[ismileatyou]

I started picking when I was about 12-13 yrs old. It continues to this day. My biggest picking spot is my scalp. I do this almost constantly every day, all day, until my head is so sore I can't touch it. Other places I turn to when my scalp is sore are my face and legs. I have scabs all over now and scars that will be there for life. I am stressed a lot but I don't think this is connected with my picking. I could be perfectly calm and feeling ok and still pick without even realizing it. When I catch myself, I'll stop for a few seconds and then it's like my hands have a mind of their own and I go right back to picking. These times are especially bad- I call them my "pick modes". I need help from anyone that does the same thing and advise on how to stop, or lessen it, or something. Thanks

[ocdwifeofsociopath]

Originally Posted by ismileatyou

I started picking when I was about 12-13 yrs old. It continues to this day. My biggest picking spot is my scalp. I do this almost constantly every day, all day, until my head is so sore I can't touch it. Other places I turn to when my scalp is sore are my face and legs. I have scabs all over now and scars that will be there for life. I am stressed a lot but I don't think this is connected with my picking. I could be perfectly calm and feeling ok and still pick without even realizing it. When I catch myself, I'll stop for a few seconds and then it's like my hands have a mind of their own and I go right back to picking. These times are especially bad- I call them my "pick modes". I need help from anyone that does the same thing and advise on how to stop, or lessen it, or something. Thanks

i do it too, it's been really bad lately. I noticed the more tired or stressed I am the more I do it too. I honestly don't know how to stop it either, especially the more tired I am. sometimes I have to give myself a mental boost but that hardly works. I guess if there were something my hands could play with...?

[Morgansangel]

I'm the same. I currently have eczema on my scalp brought on by stress which is just making it worse

[Christina86]

You could check out the pinned topic in the self injury forum - things to do instead of self-injuring (SI). Not the same thing, but some useful suggestions. I have this problem myself. I keep my fingernails super short, keep my hands busy doing something else OR - I use something that will burn a little bit and put it on my wounds on my head (stuff that would help them heal quicker but that also stings).