Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors

Take control over compulsive body-focused behaviors

Behaviors such as biting, picking, or scratching at areas on your body, like hair, skin, or nails are called body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). These behaviors can feel compulsive, unwanted, and out of control.

While most people engage in one or more of these behaviors on occasion, you may want to seek help if the behavior begins to cause problems like scarring or tissue damage, or if it leads to social avoidance due to shame, embarrassment, or its effects on your appearance.

People tend to engage in these behaviors without being conscious of what they're doing, yet overcoming the habit requires awareness of it as it's happening. Our therapists who specialize in this area can help you learn how to become more aware of the behaviors as you're about to engage in them, and can even offer techniques using technology to help you interrupt the pattern so you can stop it for good.