I have had dermatillomania since I was 4 or 5 (I am 25 now). I keep picking my fingers, my face - it ends up bloody, many times. It’s especially problematic with my hands since I am a med student and walking around with wounds on my fingers is gene frowned upon. My fingertips at this point will never be completely healed because of the scars, but what can I do to stop picking? I am extremely embarrassed and disappointed with myself :-(
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Hi love,
Thank you for contacting Asking Jude. I am sorry to hear that your struggling with this. I understand how debilitating this must be for you. It’s okay to feel embarrassed and disappointed, but please know that dermatillomania is often out of the person’s control. Dermatillomania is a disorder in its own right, but it is linked to other conditions, like OCD, body dysmorphia, anxiety disorders, or as a way to deal with negative emotions. With that being said, I recommend that you look into therapy for your skin-picking condition. It would be highly beneficial for you to get to the bottom of what is causing it, especially since it has been happening since early childhood. Once the cause is determined, they can treat it properly and help you manage your impulses to pick your skin. There are a couple of ways to find a therapist. I recommend that you reach out to your primary care provider for a referral or visit https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists.
The next thing you can do to help your dermatillomania is finding ways to cope with your impulses. This means that instead of focusing on your skin, you turn those urges into something else, like ripping up a piece of paper. Here are some resources with more information on creating coping strategies:
https://www.bfrb.org/learn-about-bfrbs/treatment/self-help/127-rs-list-of-strategies-for-skin-picking-49-im-using-42-i-could-try.
https://themighty.com/2018/01/unexpected-coping-techniques-for-dermatillomania-skin-picking/.
http://www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/documents/distraction-tech-and-alts.pdf.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/picking-your-skin-learn-four-tips-to-break-the-habit-2018112815447.
https://calmharm.co.uk/.
https://pickingme.org/resources/managementtips.html.
https://themighty.com/2019/09/how-do-i-stop-skin-picking/.
https://themighty.com/2017/11/fidget-toys-compulsive-skin-picking-dermatillomania/.
https://depts.washington.edu/uwhatc/PDF/TF-%20CBT/pages/4%20Coping%20Skills/Distress/Coping%20Skills%20Handout%20Adult%20version.pdf
In addition to the resources above, I recommend that you look into support groups and helplines for added help. I think it would be helpful to talk to people who have had similar experiences to you. Hotlines are great resources because they offer support in times of distress, free, confidential, and available 24/7. Here are my suggestions:
Picking Me Foundation Support Group: https://pickingme.org/resources/online-support-group.html.
The TLC Support Group Finder: https://www.bfrb.org/find-help-support/find-a-support-group.
The Mighty is an online magazine dedicated to disability and mental illness as well as caregivers. The Mighty Community is a place where people can share thoughts and questions on their disorders. Visit https://themighty.com/ to create your account to get started.
Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741 to connect with one of their counselors or visit https://www.crisistextline.org/ to access their Facebook chat.
7 Cups of Tea: Visit http://www.7cups.com or download their app (IOS Or Google Play) to create an account. Once you have, you can speak with one of their listeners or attend group sessions on several topics.
Please know that there is hope. I have confidence that you can overcome your dermatillomania. If you need any more support, please don’t hesitate to come back to Asking Jude.
Love,
Meggan
Hello, @Agata P ! This is Jude. One of our peer counsellors, Meggan, will be answering you shortly.