Amy Schumer Shares 'Big Secret,' Says She 'Carried So Much Shame'

Amy Schumer is sharing for the first time a "big secret" that she's been carrying since she was a child.

Schumer recently revealed her lifelong struggle with trichotillomania, a disorder that causes a compulsive need to pull out hair, in her semi-autobiographical new show "Life & Beth."

The 40-year-old actress told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview that she has dealt with the condition since she was in grade school and once had to wear a wig to cover up her hair loss.

"I really don't want to have a big secret anymore," she told the outlet. "And 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."

In the penultimate episode of the show, it's revealed that Beth copes with stressful situations by pulling her hair. And though she's initially able to hide her thinning tresses under a hat, her mother eventually takes her to get fitted for a wig, one that is completely noticeable.

Schumer has spoken publicly about liposuction surgery, her Lyme disease, her IVF journey, her decision not to breastfeed and more in the past, but she said trichotillomania was her "big secret."

"I think everybody has a big secret and that's mine," she told THR. "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."

Trichotillomania is considered a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder and a form of self-harm, and the severity differs from person to person. The disorder, which makes people feel like they need to pull their hair and won't feel relief until they do, is chronic but can be managed with behavioral therapies and medication, according to Rarediseases.org.

Schumer said her disorder surfaced when her dad declared bankruptcy and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and her mom left him for her best friend's dad. The actress picked out enough of her hair that she had to wear a bad wig to school, "and everybody knew" it was a wig, she said.

According to Schumer, her condition hasn't gone away. "It's not that I used to have this problem and now I don't," she said, "it's still something that I struggle with."

Schumer admitted that she worries her 3-year-old son Gene will also suffer from the disorder, which has a genetic component.

"Every time he touches his head I’m having a heart attack," she said.

The episode of "Life & Beth" that focused on the disorder directs anyone suffering from it to check out the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.

The TLC Foundation applauded Schumer's portrayal of this disorder, which affects one or two in 50 people, according to the foundation.

"Our community is breathing a collective sigh of relief after having our behaviors mischaracterized and misinterpreted for so many years," the foundation's executive director told THR.

"Life & Beth" premiered all episodes on March 18 on Hulu.