TREATMENT FOR BODY-FOCUSED REPETITIVE BEHAVIORS (BFRBs)

The most effective treatment for BFRBs combines several elements:

• Habit reversal training is an evidence-based therapy for people with unwanted repetitive behaviors that involves increasing awareness of the behavior and learning a competing response exercise that you can do instead of the unwanted behavior.

• Assessing the behavior you wish to change and exploring individualized strategies that address your specific triggers of the BFRB.

• Mindfulness-based techniques that promote an increase acceptance of, and tolerance for, urges to pick or pull, without acting on them.

TREATMENT FOR OBSESSIVE COMPLULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is an evidence-based therapy for people with OCD. It is a behavior therapy that gradually exposes people to situations designed to provoke a person’s obsession in a safe environment. This type of exposure allows people to learn that the feared situation is safe.

HELP FOR PARENTS (AND OTHER CAREGIVERS):

Many children and adolescents who have body focused repetitive behaviors or tics also experience high levels of anxiety and other intense emotions and can present with challenging behaviors. As a parent or caregiver, it can be difficult to know the best way to manage these behaviors and support our children. Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) is a parent-based treatment program for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related problems that been tested and found to be efficacious in randomized controlled clinical trials.