Self harming due to IBS

[jalapeno1234]

Before I begin I should mention that by self harm I don't mean knives on skin (fortunately) but I realised since I was around 11 years old I have been chewing my nails to ease any anxieties. It died down for two years as of 2017 as I had teeth braces and couldnt do it (I had the best set of nails then haha) but since January I have been TERRIBLE. My teeth will probably resort back to their crooked state if I carry on :(.

Ive posted SO much so you all probably know me since May and Im still sat here, 8:19AM with my usual morning anxiety (UGH) about my stomach and i have little fingernail infections ALL over these days. Ironically and chillingly enough, this was the start of my horrible (supposed) flare up in May as I took meds for an infection which seriously SERIOUSLY damaged me. I'm seeing blood frequently in my stool, Im seeing mucus, I cant touch any food without having white bread before so I bung myself up and in all honesty it has caused me little sprinkles of depression and the worst anxiety I think ive ever ever had. I am on a Masters degree course until September which definitely hasnt helped as I know Im on a deadline... and I currently have INCREDIBLE weeks (last week was my period week which I dreaded but I had no pain, no d* and was eating EVERYTHING). This week has already been pretty grim - had urges to go all day yesterday and up until the night felt terribly anxious cos of it. I look in the mirror at my fingers and feel STUPID as this is what caused the problem initially (my IBS was genuinely a good 4/10 before May..now its somewhere like 7 or 8). Sigh - anyone else bite/pull their finger skin?

[BlueIris]

All the time, yep, often until they bleed.

[Toby2000]

I do bite my fingernails and the skin and scratch at it too.

I don't feel any urgent need to stop or anything right now but if I was to try and stop, I'd buy some antibacterial hand gel and put a blob of it on my hands once every few hours because that would make your fingers and nails taste awful

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've been a skin picker a long time. It can be worse when obsessive-compulsive cycles are worse but also when you find yourself sitting around. Even when not it can become just a habit you do and if there are triggers there for it (say scabs) then it just starts.

Have you looked at any of the methods to tackle these types of disorders?

[Scass]

I bite my nails and pick at them too. They don’t often bleed but they do often hurt. I never really thought of it as anxiety behaviour before, but I’m sure it is. I do it most often when I’m reading a good book!