Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours triggers - survey insights
We asked 11,000 people who have BFRBs, mainly Trichotillomania and Dermatillomania about their spree triggers:
After reading the results, please complete the questionnaire yourself, to keep our research up-to-date.
The 20 most frequent responses were (in order of prevalence) stress (48%), boredom (34%), anxiety (13%), watching TV, reading, sitting down, thinking, nerves, being alone, worry, work, tiredness, depression, upset, using the computer, driving, being ill, itching, certain foods and looking in mirrors.
We categorised the results into the following 6 groups: Anxiety, Situational, Boredom, Physical, Emotional and Habit.
The Pie Chart depicts the proportion of the 6 groups of most prevalent triggers of hair pulling behaviour compiled from a self-reported list of triggers from 11,000 people with the hair pulling condition, trichotillomania.
Breakdown of Categories and Their Counts:
- Anxiety: 9774
- Situational: 7367
- Boredom: 5454
- Emotion: 4606
- Physical: 4384
- Habit: 1387
Analysis:
- Dominant Trigger – Anxiety:
- The largest segment of the pie chart represents anxiety, with a count of 9774. This indicates that anxiety is the most prevalent trigger for hair pulling among the respondents, making up a significant portion of the total. Stress, anxiety, tension, thinking, nerves, worry, to relax, problems, pressure, fear, take mind off things, excitement, deadlines, socialising, restlessness, financial worry, appearance worry, to unwind, angst.
- Situational Triggers:
- The next largest category is situational triggers, with a count of 7367. This suggests that specific situations or environments play a substantial role in triggering hair pulling behaviour. Stress, anxiety, tension, thinking, nerves, worry, to relax, problems, pressure, fear, take mind off things, excitement, deadlines, socialising, restlessness, financial worry, appearance worry, to unwind, angst.
- Boredom:
- Boredom is also a notable trigger, with 5454 responses. This implies that a lack of stimulation or engagement can lead to hair pulling for many individuals. Boredom, being alone, not keeping hands busy, relaxing, being idle, waiting, traffic, day-dreaming, free time, zoning out, inactivity, procrastinating, absent-mindedness, spare time, escapism, avoidance, unwinding.
- Emotional Triggers:
- Emotional triggers account for 4606 responses. Emotions, whether positive or negative, can influence the urge to pull hair. Feeling bad, loneliness, depression, upset, anger, sadness, frustration, emotions, mind, lack of control, family, feeling low, arguments, for comfort, happy, mad, parents, fighting, hurt, overwhelm, relationships, negativity, guilt, change, mood, insecurity, bad day, feeling ugly, crying, confusion, embarrassment, distress, bullies, confrontation, father, abuse, escapism, criticism.
- Physical Triggers:
- Physical sensations or discomforts are triggers for 4384 respondents. This category might include things like skin irritation or feeling the texture of skin/hair. Particular hairs or patches of skin, tiredness, feeling ill, itch, lack of sleep, at night, long hairs, scabs, urges, eating certain foods, re-growth, period, hairs out of place, spots, pimples or bumps, pain, different hairs, irritation, sugar, roots, fatigue, thick hairs, mascara, soreness, caffeine, split ends, short hairs, prickly feeling, food, drink, white hairs, insomnia, alcohol, stubble, tingle, exhaustion, greasy hair, hormones, ingrown hairs, shaving, texture, allergies, burning, drugs.
- Habit:
- The smallest segment is habit, with 1387 responses. Although the smallest category, it still represents a significant number of individuals for whom hair pulling has become a habitual action.
Conclusion:
- Anxiety is the predominant trigger for hair pulling, indicating a strong correlation between anxiety levels and hair pulling behaviour.
- Situational and Boredom triggers are also significant, highlighting the importance of environmental and engagement factors.
- Emotional and Physical triggers, while slightly less prevalent, still affect a large number of individuals.
- Habit suggests that for some, hair pulling has become a repeated behavior, potentially independent of situational or emotional factors.
Understanding these triggers can help in developing targeted interventions and coping strategies for individuals struggling with hair pulling behaviours.
Peer reviewed 29 June 2024, next review date 30 June 2026