[iloveplants]

I have practiced dermatillomania for 15 years, now. I started around 15 years old, after watching my mother's picking habit. I have not had the opportunity to work on recovering from this habit, even though I have been in therapy fairly consistently, over the last 11 years.

I keep this a secret, though I am sure my husband notices. He has not said anything. My mother used to try to get me to stop, by physically pulling my hand from my head. However, that only made the obsession worse, built resentment for her lack of understanding and compassion, and helped cause embarrassment. I have wanted to stop the compulsion, though it is not the biggest issue at the moment.

Guess I am just wanting to talk about what I deal with, and start a dialogue around starting to heal/ cope in more productive ways.

[M3233]

I pick at my skin too and much dislike it when my family says something or taps me to get my attention because they are annoyed with it.

[Nike007]

Greetings. I pick my scalp when I become overly stress. It is not good for me to become too stressed or else I tend to present more symptoms related to OCD and dermatillomania. And it gets worse if I don't wash my hair with special shampoo to get rid of dandruff at least 2-3 times a week, though the bottle says that after a month, I should only need to use it once every week or two, but it doesn't work for me. I don't know where you pick at, but some strategies I use that seem to help are...
-Cut your nails as short as possible. It's harder to scratch when you have short nails
-Wear gloves. This will make it hard to scratch too
-If you scratch your scalp like I do, wear a hat. This one really helps

Not sure if the next part needs a trigger warning, but references to blood are made below. Don't read if that makes you anxious.

Those are just some of the strategies I use to help me prevent my scratching. But even by using these strategies, I will scratch an area until blood comes, and then move on. My worse time was when I scratched it so bad I needed to hold a paper towel for 15 mins because of all the blood coming from it. I pick at clumps of dead skin mainly, but if I have scratched a lot, I will pick at scabs that have developed on my head from my previous scratch episodes. I'll scratch anywhere, anytime. School, home, work. Scratch whenever I'm awake and I need to do something.

Hope some of the strategies help

[iloveplants]

Hey Nike 007 -

Yes, I pick at my scalp. Have any of these methods worked for you, longterm? A psychiatrist I had in the past mentioned NAC supplementation, 180mg per day, would help over time. However, I could not take on an empty stomach without really odd stomach pangs, and I ceased the dosage.

I pick while stressed or claustrophobic/ feeling smothered and trapped in life.

[OneInBillions]

Since I was about 8 years old I've picked at scabs or sores, mostly on my arms; I've got some pretty big scarred areas on both hands and forearms now. I'll basically pick open a pimple or blemish or whatever and keep it "open" for weeks or months by picking at it. Funny how my parents never worried about it much, other than always telling me to stop. They never questioned why I couldn't stop.

I find that picking calms my anxiety like nothing else can. Music works well enough in a pinch, but when I'm alone in bed at night and my mind won't stop racing I really have to pick in order to calm down -- otherwise I'll be up for hours, worrying myself into a frenzy. I mean I've always got insomnia, but not being able to pick makes it worse.

I've managed to stop picking entirely two different times in my life, though neither lasted for more than a few years. Both times I stopped on my own, mostly with sheer will coupled with some really embarrassing memories of random strangers who caught a glimpse of my "spots" and ask what in the world happened, all terrified-like... I hate when people notice.

[Smileonmyface]

i agree with with what nike said. i have found wearing a hat helpful as well. i am bad with picking at my dandruff. long fingernails also make it worse.

[iloveplants]

Thanks, guys. It seems to be worse when I am stressed and unhappy, or claustrophobic. I think I have a hat to do the trick. I'll give it a try.