There are self-help books available to help people with BFRBs. I read some of them while also going to therapy because I wanted to learn as much as possible. Both books have given me a better understanding of BFRBs and myself. Even if a certain method might not work for you, it could spark some ideas that could work in your current situation.
Overcoming Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
Overcoming Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors was written by Charles S. Mansueto, PhD.; Sherrie Mansfield Vavrichek, LCSW-C; and Ruth Goldfinger Golomb, LCPC. The self-help book uses the ComB approach (Comprehensive Model for Behavioral Treatment). This approach uses five steps with the abbreviation SCAMP:
- Sensory Domain– Explores the five senses (smell, sight, taste, touch, hearing) and how sensory experiences can lead to pulling, picking, etc.
- Cognitive Domain– Your ideas thoughts and beliefs. This chapter goes over thoughts you might have about your BFRB and gives you an alternative point of view.
- Affective Domain– Your emotions and feelings and how they relate to BFRBs. There are also interventions that can give you a different point of view.
- Motor Domain-Your physical movements involving your BFRB, such as searching for hairs and then the act of pulling.
- Place Domain-Your external environment. Goes over many aspects of your environment, routines, time of days, etc.
This self-help book explains the basics of BFRBs. I like the book because it’s step by step and provides many explanations. There are free worksheets that you can use while reading the book. So you can create a plan along the way. The authors go over the anatomy of hair, skin, and nails. There is also a troubleshooting section for what to do when things aren’t going according to plan. Check out the book here.
How to Heal Your BFRB
How to Heal your BFRB was written by Lauren I. Ruiz Bloise. According to her bio, “For seventeen years, author Lauren I. Ruiz Bloise compulsively skin-picked before developing these four steps, which she later learned correlate with proven body-focused repetitive behavior treatments.”
I found the book to be straightforward to read and relatable. It sounds like a friend is speaking to you and walking you through the process. She offers lots of practical tips and advice. The author writes about her experiences and shares what you can do to help yourself. Her methods can apply to any BFRB. Check out the book here.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed reading both self-help books and learned different things from each one. However, if you’re looking for a more personal perspective to help you, I’d recommend How to Heal Your BFRB. The author does reference many scientific articles but gives the book a personal touch.
Overcoming Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors does provide stories of people and shows how they filled out their worksheets. The overall tone seems to be academic, but it is still easy to read. If you’re looking for something written by medical professionals and their therapy method, this would be the book.
Overall, I’m glad I read both books. I believe that learning as much as you can about BFRBs can help you along your journey and better understand yourself.