I had no idea there was a "real" name for dermatillomania. Again, thank you! Now I have a scientific name to tell my med provider. I've had the disorder since I was a young child. So, for about 55 years. But in all that time it has never been as bad as it's been since the horrible last session with that damned pdoc. It's embarrassing to admit, but I literally lie in bed tearing at my cuticles these past 2 weeks. I'll spend a good hour or more doing it. It is absolutely an anxiety thing. While I'm tearing my skin it feels like I'm doing something to help alleviate the bad feelings - but my fingers are so sore and scary-looking. I have pretty tattoos on some of my fingers and on my hands; the tattoos draw attention to my hands, thus, to the raw places on my fingers. Ugh.

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I have a trick for this. It works for me anyway. I get those blister bandaids that are really thick rubbery stuff and put them on any finger that I have opened up or that is really sore. They stay in place long enough for the prior damage to heal and if I pick at them nothing happens because the bandaids are made to stick for a while. The last time I was IP I had them on 7 fingers at one point. But it really does help me and I pick a lot less than I used to.

And yes, the flea meds are for my cat!