“Nail Biting! Skin Picking! Hair Pulling! Understanding Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors with ADHD” [Video Replay and Podcast #386]

Access the video replay, listen to the podcast episode (#386), download the slide presentation, and learn how to get a certificate of attendance for this ADHD Experts webinar originally broadcast on January 26, 2022.

ADHD Expert: Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D. Verified Updated on August 21, 2023
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Episode Description

A common (but rarely discussed) comorbid diagnosis related to ADHD is body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB), with symptoms ranging from nail biting to hair pulling to cheek biting that children and adults can’t control.

These behaviors are often chronic, and individuals with BFRBs report feeling pleasure and/or pain from these habits. Although many people with BFRBs want to stop these behaviors, they feel compelled to perform them. Many sufferers are not even aware that they are biting their nails or picking their skin.

The first step is accepting awareness and a diagnosis. The second step is researching the wide range of treatment strategies used to break the impulse to pick, pull, or bite. Recovery is possible.

In this webinar, you’ll learn about

  • the symptoms of various BFRBs
  • the causes of BFRBs in those with ADHD
  • the physical and emotional consequences of BFRBs
  • treatment recommendations for BFRBs in individuals with ADHD

Watch the Video Replay

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Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

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More on BFRB

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on January 26, 2022, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Instructor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. He maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Lexington, Massachusetts, where he specializes in the treatment of ADHD, executive functioning issues, and issues that face students with learning differences. He also specializes in the treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and in the treatment of eating disorders in boys and men. He is co-author of The Adonis Complex (#CommissionsEarned), a book which details the various manifestations of body image problems in men. He is a member of the International OCD Foundation, International Dyslexia Association, Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association and the American Association of Suicidology. |See expert’s full bio »

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share.

Listener Testimonials

“So honest and helpful. I really appreciated this topic and the way Dr. Olivardia shared such specific details and ideas about how to handle/manage these behaviors. I felt a little less ashamed of myself and worried for my son after watching it. Thank you!”

“Presenter was terrific: Detailed, thorough, shared research and resources, shared from his practice and own experience, and was compassionate.”

“The presenter was very knowledgeable, explained BFRB and related symptoms in a way that was understandable. He seemed to have a genuine nature about him that was nice when discussing this subject.”

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this week’s ADDitude webinar is….

Accentrate® is a dietary supplement formulated to address nutritional deficiencies known to be associated with ADHD. It contains omega-3 fatty acids in phospholipid form (the form already in the brain). This Brain Ready™ Nutrition helps manage inattention, lack of focus, emotional dysregulation, and hyperactivity without drug-like side effects. | fenixhealthscience.com

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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