But wait a minute!
The methods presented here may seem to be literally replacing one bad behavior with another. It’s true that one behavior is being substituted for another, but the big difference is that the new behavior won’t result in any negative consequences. There are no skin injuries, missing hair, or jagged fingernails or cuticles.
Finally, please note the following:
- Do not bite your nails, not even if a nail is broken or damaged. Use a nail file instead! Similarly, do not pop pimples and do not pull out gray or split hairs. Always have a little hand cream/cuticle oil available, especially if you’re prone to skin picking, or a file if you tend to bite your nails. Also, note that bitter substances available at pharmacies can support the techniques presented here to prevent nail biting.
- Occasional slips aren’t the end of the world! The first step is to reduce the undesired behavior. You have already gained much if you do the old behavior less frequently. One incident of doing the old behavior doesn’t necessarily indicate a relapse. However, don’t consciously allow yourself to bite a few fingernails, pull a few hairs, or pick a small piece of skin.
- You should continue to practice even after you’ve significantly reduced the old behavior. It’s best to practice at specific times and/or whenever the urge sets in. The new behavior must become second nature, like tying your shoes. New behaviors need time to take hold. You will most likely see an effect if you consistently apply the method you’ve chosen on a daily basis.
- If you find that you’re not making progress on your own despite consistent practice, we recommend that you consider psychotherapy.
- Body-focused repetitive behaviors often are accompanied by depressive symptoms and low self-esteem. We recommend that you download and use an app that has been proven effective in improving mood, self-acceptance, and overall well-being to accompany the application of the method(s) presented in this text. The app COGITO is available free of charge for Android and iOS.
- Tips from the “experts from experience”: Below are several techniques that some people with BFRBs have found helpful in reducing their impulse-control disorder symptoms. Because some of these measures can also be regarded as forms of avoidance, we suggest that you pay careful attention to whether your symptoms improve when you use them. If not, try a different technique. Please note that some of the techniques have been mentioned previously:
Across various types of impulse-control disorders (also see Helpful Things):
Keep your hands busy as much as possible to distract yourself (e.g., with “fidget toys,” playdough, knitting, or drawing).
Disorder-specific (also see Helpful Things):
- Nail biting: wrap sticking plasters or athletic tape around your hands or fingers, wear gloves, apply cream to your hands, paint your nails, wear nail polish stickers
- Pulling out or plucking hair on your head: wear a cap or headband (or braid your hair, if possible), do not look at your hair in the mirror (this may increase the urge to pull or pluck your hair)
- Mouth or lip biting: wear a transparent mouth guard/special lip bumper (ask dentist)
- Eyebrow or eyelash plucking: wear sunglasses (if you don’t wear glasses), apply false eyelashes or mascara, rub your eyelashes with Vaseline, do not look at your eyebrows or eyelashes in the mirror (this may increase the urge to pluck them)
- Pulling out or plucking body hair and/or skin picking: wear a full body suit, apply Vaseline to certain areas, cut your nails as short as possible to make picking more difficult