Step 1: Identify Your Triggers
- Sensory: Sensations I have before, during, and after I pull/pick (ex. scalp itches; hair feels coarse)
- Cognitive: Thoughts I have before, during and after I pull/pick (ex. I can't resist, this has to go)
- Affective: Feelings I have before, during, and after I pull/pick (ex. anxious, angry, soothed)
- Motor Habits: Positions/actions that lead me to pull/pick (ex. leaning on face, twirling hair); What I do with hair/skin (ex. bite, swallow, twirl)
- Place: Places where I pull/pick (ex. watching TV); Things nearby when I pull/pick (ex. mirror, tweezers)
Step 2: Consider Strategies
- Sensory strategies – e.g., baths, massages, bath sponge, koosh balls, brushing hair, lotion, Vaseline
- Cognitive strategies – e.g., identify/reframe unhelpful thoughts, visualize successfully using my strategies
- Affective strategies – e.g., identify and address emotion, keep a journal, deep breathing, yoga
- Motor strategies – e.g., Band-Aids, medical tape, gloves, rubber finger tips, hat, glasses, crochet/knit
- Place strategies – e.g., remove tweezers, cover mirrors, dim lights, leave door open, stay around others
Step 3: Make an Action Plan
- What are my triggers?
- Which of my triggers am I ready to address?
- What possible strategies can I try?
- What do I need in order to address these triggers?
- What will be my first step to enact this plan?
