BFRB UK & Ireland
We are a peer-led charitable organisation offering community, understanding and support for people affected by Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs). Since 2015, we’ve brought people together across the UK, Ireland and beyond through support groups, advocacy and education.
What Are BFRBs?
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs) are a group of complex mental health disorders that are characterised by the uncontrollable urge to pull, pick, scratch, cut, or bite one’s own hair, skin, or nails. Common BFRBs include hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania), skin picking disorder (dermatillomania / excoriation) and nail biting disorder (onychophagia). Despite affecting up to 4 million people in the UK and Ireland alone, they remain heavily stigmatised and misunderstood.
What We Do
Support
Our support groups are peer-led, meaning that the volunteers who facilitate the groups have BFRBs themselves. We provide a safe space to share experiences and seek advice from others who truly understand what it is like to live with BFRBs. We also offer support for families, loved ones, and professionals who would like to learn more about how to care for people living with BFRBs in the UK, Ireland, and beyond.
Community
One of our main objectives is to grow and sustain the diverse community of people living with BFRBs across the UK and Ireland. We aim to bring people together through regular in-person and online support groups, social gatherings and special events, and to serve the community's needs through sharing research, resources, and advice. We believe that building a compassionate community that everyone has access to is central to BFRB recovery.
Advocacy
Despite affecting at least 5% of the population, BFRBs remain heavily stigmatised, misunderstood, and under-researched. Through our advocacy efforts, we aim to increase awareness and understanding of BFRBs, especially in healthcare and school settings.
Find Support
We provide informed, friendly support for people living with all forms of BFRBs. Most of our support groups and events take place online. For more information and to sign up for the Zoom link, click on the event you're interested in the calendar.
BFRB Con 2026
With generous funding from the Leo Foundation, we are delighted to invite you to BFRB Con 2026, which will provide invaluable opportunities for knowledge exchange, professional development, and community-building around a group of mental health disorders that remain under-studied and under-represented. Our goal is to foster collaboration across disciplines, inspire and develop new research initiatives, and provide a space where those living with, living alongside, or those who are curious about BFRBs, can feel valued and be part of the future of BFRB research and support.
Our programme will bring together clinicians, researchers, and people with lived experience to advance dialogue across disciplines. Lived experience will remain central throughout the event, and community members are welcome across all three days.