I feel like this is a guilty confession. I have obsessively picked at my scalp since I was 15 years old. I'm 43 now and it's worse than ever. I get dry patches on my scalp and I will pick at them until I bleed. My scalp is always sore, I won't go to a hairdresser or a dermatologist because I'm embarrassed, and my hair is obviously affected as it is thinning and frizzy from all the picking. Some days I can't run a brush through my hair without it hurting.

I also feel terrible because I leave white flakes everywhere I go from the picking...in the car, bed, the couch. My daughter won't even sit on the couch where I sit because there are always flakes left behind. (I clean them up, but always miss some.)

I am literally incapable of sitting still and being calm, so I end up doing it to relax me and occupy myself while watching TV or driving or trying to fall asleep, etc.

I know this is so gross. Can anyone relate or does anyone have some suggestions or resources that might help me begin to tackle this habit?