Picking at my skin (aka. dermatillomania)

LegacyUser

Hello,

I'm 26 and I think it's time for me to do something about a problem I've been living with for nearly twenty years: I pick at the skin around my fingernails.

Every day, everywhere, I'm always using one finger's nail to dig up the skin and cuticle around another. It's not something I do deliberately at all, and unless I specifically focus on that, I'm not anymore aware of it than I would be of breathing or swallowing my saliva. But unlike those, this is definitely not a healthy thing and on some level, it's a conscious activity.

Perhaps not surprisingly, I'm generally very anxious in all areas of my life and as a consequence of that -I think- I'm rather introverted and always reluctant to seek help. But lately, I've got the ultimate 'what if' scenario stuck in my head: "What if by walking around all these years with tiny but sometimes bleeding wounds, I've picked up blood-bourne pathogens somewhere, somehow?" Now that's pushed me over the edge and now I want to do something, so I'd appreciate any feedback with those questions:

1) Anyone else here with the skin-picking thing? Strategies that work you?

2) Rationally, I think the blood-bourne pathogen angle is very, very unlikely. Irrationally, though, that doesn't really help. Would I be laughed out if I talked to the GP?

3) I recognise and I acknowledge that underneath all that, I've a very real anxiety problem. For a long time, I've thought that "I'm the problem, so I must be the answer". Yes, it's a fallacy. Anyway, I'd like to tackle that now. Where/How do I start?

Thank you.

Ellie2008

Tweek Tweak wrote: »

Hello,

I'm 26 and I think it's time for me to do something about a problem I've been living with for nearly twenty years: I pick at the skin around my fingernails.

Every day, everywhere, I'm always using one finger's nail to dig up the skin and cuticle around another. It's not something I do deliberately at all, and unless I specifically focus on that, I'm not anymore aware of it than I would be of breathing or swallowing my saliva. But unlike those, this is definitely not a healthy thing and on some level, it's a conscious activity.

Perhaps not surprisingly, I'm generally very anxious in all areas of my life and as a consequence of that -I think- I'm rather introverted and always reluctant to seek help. But lately, I've got the ultimate 'what if' scenario stuck in my head: "What if by walking around all these years with tiny but sometimes bleeding wounds, I've picked up blood-bourne pathogens somewhere, somehow?" Now that's pushed me over the edge and now I want to do something, so I'd appreciate any feedback with those questions:

1) Anyone else here with the skin-picking thing? Strategies that work you?

2) Rationally, I think the blood-bourne pathogen angle is very, very unlikely. Irrationally, though, that doesn't really help. Would I be laughed out if I talked to the GP?

3) I recognise and I acknowledge that underneath all that, I've a very real anxiety problem. For a long time, I've thought that "I'm the problem, so I must be the answer". Yes, it's a fallacy. Anyway, I'd like to tackle that now. Where/How do I start?

Thank you.

No advice here! Unfortunately I know how you feel I do the same thing only on my face, I rub the area around my chin a lot and when I get spots from the germs I keep pulling at them, I have indented scars on my face from this and people comment when they see me doing it but I cant stop! So you have my sympathy.

LegacyUser

Hi i have a feckin silly thing i do like that makes me feel like a freak but its anxiety related too, i pull at my eyelashes and sometimes i end up with feckin gaps, hate it cause it on the face!

But i think its all related to some form of self harm, just the state of mind we all go into, i dont do it half as much as i used to in fact i hadnt done it in a long time but i went through a huge change recently and felt trapped and anxious and i ended up pulling at them, still waiting for them to grow back fully, i pretend they got singed or something if anyone notices!

Anyway, i realize we have to look behind the anxiety and see the root cause of the emotions, i would recommend therapy, i went and spoke about any issues i had and it really helped, all the intense anxiety stopped and any panic i was feeling, i also tried hypnotherapy and that helped for a few years??


Its like anything, like people addicted to food or drink etc its never about the thing you do but the denial of whats really going on, when you get to the core of it you can understand it more and have better awareness?


Dunno if that helps, but i have so many friends who do similar things.

WhatWillBee

Snookii wrote: »

Hi i have a feckin silly thing i do like that makes me feel like a freak but its anxiety related too, i pull at my eyelashes and sometimes i end up with feckin gaps, hate it cause it on the face!

But i think its all related to some form of self harm, just the state of mind we all go into, i dont do it half as much as i used to in fact i hadnt done it in a long time but i went through a huge change recently and felt trapped and anxious and i ended up pulling at them, still waiting for them to grow back fully, i pretend they got singed or something if anyone notices!

Anyway, i realize we have to look behind the anxiety and see the root cause of the emotions, i would recommend therapy, i went and spoke about any issues i had and it really helped, all the intense anxiety stopped and any panic i was feeling, i also tried hypnotherapy and that helped for a few years??


Its like anything, like people addicted to food or drink etc its never about the thing you do but the denial of whats really going on, when you get to the core of it you can understand it more and have better awareness?


Dunno if that helps, but i have so many friends who do similar things.

You have trichotillomania.

I have it for my eyebrows, most people have it for the hair on their heads or their eyelashes. Colin Farrell even has it I have dermatotillomania too unfortunately, just basically a picker, if i dont have a spot I go looking for one and I could spend hours in front of the mirror between my spots and my eyebrows!

I always had these in a very mild form but they really kicked up a notch after I lost a parent, which apparently is a major reason. It amazes me that so many people have this and do the exact same things across the globe, such as, pulling hairs, rubbing them against your lips, eating them etc etc. Most people don't even know what they have and yet we all do similar rituals.

Unfortunately, much less is known about the skin-picking version although it is almost always mentioned in parallel with trichotillomania. For example, from a great website and OP, would be a great place for you to start....

http://www.trich.org/about/ab-intro.html

Both are generally assigned as being impulse control disorders (the most well known being OCD).

I've tried lots of things, with some success, but I've learned it's a lifelong battle and rather than 'cure' it I'm trying just to be functional sufferer!

Some things I found that help:

• Take a note of when you pull/pick the most -
  this will help you recognise your triggers. For me its mostly boredom e.g. sitting in front of the tv, or when I need a shower, e.g. after the gym. Or before I hopped in the shower. Recognizing these potential pitfalls helps you avoid them.
  
  
• Improve your diet -
  this may be a placebo effect, but I found the healthier I felt the better I was.
  
  
• Never assume your cured!
  I would go weeks or even months without picking/pulling and as soon as I would start patting myself on the back for it I would be back to doing it and Id have to start all over again
  
  
• Take NAC supplement -
  There have been some reports that daily doses of the amino acid N-acetyl cysteine reduces the impulse so Id say that can be worth a try to anyone since its only a nutritional supplement. (NAC supplement at any vitamin/amino acid etc shop, even Boots)
  
  
• Get up and go be around people -
  I always pick and pull when I'm alone so this really speaks for itself, given that Id be mortified if anyone really saw the extent I go to! On holidays with other people for example, I hardly ever pick or pull or even think about it! It's only really avoids the problem and is not a good long term solution though.
  
  

I hope some of this helps you guys too Good luck everyone!

smallerthanyou

Didn't know this had a name. I used to do it all the time but have mostly stopped. I carry hand cream and when want to mess with hands put on that instead and makes skin hard to get a grip of. I also try to get manicures when can afford them so less loose skin. I've never got infections from it and imagine highly unlikely that would happen.

Tweek Tweak

Tweek Tweak wrote: »

Hello,

I'm 26 and I think it's time for me to do something about a problem I've been living with for nearly twenty years: I pick at the skin around my fingernails.

Every day, everywhere, I'm always using one finger's nail to dig up the skin and cuticle around another. It's not something I do deliberately at all, and unless I specifically focus on that, I'm not anymore aware of it than I would be of breathing or swallowing my saliva. But unlike those, this is definitely not a healthy thing and on some level, it's a conscious activity.

Perhaps not surprisingly, I'm generally very anxious in all areas of my life and as a consequence of that -I think- I'm rather introverted and always reluctant to seek help. But lately, I've got the ultimate 'what if' scenario stuck in my head: "What if by walking around all these years with tiny but sometimes bleeding wounds, I've picked up blood-bourne pathogens somewhere, somehow?" Now that's pushed me over the edge and now I want to do something, so I'd appreciate any feedback with those questions:

1) Anyone else here with the skin-picking thing? Strategies that work you?

2) Rationally, I think the blood-bourne pathogen angle is very, very unlikely. Irrationally, though, that doesn't really help. Would I be laughed out if I talked to the GP?

3) I recognise and I acknowledge that underneath all that, I've a very real anxiety problem. For a long time, I've thought that "I'm the problem, so I must be the answer". Yes, it's a fallacy. Anyway, I'd like to tackle that now. Where/How do I start?

Thank you.

I also do this, along with biting my fingernails. I consider the two to be related and it depends on my mood - if I'm feeling good then I tend not to do either for quite a while.

I was going to suggest trying nail bite lotion but I guess this wouldn't be any use to you if you use your fingernails to pick them rather than biting them.