Body-focused repetitive behaviours

The research that led to the first charity dedicated to body-focused repetitive behaviours in the UK & Ireland.

For the last 10 years, Bridget Bradley has been working closely with people affected by body-focused repetitive behaviours across the UK and Ireland to improve their support options. Beginning with her doctoral research in 2014, Bridget identified a distinct lack of support options for BFRBs which include hair pulling and skin picking. Her findings revealed that healthcare professionals appear misinformed about these conditions and can unknowingly reinforce the stigma of these behaviours in clinic settings. Her research showed how the lack of care options for BFRBs was impacting individuals and families around the UK, and how this gap in the system was feeding into the isolation and shame caused by BFRBs.

To address this need, Bridget worked with her close collaborators to establish support groups in Edinburgh and London in 2015, and these groups have grown into BFRB UK & Ireland - the first charitable organisation serving the BFRB community across these five countries. Outside of her job as a Lecturer in the Department, Bridget oversees the charity as Chair, supported by a small Committee and a team of dedicated volunteers who all have lived experience of BFRBs. Together, they run monthly support groups for adults; under 18s; and parents and loved ones. BFRB UK & Ireland also hosts regular art classes tailored for the community, led by visual artist and skin-picking advocate, Liz Atkin, and routinely offer yoga and relaxation sessions.

Since its conception, BFRB UK & Ireland has supported hundreds of families across the UK, Ireland; has featured in numerous news outlets and press; and has inspired the formations of more BFRB networks in other countries. This organisation is dedicated to furthering BFRB awareness among different sectors, and are currently developing a training programme for healthcare professionals which they hope to build into their outreach activities in the near future.