Hi, I'm Aneela. I founded HabitAware, the only company that exists to provide solutions to people with body-focused repetitive behaviors. My hands only felt like they started to cooperate with me when I internalized these as MYTHS that I learned from society, and reinforced my telling myself they were the way to "take care" of my mental health and hair pulling (trichotillomania).
⭐ MYTH #1: Hiding it will make it go away.
After 20+ years of trying to pretend my body-focused repetitive behavior didn't exist, I realized confronting it was the only path forward. I have learned that THE MORE WE RUN, THE DARKER IT GETS.
I'm sure you've been there, the silent desperation of hoping that ignoring it will make it go away. It's our natural response when we feel powerless.
We all start from somewhere, when you can face it head on and realize that building your BFRB management skills will be a process, you can start to make progress.
⭐ MYTH #2: “It feels good.”
If this wasn't a HUGE lie we tell ourselves, you wouldn't be reading this right now. It might feel good in the moment, but the aftermath is awful, and I had to accept that feeling overrides the fleeting relief.
I had to step back and have the strength to ask myself if this was really what I wanted-in the moment. And I guarantee you, every time you are out of the BFRB trance, you tell yourself "No, I don't want this."
⭐ MYTH #3: I know when I’m doing it.
I could be 2 inches from the mirror watching myself, but I’m still not in full control. Our autopilot brain is activated, because the need to self-soothe comes from our sympathetic nervous system… that lizard-brain that activates when we need our immediate needs met. If I really knew when I was doing it, and had full control over my conscious thoughts… I would stop immediately.
I had to accept that when I lose control and spend an hour in the mirror, that's not me knowing what's happening. I tune out my wrist pain, I tune out how long I've been there, and I tune out all other bodily senses. That's not awareness, that's numbing.
⭐ MYTH #4: It can be stopped.
I often hear people on social media say "I wish I could just stop." On the flip side of that wish, we also get very mad when our loved ones tell us to "just stop!" We must remember that these behaviors are chronic health conditions and need a realistic plan. Instead of "stopping" we CAN LEARN to MANAGE.
There is no power in wishing something away. There is power in taking steps forward, even if they're little.
⭐ MYTH #5: The solutions are too expensive.
Haven't heard of Keen2? I invented it, because I'm committed to helping the YOU- who just like I did–want your body-focused repetitive behavior to loosen the grip it has on your life. Keen2 is a smartwatch that you train for your specific behavior, and it vibrates when it detects you pulling your hair, picking your skin, and biting your nails. The companion app displays your data. Why does this matter? Through the Keen2, you can:
- Build your awareness–break the trance
- Trace your triggers through the graph
- Get 24/7 unbiased awareness
You can order Keen2 here for the price of a SINGLE THERAPY SESSION, and the impact it can have on your life is pricessless.
Your BFRB urges are rooted in your subconscious. Using Keen2 will not only help you tackle your hair pulling, face picking, and nail biting, but will also help you make smarter decisions about your mental health and lifestyle.
Has beating yourself up worked? NO.
Has covering up with makeup and wigs worked? NO.
Has praying it away worked? NO.
Are you ready to make real progress?
