We’ve got an Acronym for that. An overview of BFRB’s

BFRB’s, formally known as Body-focused repetitive behaviors, are a range of behaviors that fall under the category of obsessive-compulsive related disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), which clinicians use to assist in the diagnosis of mental disorders. Furthermore, they fall under a specific section of the DSM-V, the self-grooming category in the DSM V. They include trichotillomania (hair pulling), excoriation disorder (skin picking), and related behaviors.

In practice, BFRB’s are not usually experienced in isolation but occur alongside other symptoms and presentations. It is fairly common for BFRB’s to accompany several other conditions that we commonly treat. These can include, but are not limited to, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, eating disorders, panic disorder, and hoarding disorder to name a few.