I think I have Dermatillomania (CSP)

I posted this in the Introduce Yourself forum too, but figured maybe I could get more help and advice here :

Hello!! My name is Emily and I am from NE Ohio. I am 23 and currently am a stay at home wife (looking for work). I am a recent college grad in speech therapy.

I think I may have Dermatillomania. (Compulsive Skin Picking (CSP)). I have always picked at my skin, but never as badly as I have recently. I am very ashamed and angry at myself for doing this so much, my arms and breasts are the worst. My back and face have some scars on them as well. I decided to google "I pick my scabs" and found out that I probably have a form of OCD. I think this because CSP is the worst when someone is depressed and/or anxious. I have definitly beed depressed lately, I spent 5 yrs in school and cannot find a job. I am home all day with nothing to do.

I also stutter. So now I think I have a double disability, stuttering and OCD.

Well anyways, I'll probably post a thread in the OCD section of this forum and see what happens. I am thinking about getting acrylic nails to help reduce the picking, and I am constantly working on my happiness and trying to reduce my depression.

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Well, there ya go. What do you guys think? Let me know if you need more info, I am very new at this....it feels very weird to say to my huband "I think I have OCD", "what can I do to help control my OCD", etc.

I basically want to stop. Not just stop picking, but stop having the urge to do it as well. :: I want to have pretty arms and legs and not feel weird when I wear tank tops. I always wear jackets in the summer time...which can get VERY hot and uncomfortable.

I'm thinking about getting acrylic nails, like I said above...but I don't just want to address the physical picking only and not the depression part. But I also can't shovel out tons of money for therapy :: So IDK.

I also eat my scabs. Boy is that really embarrassing to say. I started to cry when I told my hubby that I do that....he reassured me it doesn't gross him out.

I feel awful about myself through the whole process. I'll feel for scabs on my arms, legs, head, anywhere...and when I find one I feel so gross. But I do it anyways, and it hurts like heck..but I take the whole thing off...sometimes with the help of nail clippers. I hate myself afterwards, I feel so gross and weird and angry and ashamed. But what do I do? Look for more to do!!! Ugh, I don't get it!!!

I just don't know what to do....I hate hate hate doing this but I don't know how to stop. ::

Anyone?

I know there was a thread on this, I searched the site for it...but it was from last year.

welcome to social phobia world. hope you can find some comfort here.
It's best to tell your husband about OCD. although a lot of people don't quite understand OCD, they often think it's comical like in movies (match stick men, as good as it gets, etc...) They don't quite realize how disabilitatating and how guilty we often feel.
I hope the best for you. and hope you enjoy SPW

I dont know if picking is really OCD, to me its kinda just a bad habbit

durda_dan said:

welcome to social phobia world. hope you can find some comfort here.
It's best to tell your husband about OCD. although a lot of people don't quite understand OCD, they often think it's comical like in movies (match stick men, as good as it gets, etc...) They don't quite realize how disabilitatating and how guilty we often feel.
I hope the best for you. and hope you enjoy SPW

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Thanks for the welcome My hubby was actualy the first to think that my picking was some kind of disease. I am very open with him, and he is very understanding

I dont know if picking is really OCD, to me its kinda just a bad habbit

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Yeah I thought that too...until I googled it and found a description of OCD Compulsive Skin Picking and it matched what I do and feel perfectly

This is strange as I've never thought of myself as having OCD at all...but I do this too. I've never gone as far as to use nail clippers or anything though. I'm always being told "don't pick" and I'm always searching for imperfections, like you, on my arms, shoulders and chest. Obviously once I find them I make them worse by constantly picking at them.

I have always done this but not once thought about it until I saw your post. Maybe I'll try and be more aware now and stop myself.

Hey since my last post a few hours ago I have noticed several times this afternoon that I've gone to pick my skin, which I would have been completely unaware of doing before reading this thread. Anyway I stopped myself each time...so thanks for that

PennyLane said:

Hey since my last post a few hours ago I have noticed several times this afternoon that I've gone to pick my skin, which I would have been completely unaware of doing before reading this thread. Anyway I stopped myself each time...so thanks for that

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Great to hear! Glad I could unintentionally help

It seems very plausible Dermatillomania would fall into the OCD spectrum, since Trichtillomania (hair pulling) does. I would definitely seek some kind of therapy, as it obviously causes distress and is causing scarring.

Best,

Chrystal

Try getting some books on OCD and cognitive behaviour therapy. You need to try and break the habit. Maybe every time you get the urge try to distract yourself by doing other activities with your hands eg. drawing, knitting, etc, so you get out of the habit. I know it's hard. I tend to bite the skin around one of my thumbs. It looks gross and I keep telling myself to stop, but it doesn't stop me doing it. Try covering up areas also so you can't pick at them. Try the acrylic nails. Try anything. Most of all keep your husband informed as he will support you. You might even have to ask him to be hard on you to help you stop.