Ask almost anyone about GLP-1 medications right now, and you’ll get a lively conversation—not just about weight, but about everything else these drugs seem to potentially impact. One of the more surprising conversations in therapist circles involves a set of behaviors most of us don’t connect to metabolism at all: body-focused repetitive behaviors, or BFRBs. BFRBs include hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, and related behaviors like cheek biting, lip biting, and cuticle picking. What these behaviors tend to share is a certain tenacity. They often persist despite distress and repeated, earnest attempts to stop. Potential Impact of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on BFRBs What makes GLP-1 receptor agonists, namely semaglutide, tirzepatide, and others, so interesting is that their effects appear to extend well beyond appetite. GLP-1 receptors are found throughout the brain, including in regions tied to reward and impulse control. And, there is emerging evidence that these medications may quiet what we consider to be the brain’s “craving” circuitry: the urge-driven, automatic pull that shows up not only in overeating, but in drinking, smoking, …