I have a compulsive scratching behaviour that was result of skin alergies and became a 7 year habbit I tryed counting to 10 over and over my partner had to hold my hands so I could fall asleep I'd wake up lots at night to find I made my self bleed cause I was scratching in my sleep, that was helped by medication in 3 days I had practicly stopped with in 3 weeks my skin had almost healed and he had been red sore and trying to heal for the 7 years. But what your talking about it more of anxious behaviour my son lick his lips all the time my sister bites her finger nails all the time but the problem dose not get worse. I thought a Dr would think I was crazy if I told him I could not stop scratching my self. The first thing he did was put me on a OCD/anti D medication. What you discribe just sounds like a small behaviour but it never hurt to talk to a Dr thay may beable to sujest something for me, once the main obsession was controlled my scratching behaviour by distracting my hands making the busy with some thing and my partner still catches me scratching my head or some where and tells me to stop but I can now stop some time it takes more effort than other time to stop but I dont feel like I'm out of control like before. I know now that if I let my head obsess I'm more lilkly to scratch. I still make my self bleed but no where near as bad like before. I still scratch in my sleep when my anxiety is bad but it cant be controlled by itchy cream or an ice pack on really bad nights. I some time have to sleep with a ice pack even in winter thats the most frustrating lol.