Dermatillomania

[Jaymes]

Also known as 'obsessive skin picking.'

Is there any treatment for this besides medication?

 

[Jaymes]

I nosed around a bit, and found mention of behavior-modifying therapy. Has anyone attempted this or know anyone that has?

 

[michel]

I nosed around a bit, and found mention of behavior-modifying therapy. Has anyone attempted this or know anyone that has?

Sorry Jensa, this was burried on page 3, when I found it. Dermitillomania (the name of which I had never heard) is just another aspect of O.C.D.........

The type of problem that this sort of OCD behaviour comes from usually is one centered on the need to 'purge' - usually painful memories that run permanently in the background and cause you enough grief to make you do this.

(I am, of course assuming that it is you who does this).

Do you bleed ? if you do, what are your feelings when you see the blood ?- do you feel
a) a form of 'a weight being taken off your mind' ?
b) feel a satisfaction at seeing the blood run ?
c) or just an irrisistable urge that you don't understand ?

If you would rather not do this 'in forum' please P.M me; I think I might be able to help.

 

[Jaymes]

It's not really because I have any bad memories (I think), it's because it's uneven skin, and just has to be 'fixed' and made 'even.' I do this to everything I feel or see that's uneven (if I can). I've ripped blankets apart and kept sores open for month because they're 'uneven' and even though I know that it'll keep them uneven longer, at that moment all I can focus on is that it's not even and needs to be 'fixed.'

I'll often pick my cuticles to the point of bleeding, but I don't get any relief from it. I think it's kind of interesting to watch, though.

 

[Buttons*]

.... holy crap, its actually a medical condition? *i think i may have it*

 

[Bishka]

Also known as 'obsessive skin picking.'

Is there any treatment for this besides medication?

I actually did this, I didn't know it had a name. When I was younger I would pick at my palms and it lookede like my skin was being eaten by a bug or something. I also picked at my face, scars, hair, legs, anything I could get, I did. I found out that is was part of my OCD, Bipolar, ADD, and after I got on meds, it all but went away.

 

[Jaymes]

Depending on who you ask, it's either a type or sign of OCD. I read that also about half of those with obsessive skin picking also obsessively crack their knuckles, which is weird since I do that (and just about every other joint I can pop. I used to be able to do such awesome back-cracking before spinal fusion).

 

[Buttons*]

.... omg! i do that too! I'm ADD, but i thought i grew out of it... I still kind of pick at myself (which is not something i really want to admit due to embarassment) and i do crack everything i have as often as i can... (i even found a way to pop my elbows!)

 

[Jaymes]

(i even found a way to pop my elbows!)

I do that exact same thing, and people look at me like I'm nuts for it.

 

[Bishka]

Depending on who you ask, it's either a type or sign of OCD. I read that also about half of those with obsessive skin picking also obsessively crack their knuckles, which is weird since I do that (and just about every other joint I can pop. I used to be able to do such awesome back-cracking before spinal fusion).

I used to pop my knuckles, but then I devleoped arthritis in them and in my knees, sad though, I'm only 20 and I have arthritis. Runs in the family though.

 

[Bishka]

.... omg! i do that too! I'm ADD, but i thought i grew out of it... I still kind of pick at myself (which is not something i really want to admit due to embarassment) and i do crack everything i have as often as i can... (i even found a way to pop my elbows!)

I used to crack a lot of things, my nose, my neck, my knuckles, my knees, my toes, just about everything I could crack, but then arthritis woud start to set it, so I try not to, every so often, it's just my neck that needs it, so I do, but other then that, I can't, it hurts too much.

I think picking is defintley an ADD trait, I have several friends and family memebers that all have ADD and they do pick.

 

[Buttons*]

... wow... that's really neat to know, I'm OCD! wow i need to relax!

 

[Aqualung]

I bite the skin around my fingers because A) I like to watch it bleed; B) I like the taste of the blood; and C) I like the mild, stinging pain associated with it.

 

[Valjean]

Keep your nails really, really short?

 

[Jaymes]

Keep your nails really, really short?

That doesn't stop me I bite my nails, and the 'it has to be even' thing seems to apply to them as well.