Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs)
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours are repetitive (usually self-grooming behaviours) where people focus on their own body (like hair, skin, or nails) in a way that’s hard to control, often as a response to stress or urges. BFRBs often seem automatic or unconscious and provide temporary relief from tension and anxiety. Sometimes they can be triggered by emotions, thoughts ot physical sensations.
Common examples include:
Hair pulling (trichotillomania)
Skin picking (excoriation disorder)
Nail biting
Cheek or lip biting
Scab picking
Treating BFRBs
BFRBs are usually treated with behavioral therapies, such as Habit Reversal Training (HRT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and mindfulness practices, which aim to reduce compulsions and provide healthier coping mechanisms.
Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is a structured behavioural therapy designed to help individuals reduce body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) such as hair-pulling or skin-picking. It utilizes awareness training to identify triggers of behaviors, competing response training to replace behaviors with less harmful ones, and relaxation training to enhance coping with stress and emotional dysregulation.
What to Expect
Habit Reversal Training consists of the following components:
Awareness Training: individuals learn to recognize when and where the unwanted behavior occurs, including triggers and urges.
Competing Response Training: clients are taught to replace the unwanted behavior with a less harmful, physically incompatible action.
Relaxation Training: Learning relaxation techniques to help reduce stress/emotional dysregulation.