[Christina86]

Uhhhhhhhh...

Yeah. Weird question: Anyone have one of those impulse control disorders, as well as an addiction to self-injury??

I know it's an interesting distinction...

Back in elementary/highschool, I was highly prone to pulling my hair, biting my nails (and I do bite the skin around them including hangnails) and scratching my head until it bled....

But it wasn't ever FOR the pain. In fact, whenever it wound up hurting I would be so upset with myself that I'd manage to stop the behaviour for a short period of time.

Just to start doing it again.

Fast forward a few years, and I started self-injuring. Where I would INTENTIONALLY cause myself harm (scratching/cutting/etc) FOR the pain. I wanted it...

Anyways, so I've been good. I gave up self injuring over two years ago.

But these other impulse control behaviours??

Nope. Still have them. Not so bad with trichotillomania, unless you count the hairs that grow in random places on your face (like my chin). I justify that saying I don't want a beard as a woman!

But the picking at my skin/scratching at my skin (like my entire back, I have bad skin to begin with... rather pimply but not...) so I pick at it/scratch it and it obviously bleeds... and then my fingernails I bite (I tried cutting my nails, wearing that nasty-tasting fingernail stuff as an aversion technique... and nothing helps) and I wind up biting the skin around my fingernails too...

I just have really weird ticks that I can't seem to control and it irritates the crap out of me since I DONT WANT TO DO IT. If I *wanted* to hurt myself, I'd go back to self-injuring! I hate it.

Anyways, this is another one of Christina's new "figuring out her problems" posts, thanks for listening.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatophagia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatillomania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichotillomania

[Hunny]

Christiana.

Ah another thing in common.

These are new words to me but the actions are not. Sometimes I can hardly wait till summer so I can sit in the sun and have the bumps on my arms and shoulders dissipate so that I no longer feel complelled to scratch them. They are worse because of what I eat too (a little too much butter at times (:duh: when will I ever learn? ).

I used to bite the skin around my fingernails too, but with a few tricks I have been able to stop. Thankfully I haven't pulled my hair out except for a few unruly greys and of course the facial stuff as necessary. I guess I would have a mild form of one or both of 'the 'D' conditions'.

The self injury component doesn't really exist in the way that I think is common in youth today. Perhaps falling down, leg shaving cuts, in youth, face picking as a youth, burns from taking items out of oven, more common as an adult etc. so no, not really. As I say, I probably considered those more an accident than a condition.

The picking of shoulders and back did get a bit worse this year through the winter and through some times of very low self esteem (and inactivity).

As for my hands, many years ago I decided I would always keep my hands moisturized. I mean I didn't smoke (anymore) or have other vices (except overeating), so I decided that it would be okay to treat myself with s hand creame. I have used, for many years, 'Vaseline Intensive Care, Healthy Hand & Nail Lotion (in the pink container). I put it on daily and have had lots of compliments on my hands over the years! : . I intentionally rub the cream into my fingernails and cuticles because when they are soft, I bite the skin less. I still bite the cuticles the odd time but never again to where it actually hurts. This is usually around the time I have run out of the cream.

I have about 4 bottles of cream going at any time now. One in almost every room of the house and in my car. it is essential or back I go. The cream feels so nice and isn't oily. Whatever is in the creame seems to help the nails very much too. Over the years I've tried different ones but keep going back to this one.

In the sun my back has cleared up almost completely. Still more sun required. It sure feels better. So for me, diet, boredom, esteem, dryness vs moisturized all seem to play a part.

Hope this might help somewhat.

H

((((((( Christina & Hunny ))))))) I do some of these things too. I get so upset with myself not being able to control this.

Feel free to pm if you want to talk more about it...

[Rachie]

Im a compulsive skin picker. I used to have really bad acne when i was younger and that made my picking habit worse. Ill pick anything that can be picked. Mainly my scalp face back and chest and occasionally my arms and legs. It doesnt look too bad (i think) well at least my face and chest doesnt, i try not to pick at them as much because im self conscious enough about the way i look. I even pick the pimples on my bf back face and chest i just cant help myself.

[Hunny]

Rachie lol, you are so honest, I, too, picked my families face and back, however, I finally sent my children to have a facial so they could learn the right way to take care of their skin. Didn't want them to learn my bad habit (or whatever the heck it is).

Also, my husband has psoraisis and loves me to rub his head but it is just a mass of flakes etc. Was given cortisone when he had his brain anneyrism and everything came back and worse than ever. We had almost combatted it. Quite discouraging but now he just lets it go rampant. *sigh*

Anyway back to me, giving the head rub satisfies the something, kind of and he appreciates it. It's just that flakes are everywhere. Sorry to gross anyone out but it is our life, I'm afraid.

H

[anna342]

I started the s/h first, but I also pull my hair. I've found that it has calmed down when my anxiety isn't as bad, and if I'm busy in the evenings it tends to stop me doing it.

Has anyone discussed this issue with a T? I've always felt embaressed about it so not said anything.

[Rachie]

Originally Posted by Hunny

Rachie lol, you are so honest, I, too, picked my families face and back, however, I finally sent my children to have a facial so they could learn the right way to take care of their skin. Didn't want them to learn my bad habit (or whatever the heck it is).

Also, my husband has psoraisis and loves me to rub his head but it is just a mass of flakes etc. Was given cortisone when he had his brain anneyrism and everything came back and worse than ever. We had almost combatted it. Quite discouraging but now he just lets it go rampant. *sigh*

Anyway back to me, giving the head rub satisfies the something, kind of and he appreciates it. It's just that flakes are everywhere. Sorry to gross anyone out but it is our life, I'm afraid.

H

I get psoriasis aswell, i usually get it after ive had a really bad tiroat infection or am extremely stressed out. It linda looks like ring worm lol. I love scratching the flakes off it sometimes i scratch and pick at them too much tho and then they hurt and bleed, i like it when its on my scalp its fun to pick. I just cant help myself lol

[Christina86]

My head is now in basically constant "itch" or constant pain now...

Stupid summertime. I usually seem to scratch the most then. Stupid nervous twitch. Argh. Too many scabs and it hurts to even brush my hair now. Blah. I did this to myself and I hate myself for it.

im very new here but wanted to say i have been picking my skin for most of my life that i can remember and do the same to my husband when he will let me. its like an uncontrollable compulsion and its almost a relief to see it actually has a name. thanks for posting this.

im very new here but wanted to say i have picked my skin almost my entire life that i can recall,even doing it to my husband and kids when they let me. its like an uncontrollable compulsion and its nice to know it actually has a name. thanks for posting this

sorry for the double post

[Hunny]

Christina, sorry to hear about how it is worse for you in summer.

I did talk to my T about it recently, not before, because there was just way too much other stuff to talk about.

It appears it started when I was about 12 although there were indications of other self care issues prior. It seems to reside with a 'teen part' as well as other issues, like being by self, nervousness, inactivity, depressed state etc but still working on it and along with everything else.

[Christina86]

Bringing this up again, because I am flat out of ideas about how to deal with this all...

and it's gotten worse again. I swear some of it has to do with the time of year, and some of it is school stress... but most of the causes are totally unknown to me. And I really want ways to cope...

So... Ideas?? Anyone??