I have intense compulsions to pick at my skin when I feel anxious or sedentary or stimulated. I’ve heard that this compulsion is called “skin picking disorder” but the research on that topic has yielded no productive results. Often when I get the compulsion to cut myself, I can satiate it with picking. Does anyone else experience this?

"Excoriation disorder is an obsessive-compulsive spectrum mental disorder that is characterized by the repeated urge or impulse to pick at one's own skin to the extent that either psychological or physical damage is caused." This quote is not my words but it explains my OCD best . Anyone else who is diagnosed with this? And how do you deal with it? Currently I am obsessed with picking my scalp and I can't stop. If I don't do it, I keep thinking about it. A few years back I was so obsessed and driven, I cut off some of my beauty spots with scissors. I pull the skin off my nails and it bleeds. I can't control this. I am in the beginning of therapy but don't have a lot of sessions because my psychologist is very good but very busy. How do I deal with this for now, I can't stop.

I deal with excoriation disorder/dermatillomania where I constantly feel the need to pick at my skin/squeeze/get out any content beneath the surface of my face via bumps/pores. I've actually never really had much acne, but due to the damage I've done to my own skin, it almost looks like I have acne scars. I mostly do it in the morning and at night when I'm in the bathroom/ in front of a mirror and although I'm aware it's harmful and can see the repercussions and red splotchy cuts on my face after, I'm having a hard time controlling it. Does anyone face a similar experience with excoriation disorder? If so, any tips or strategies I should try?

I have been skin picking since I was 5 yrs old, and I am currently 22. The only explaination my therapist and I have for it is either an intense autism stim, or OCD. My hands were an absolute warzone during the pandemic, and at my old job, it was causing me so much distress, I'd walk out at the end of the night covered in bandaids on my hands. It's always made me look "crazy" and unsocailized. My therapist isn't trained to deal with OCD so that's why I'm here. They gave me a pop-it bracelet and that's helped a lot, but it's still very isolating. All my friends pick at their acne or fingers, but I haven't met anyone who has used their hands as chew toys, to be blunt :/ I just want to feel normal.