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Dermatillomania

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Posted 11/5/2011 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
I know with our anxiety we have a tendency of doing things such as pacing, re-arranging things etc but does anyone else suffer from other OCD'ish things such as Dermatillomania? I have high anxiety and for the most part I have it controlled. But I find myself picking at my fingers, the cuticles and the surrounding skin when I am bored, reading or just idle.

I have picked for many years and I just realized that this is an actual condition. I was actually searching for something totally unrelated on the web last night and I seen the word Dermatillomania and got curious. So I read about it and thought "Oh my gosh! That is what I have been doing!". I just didn't realize it had a name. I have picked my fingers for many many years and it's gotten to the point where my fingers hurt almost all the time. I pick my cuticles and skin until I bleed. I have been trying very hard not to pick today now that I am aware of what I am doing and it is NOT easy!

Does anyone else suffer from this due to their anxiety? If so, have you stopped? What have you done to help yourself?
Posted 11/5/2011 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
Yes I am a picker, and always have been...as a kid I would pick scabs. As a teen I picked at blemishes (thank goodness I didn't scar myself!) and as an adult I pick at my cuticles as well.

If I ever got acrylic nails for a special occasion, they wouldn't last very long, until I started to bite or pick at them, although I don't bite at my natural nails.

I seem to fuss things that are not 'natural feeling'...a scab, callous, hangnail, ect. If it feels foriegn or funny on my skin, it has got to go!

I did know that this was a form of anxious behavior, but didn't know it's name before today. (it's fun to say really fast!)

It doesn't really bother me, (I've got bigger issues to deal with first!) but if you would like to stop the habit, I would suggest replacing it with something else to keep your hands busy, maybe knitting? That can be done while watching t.v. or even reading...and maybe you could make some great Christmas presents, Lol:)

Anyway, thanks for posting about this, I am sure that you will hear from others as well soon...I doubt we're the only ones.

Hope you and family are well:)
S.C.
Posted 11/5/2011 12:06 PM (GMT 0)
Oooohhhh me, me! Im a "picker" too! I have this "obsession" with my hands, especially around my fingernails. I pick at the skin around my nails, and if I find like a hard spot, i tend to bite it. Oh, and my nails can NEVER be uneven or I cut them all off to the same length. I've always had this issue with my hands, I feel like they have to be perfect! I'm not a nail biter, unless I have a hang nail, then i'll snag it off quick and stress about it looking different than my other nails. But I do tend to bite and pick at the skin surrounding my nails. I don't do it to the point wear they bleed though, because that would cause me to freak out! I cannot wear acrylic nails either, if I get them done they're off within the next few days. But yea, I pick at everything, whether it's the skin around my nails, a pimple somewhere, or a scab. It HAS TO come off! Yea.....I think I may have a slight issue with OCD along with everything else. LOL
Posted 11/5/2011 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
I don't pick my scabs nor anything else really. I don't even bite my nails. I mainly just pick at the cuticles and "side skin" and if I can't get it with my fingers than I use my teeth. I hate acrylic nails! I just doesn't feel right or normal to me to having something on my nails. Sometimes I will paint my nails and that tends to stop me for a day or two because I don't like the taste of nail polish but than I am right back to picking and biting.

I've read on the internet that some people use Neosporin with bandaids to help heal and prevent picking. But I can't use bandaids (even non-latex) because my skin gets burned from the adhesives.

Yeah, I would like to stop this habit. When I make myself bleed, it takes a long time for me to heal due to my medications and I don't want an infection to set in. So I will try to keep my hands busy - even sit on them if I have to!

It's good to know that there are others that do this as well. And yes, Dermatillomania IS fun to say fast! lol
Posted 11/5/2011 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
My secret is out - I am a picker too.  I have always picked at scabs even though I know it is stupid my mind tells me under the scab is nice smooth skin -  WRONG.  My hubby notices when I have picked at an area as then I have to put a bandaid on the spot to stop the bleeding.

I have so many actinic keratosis also known as a solar keratosis,  a small, rough spot occurring on skin that has been chronically exposed to the sun.

I have a Dermatologist and 100s have been burned off but new ones keep on coming back.  I have to really force myself to stop picking at one. I alway feel really dumb when I am picking and know I should stop.

skull skull skull skull   skeltons in my closet.

Kitt

Posted 11/5/2011 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
I used to be a cheek biter too but my husband broke me of that habit...well made me more aware of it really. I have found my daughter doing it now - perhaps she learned it from me?

I wonder what it is that makes us want to pick??? I'm ashamed of it to be honest. I hide my hands when I have a particularly stressful day and I had a "pickfest". I don't like anyone looking at my fingers.
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