Unraveling Body Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs)
Everyone has nervous habits like leg shaking, finger tapping, rushed speech and hair twirling amongst others that often manifests in intense situations, for instance, during an interview or an important presentation.
Meanwhile there are others who are battling with a much more sinister disorder that is quite alike to these nervous habits. What sets them apart are, they not only encounter emotional distress mentally, and on top of this they unintentionally cause physical damage to their body. YIKES!
1. Dermatillomania
This habit may also transfer pinworms or bacteria from the anus that were trapped under the surface of the nail into the mouth. Treatments include using bitter-tasting nail polish, behavioral therapy or Habit Reversal Therapy (HRT).
3. Morsicatio Buccarum
This behaviour is more common with people who have higher levels of stress and anxiety. Anyone who suffers from cheek biting disorder can be unaware when they begin biting, experiencing a trance-like state whilst doing their day to day activity. Since people often do this to self-soothe, it can help to replicate the action by chewing gum which gives you the same feeling.
4. Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania may start between the age of 10 and 13, but it can be a life-long battle. The name is derived from greek words thrix meaning hair, along with tíllein meaning to pull ‘and mania’, you guessed it, madness. The long-term urge to pull hair can occur just about anywhere but is more common around the head and eye area. It is more common amongst those with obsessive compulsive disorder and is triggered by anxiety. Trichotillomania can go into remission-like states where the individual may not experience the urge to "pull" for days, weeks, months, and even years. If not treated with behavioral therapy or others, would shave their heads to avoid damage to the scalp like @themalaytrichgirl who shared her personal journey with the disorder.
5. Rhinotillexomania
Rhinotillexomania is classified as nose picking. Now while everybody picks their nose from time to time, people who suffer from this disorder tends to compulsively pick their nose up to a point that it cause scathing or scab in their nasal cavity.
This condition is often accompanied with stress and anxiety and other habits like nail biting. For those with weaker immune systems, nose picking may cause nasal cavity damage, nose bleeds, or worst, septum damage (Septum is a portion of bone and cartilage that divides the left and right nostrils.)
Individuals may overcome this by wrapping their dominant picking finger with a bandage or if a crusty nasal cavity is triggering the picking then a good saline spray and wash may help retain the moisture.
