the married father of her best friend — all before Amy went to high school.
Amy went on to say that since there is a genetic component to the disorder, it’s something she’s worried her 2-year-old son Gene could develop.
She explained:
“Every time he touches his head I’m having a heart attack. I really don’t want to have a big secret anymore,”
she said of her decision to be open about her experience.
“feel free to disagree in the comments and let me know what you think!” 📎 COMMENTS 👀 ☝️👆👈👉✍️🤳 DROP YOUR OPINIONS“I thought putting it in there would be good for me to alleviate some of my shame and maybe, hopefully, help others alleviate some of theirs, too.”
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