I am almost 21 and as long as I can remember I have picked, chewed, gnawed, and ripped the skin off my fingers. It's really gross and shameful, (I'm kind of cringing just writing about it) but I eat the skin too. I have tried to think back to the first time I would have done it, what thoughts would have been going through my head that made me think that was a good idea... just weird. I have had to do my best to hide it over the years. It looks worst when my hands are wet, when the rough flaky skin would puff up and turn white. I was on the swim team for 6 years, obviously there was endless shame. I have tried to quit but it's so hard when I don't even know why I do it. Sometimes I don't even know that I am doing it until I notice the blood... I finally worked up the courage to tell my psychiatrist about it and he brushed it off and told me to talk to a counselor. I have a new job selling beauty supplies and I need to be looking professional so that is one reason I need to stop now. I also have a one and a half year old girl that wants to be just like mommy. She already bites her nails. It's very concerning Any help?