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0 By Ariel Taylor
Body-focused repetitive behavior is an umbrella term.
It stands for several nervous behaviors that cause the sufferer to inflict bodily harm on themselves. Certain of these harmful impulses include as nail-biting, pulling out hair, picking at skin. All are considered behaviors that fall under the label of body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB).
While these practices do not pose a critical danger to the sufferer, they can cause great emotional distress, not to mention physical impairments such as hair loss or skin infections.
How Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior Begins
This disorder starts developing during late childhood or early puberty. The three most common manifestations of it are pulling out hair, nail-biting, or skin picking.
There are other subtler manifestations. These include biting the insides of the mouth like the tongue, lip, or inner cheek. The compulsive behavior can often isolate the sufferer. However, thanks to extensive research and studies, we are slowly getting a clearer picture of the mechanics of BFRB.
What causes Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior?
The problem with this disorder is that every case is very different. Generalizations are difficult to make and even harder to apply. However, generally speaking, they are considered to be widely driven by a sense of anxiety. This tension manifests in compulsive behavior. There have also been studies that link it with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Many causes contribute to someone biting, pulling or picking. You could be born with a genetic predisposition to bite your nails or pull your hair. You also have several external factors such as stress, environment, gender, and age. Your behavior could be a lifelong habit, or an isolated case following a particularly stressful incident.
Damage and shame
In whatever form, this disorder is essentially a form of over-grooming. Every individual will occasionally pull their hair, pick their skin, or bite a nail. In this disorder, sufferers do it to such an extent that they suffer damage from it.
The most obvious symptoms are clearly observable physically. People exhibiting symptoms of this disorder might demonstrate significant hair loss that is inconsistent with their age. Also, they might have a skin rash or infection from constantly picking at it. Or dangerously short nails.
Moreover, these folks may tend to demonstrate a deep-rooted feeling of shame or embarrassment. They might also go to great lengths to hide their behavior. They might choose to isolate themselves to indulge their compulsions, or hide the effects by covering it up.
Loneliness and isolation
Prolonged picking, biting, or pulling can have dire effects. These effects manifest themselves not only physically but can also keep the sufferer from participating in regular social activities.
Prolonged hair pulling might cause significant hair loss. Moreover, persistent hair pulling could damage the hair follicle. It can also cause infection in the scalp, and cause permanent hair loss. Nail biting can lead to broken and damaged skin. This is especially true in the cuticle area and tips of the fingers. This broken skin can, in turn, become infected. Skin picking can cause extreme skin infections, which can lead to scarring.
Then there are the emotional effects. The behavior can harm the sufferer’s appearance, leading to negative body-images. The sufferer’s social or professional life might become severely affected by their behavior. It can be an immensely isolating disorder. Most sufferers have cited feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is because they cut themselves off from their social circle and engage in these harmful over-grooming practices instead.
Getting help
Unlike major psychiatric or psychological disorders, there is no standard test for determining whether you do suffer from Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior. When examining your case, your doctor may choose to refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist. A doctor will examine every individual on a case-by-case basis to determine the various factors of their ailment.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, BFRB is listed under the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder category. It is within this framework that your mental health care provider will diagnose your case. Once your psychologist has reached a diagnosis, you can start working together to find a treatment that meets your needs.
Therapies for Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior
Only 1–3% of the American population have an official diagnosis. Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior falls in an area of mental health that has not been as extensively researched as other disorders.
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to which type of therapy will work for you. Since every case is highly individualized, your psychologist could choose to use several treatments. Some treatments used include Habit Reversal Training, psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment. In certain cases pharmacotherapy may be called for.
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Based on the age and circumstances of the patient, the psychologist might also choose to include the patient’s home family in the treatment.
SOURCES
http://www.canadianbfrb.org/learn/faq/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/body-focused-repetitive-behaviors-0
https://www.trichstop.com/info
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