[PinkFlamingo99]

*warning for grossness*

I have a really bad habit of sticking my fingers up under my eyelids, both top and bottom, to pull little bits of mucus out. Sometimes it's not bad and i just do it randomly throughout the day. Sometimes it's pretty damn bad and I do it sitting with a mirror for 3-4 hours at a time, several days or weeks in a row, just sitting there picking at my eyes. I waste SO MUCH time doing it (prob about 18 hours this week) and I constantly have sties and infections, swollen and red eyes, and when it's really bad my eyes get really blurry. I've been doing this since I was 12 (I'm 32) and it does kind of worry me because I can stick my fingers up under my lids over and over probably upwards of 5000 times a day. This is a really stupid question, but at what point is something a "habit" and at what point is it a problem? I've been debating telling my pdoc or new psychologist but I don't know if I'm making a big deal about nothing because some weeks it's barely an issue. This week has just been really bad.

Sounds like an issue, both for your eye health and mental health. Certainly something you might need to get a handle on as you only have one set of eyes and you could really be doing yourself some damage over time.

[BlessedRhiannon]

Definitely sounds like a compulsive behavior that would be worth talking to your T and or p-doc about.

For me, compulsive behaviors are strongest when I'm most anxious...so getting a handle on my anxiety and learning strategies to not give in to compulsive urges helped a ton. Both my T and p-doc were able to help me with these things.

[pbutton]

Yeah, I would recommend talking about it. It is worth bringing up. Wasted time, sore eyes, concern about the activity - all of those are valid reasons to discuss this issue, even if it is worse some times than others.

[AncientMelody]

Please do bring it up. I just started treating a patient with dermatillomania (technical term for skin picking disorder). There are several behavioral modication therapy strategies available.

[PinkFlamingo99]

I was wondering if this was related to skin picking. There's really little about people picking under their eyelids online. It's really gross.

I've had a really stressful week. Maybe it's related. I just start getting upset with myself because I do it instead of sleeping.

[wotchermuggle]

I do this as well, but I legitimately have stringy stuff there from what I've been told is actually an allergy to my contacts or solution. It's very hard to stop because you don't want people to see the stuff in the corner of your eye and you can feel when it's there.

Do you know if it's an allergy thing for you too? No meds help me and I should probably just go back to wearing glasses, but I love wearing contacts.

[Leah123]

You ask at what point is something a habit versus being a problem.

When it interferes with normal daily activities, for one, and it's interfering with your sleep and free time, so that definitely qualifies.

Also, when it causes you unease and is something you'd feel uncomfortable sharing, that's also a sign it's worth discussing.

I have a habit akin to yours that started when I was young also, and I've found it's directly tied to anxiety: but as my coping skills increase and anxiety decreases it's a habit I've gotten out of for the most part. It's definitely something you can stop with help so as to free yourself up for more useful and fun pursuits.

[PinkFlamingo99]

Originally Posted by wotchermuggle

I do this as well, but I legitimately have stringy stuff there from what I've been told is actually an allergy to my contacts or solution. It's very hard to stop because you don't want people to see the stuff in the corner of your eye and you can feel when it's there.

Do you know if it's an allergy thing for you too? No meds help me and I should probably just go back to wearing glasses, but I love wearing contacts.

I wear glasses. With me it started with an eye infection and I think it persists because if your finger is in your eye for hours, its going to respond by creating mucus. So the problem kind of feeds off itself.

Do you have trouble stopping too? It scares me when I sit there for hours doing it even though my eyes are swollen. I don't know how likely it is to cause damage but it freaks me out sometimes.