The Fidget Cube for Trichotillomania

Although there is not definitive cause for the onset of trichotillomania, for some it may have stemmed from a bad habit that evolved into a clinical disorder. Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is a form of therapy that uses techniques shown to be effective in breaking the cycle of the behavior. It teaches the patient to become more aware of circumstances during which pulling occurs, and provides opportunities to discourage repetitive behaviour. Competing Response Training is a subset of HRT where the patient is shown how to substitute another response for the urge to pull that is incompatible with the undesired behaviour. It encourages the use of sensory substitutes not only to provide relief for the itching sensation that the patient feels, but also discourages the fingers from making contact with the scalp or other areas on the body where pulling occurs. This form of therapy addresses the nervous system’s need for sensory input whilst at the same time removing the patient’s urge to pull. A variety of fiddle and fidget toys can be employed in this form of therapy. 

The Fidget Cube for Trich

The Fidget Cube was originally created by inventors Matthew and Mark McLachlan from Antsy Labs, as a vinyl desk toy for people who like to fidget. However when we stumpbled upon their kickstarter campaign we immediately recognized its usefulness as a potential competing response for people with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) such as trichotillomania. The Fidget Cube is a cube shaped toy that's filled with things to help you fidget. Each of the six sides of the cube has something different to fidget with:

• A side with 5 buttons - 3 of which that click and make a noise, and 2 that are silent
• A glider that's similar to a joystick on a gaming remote
• A toggle switch that you can flip back and forth
• An indented impression to rub to reduce anxiety. It's named 'Breathe'
• A side with 3 gears similar to a combo lock on a briefcase and a rolling ball with built-in click feature
• A circular feature that spins around with an indent to get your bearings