Skin picking

[PrincessPanic89]

For as long as I can remember I've had an ocd involving picking at skin. I bite the skin on the inside of my cheeks as feeling loose skin drives me crazy. I pick at spots and scabs and have tonnes of scars as a result. I can't physically leave them alone. As soon as I see or feel an imperfection on my skin, I can't not get rid of it. It drives me insane, I can't concentrate on anything else until I've got rid of it. Even if I feel a spot, scab or something on my partner, I pick at it until it's gone. Luckily he doesn't mind (too much!) but I just cannot leave things like that alone. If I try I just end up thinking about them until my brain goes into overdrive and I give in and have to pick/bite at it. It's not just when I'm nervous or worried or anxious, it's all the time.

Does anyone else suffer from anything similar? I'm pretty sure there's a name for it but I'm not 100% sure what it is!

[uru]

Thumbs?

[Hedgehogs4life]

I suffer from it, it is a for of OCC when it occurs in this way, it it called dermatilomania, my arms and legs are scarred, my mum calls it self harm but as ipmy intention is not to harm my self I ever refer to it as such.

[MyNameIsTerry]

There is a more recent thread about it here that might be helpful:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=172595

I have done it even before my anxiety, yet it was never a problem really for me, just more a habit back then. It certainly gets worse with anxiety and there is part of the key, reduce your overall anxiety and it should decrease which can be said for OCD in general too.

[PrincessPanic89]

Thanks for your replies. I'm covered in scars, mainly around my chest and shoulders. I don't pick at healthy skin, I pick at parts that are not healthy I.e. scabs, pimples, loose/dry skin. I also bite the skin inside my cheeks and around my fingernails. I will pick/bite even if it is painful. If I was to pick a spot or scab for example, and it began to become painful, I can't physically stop myself. I have to continue until I'm finished. Often I don't even realise I'm doing it but once I do, I don't stop. I HAVE to finish or my mind cannot focus and I become twitchy etc. I really wish I could stop because I know I'm damaging my body :(

[Hedgehogs4life]

Thanks for your replies. I'm covered in scars, mainly around my chest and shoulders. I don't pick at healthy skin, I pick at parts that are not healthy I.e. scabs, pimples, loose/dry skin. I also bite the skin inside my cheeks and around my fingernails. I will pick/bite even if it is painful. If I was to pick a spot or scab for example, and it began to become painful, I can't physically stop myself. I have to continue until I'm finished. Often I don't even realise I'm doing it but once I do, I don't stop. I HAVE to finish or my mind cannot focus and I become twitchy etc. I really wish I could stop because I know I'm damaging my body :(

I do exactly the same, I can wear vest tops and I have done it so long so frequently that I can't feel pain in my upper arms and shoulders.

[yorkylover]

I have started doing this since losing my mum. I think its my anxiety levels!!!! And I cant stop when I start.

[Dave1]

I had a problem with scratching myself till I bled. I don't have it now, I don't know why the problem cleared up - it was just Time that was the healer.

[Bigboyuk]

That's the biggest problem for me. It feels physically painful to stop, far more painful (in the moment) than whatever I'm doing to my skin. Which is so, so stupid.

Hearing other people say that they have to "finish" whatever harmful behavior they're doing or they get twitchy/uncomfortable is so easy to relate to. It's like I'm addicted. In the moment, picking/biting/chewing seems like the most important thing in the world.

I've even caught myself doing it in my sleep, as I wake up with blood on my fingers and pillow.

I wish I knew how to stop once I start. I mostly just try preventative measures, like wearing gloves or having things to fidget with. But once I start, it's almost impossible to stop. I've been this way my entire life.

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Hi this points to OCD in my book! You seem to have some preventative measures in place so keep using these before you start other wise it does spiral out of control. I would also go to your dr and ask about some therapy or meds or both to help you. You say you have been the way for your entire life can I ask how long it has been going on for? Cheers

[Bigboyuk]

You're correct! I was diagnosed with OCD in 2009. I'm in therapy right now and I'm taking the medication Luvox, which helps, but mindfulness has been the best treatment so far. I always have to be aware of my hands and what they're doing, or if I'm doing a repetitive motion like chewing. It's just almost impossible to stop once I start and my brain convinces me that I need to do whatever I'm doing until it's "done".

I can't even remember a time in my life where I wasn't picking at something, unfortunately. At 4 and 5, all of my plush toys were hairless from being picked to death. I moved on to biting my lips and picking at my hands at around 6 or 7 (I'm 24 now). Picking feels like "cleaning" to me, I guess? OCD is so odd.

Thanks for the reply!

Hi I am glad the med and Mindfulness is helping hope fully you beat this terrible addiction, My OCD is centred around hoarding and it's took over my life. Hmm just thinking maybe perhaps look at more therapies to top up with and keep you from picking. Which I believe is a form of self harm in some ways. One good way to challenge your energies in to some thing positive is to may be do some craft work that requires working with your hands, such as modelling etc. Yes can see that it is a form of cleaning it's a strange condition though Hope you are well today Cheers