I write a lot about what people with trichotillomania or other BFRBs can do as far as sharing with loved ones, keeping hands busy, and management strategies but I've never written about what people without BFRBs can do to support! So here it goes!
Ask the person in your life with a BFRB what they'd like you to do
The quickest way to show love to the person in your life with a BFRB is to ask them how they'd like to be supported. I know, it sounds simple but in reality it could be harder than you think. We often have ideas in our head of what support looks like or sounds like but what we're doing could be causing more harm than good.
For example, you may find that support looks and sounds like nudging their hand away and calling their name across the room but that could be exactly the opposite of what they find helpful. They might actually prefer you to say nothing! And that's okay!
The hard part is listening and following through by changing your approach. As I said earlier, support looks and sounds different for each person.
Educate yourself on BFRBs
You don't have to be an expert but simply Googling information about their BFRB can show a lot of love. Sometimes people with BFRBs have a hard time sharing their experience with others. It can be a traumatic and scary topic. Many people, myself included, have kept it hidden for most of their life. If they've already shared a little bit with you, take the next step and learn more.
I have a section of my blog that focuses on BFRBs in the media. Maybe a movie night is a good idea or purchasing a book that you can read together.
Have fun building their BFRB toolkit with them
BFRBs can be managed in different ways but there isn't one management tool that works for everyone. What works depends on the person. Your loved one may have tried a few strategies but maybe nothing has helped. Together, you may be able to explore other strategies and tools.
Some ideas:
-Diamond paintings
-Board games after dinner
-Spinner rings
-Yoga
-Journaling
-Walks in nature
No matter what you decide to do, the fact that you are here reading this blog shows you care!
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