WHAT ARE BFRBS? | The TLC Foundation

MYTH: Only women experience BFRBs.

BFRBs are equal opportunity behaviors that affect both men and women. They are highly underreported and undiagnosed disorders, which oftentimes provides the illusion that women are more susceptible to experience hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, cheek biting, and other associated behaviors. It is possible that men are less likely to report having a BFRB than women; therefore, present less frequently for treatment. Although research shows that more women likely suffer with hair pulling, it may be that men are just as implicated, but do not report their symptoms.

MYTH: BFRBS ARE CONSIDERED SELF-HARM

Although BFRBs can cause damage to the body, the goal is quite different than that of people who engage in self-harming behaviors. Self-harm (cutting, scratching, burning, etc.) is done with the goal of intentional harm to one’s body in an attempt to reduce the sensation of emotional pain or to manifest physical pain to drown out emotional pain. Alternately, BFRB behaviors are, for many people, self-regulating and serve some internal need. Many people who engage in BFRBs report that they are pleasurable, that they help them in some way, or that they help them to achieve some goal (symmetry or smoothness). When a person engages in their BFRB, physical damage is created as a result of their behavior but is an unintentional result of their repetitive behavior. BFRBs are not self-harm. BFRBs are not caused by trauma.

MYTH: ANXIETY IS THE SOLE CAUSE OF BFRBS

Although BFRBs can cause damage to the body, the goal is quite different than that of people who engage in self-harming behaviors. Self-harm (cutting, scratching, burning, etc.) is done with the goal of intentional harm to one’s body in an attempt to reduce the sensation of emotional pain or to manifest physical pain to drown out emotional pain. Alternately, BFRB behaviors are, for many people, self-regulating and serve some internal need. Many people who engage in BFRBs report that they are pleasurable, that they help them in some way, or that they help them to achieve some goal (symmetry or smoothness). When a person engages in their BFRB, physical damage is created as a result of their behavior but is an unintentional result of their repetitive behavior. BFRBs are not self-harm. BFRBs are not caused by trauma.

MYTH: BAD PARENTING CAUSES BFRBS

Although BFRBs can cause damage to the body, the goal is quite different than that of people who engage in self-harming behaviors. Self-harm (cutting, scratching, burning, etc.) is done with the goal of intentional harm to one’s body in an attempt to reduce the sensation of emotional pain or to manifest physical pain to drown out emotional pain. Alternately, BFRB behaviors are, for many people, self-regulating and serve some internal need. Many people who engage in BFRBs report that they are pleasurable, that they help them in some way, or that they help them to achieve some goal (symmetry or smoothness). When a person engages in their BFRB, physical damage is created as a result of their behavior but is an unintentional result of their repetitive behavior. BFRBs are not self-harm. BFRBs are not caused by trauma.

WHAT IS A BFRB?

what causes bfrbs?

Myths and Misperceptions
About BFRBs.

CHECK OUT THESE PAGES:

newsletter signup.

Contact Us.

For correspondence & mailing: