Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) like skin picking, nail rubbing, hair pulling, eyelash pulling, or scalp picking are not random habits. They are patterned responses the nervous system turns to when it is overwhelmed, understimulated, anxious, or carrying emotions it has not yet learned to process.

Most people don’t start these behaviors because they “want to.” They start them because, in a moment of stress or tension, the behavior offered relief. A sense of control. A quieting of the noise inside. A familiar anchor when everything else felt chaotic.

That first moment of relief becomes a loop.

Not because the habit is good for you, but because it is predictable.

And the nervous system always prefers predictable over unfamiliar.

This is why BFRBs are so often wrapped in shame. You know you don’t want to keep doing it, yet the urge feels automatic. But shame is not a treatment plan. Shame keeps the cycle hidden and strengthens it.

Understanding the urge is what begins to interrupt it.

his is where Habit Reversal Training (HRT) becomes powerful. It helps you slow down the automatic moment, catch the urge before the behavior happens, understand your emotional and sensory triggers, and teach your body a new way to regulate. HRT does not judge the behavior. It retrains the nervous system.

After 15 years in dermatology and psychodermatology, I offer HRT because I have seen how deeply these behaviors affect emotional wellbeing, skin and hair health, confidence, and daily functioning. And I’ve seen how much transformation is possible when people finally feel understood instead of ashamed.

If this resonates, and you want support for yourself or your child, I invite you to tune into this episode and if things continue to resonate, schedule a discovery call with me here:

https://elementalhealthcoaching.as.me

We can explore what you are experiencing, what your goals are, and whether HRT is the right next step for your healing.

You deserve tools that actually work for your nervous system. And you do not have to navigate this alone.

You can also find links to apps and self help resources here (I’ll be adding to them as I vet more - feel free to reach out with recommendations):

Keen2 “Habit Aware” https://amzn.to/44IxbPV

Keen2 support App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/keen2-track-trichotillomania/id1462653287

Skin pick app:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/skinpick-dermatillomania-app/id1133008140

For Nail Biting:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nail-guard/id6751829815