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Myths About Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)

Body-focused repetitive behaviors, a group of disorders characterized by compulsive urges to self-groom, affect millions around the world. Yet misconceptions about BFRBs abound, worsening stigma and leading many who pull out their hair, pick at their skin, or bite their nails to suffer in silence. Can you spot the biggest myths about BFRBs? Test yourself here.

1. Hair-pulling, skin-picking, and nail-biting are just bad habits that can be overcome with willpower.

2. BFRBs only affect women.

3. Boredom can trigger episodes of picking, pulling, or biting.

4. People who pick their skin are trying to hurt themselves.

5. Medication is necessary to treat BFRBs.

6. BFRBs frequently co-occur with other psychiatric conditions.

7. Pointing out the bald spots or scarring caused by someone’s BFRB will help them “snap out of it” and stop the behavior.

8. BFRBs run in families.

9. People who pull out their hair do it because they dislike how their hair looks.

10. BFRBs are an impulse control disorder.