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- 4y
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- 4y
i struggle with this!! i pick my thumbs until i bleed and then i keep going. sometimes i eat the skin and i suck the blood too to get it to stop. i know that sounds so gross but i just want to be as honest as possible on here. i sometimes use fidget rings and whenever i feel the urge to pick my skin i just play with the ring. it helps somewhat but itโs better than nothing
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- 4y
Thank you for sharing, I know it isn't easy. I have a lot of shame and embarrassment about my dermatillomania. I pick several places, but my forehead and pubic area are the worst right now. I've struggled with this for a long time but it's gotten a lot worse over the last several months.
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@clwstarling just do what you can to get better. iโm cheering you on๐ค
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- 4y
I've actually been picking the skin off my lips till they bleed since I was a very young child, it is an immediate response for me when I'm anxious
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- 4y
I do this too, and will bite my lips to the point of bleeding if I'm upset.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
Yes ive been doing this even before i developed intrusive thoughts. Usually when i was bored or anxious. I would mostly pick my lips until they bled and now since developing the thoughts and being diagnosed with ocd I pick my forehead too. I also occasionally pick skin off my fingers but that was not as often.
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- 4y
My forehead is so bad right now. It was getting better but then I had a particularly stressful therapy session Tuesday and by the time it concluded all the progress I had made had been picked away
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
You are right there definitely are worse things. Sometimes to prevent myself from picking my forehead i put like a headband on or when it comes to my lips i apply a crap ton of like burts bees or something that makes it hard to pick in the moment. With fingers you could wear like gloves or something?
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- 4y
I have worn gloves to sleep because I will pick in my sleep but I think I need to wear gloves while I drive as well ๐ it's a bad habit during mindless activities or activities that allow my mind to wander. That's a good idea actually, I think I'll start keeping some in my car.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
@clwstarling Yeh i pretty much pick when i am like just watching tving or browsing my phone. If im busy or my hands are busy with like gaming or something i dont do it as much. Its a hard habit to break honestly.
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@Breezy624 I'm bad while I'm watching tv too, particularly at night. And if my hands are busy while watching tv, I'm usually on my phone looking things up that I shouldn't be ๐๐ talk about a hard habit to break!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
@clwstarling Yeh same here lol i go on my phone a lot to distract me from my thoughts which isnt good either.
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- 4y
@Breezy624 Me too, I use my phone far too much as a distraction. I've tried using apps to "dumb down" my phone, but the compulsion to search or distract myself is far stronger than the apps lol
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
Im so sorry. It is so hard to deal with and we are just looking for whatever outlets we can find. My week has been the worst its been in a while with my thoughts so ive been extra anxious and picking even more too.
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Yea, you're right... I suppose I could worse outlets (I'm not trying to make it okay, just be positive) and at least I'm trying to get better. I'm sorry your week has been rough as well. Hopefully next week will bring less anxiety ๐ค
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
Samee because for me its better than dealing with my thoughts all day long.
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- 4y
Yea, I relate to that so much.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 16w
Hi everyone. <3 was wondering if anyone with experience dealing with excoriation/skin-picking disorder has some tips or tricks that have particularly helped them. Came to NOCD this week for help - first timer that would really like to be able to wear a tank top again ๐ ๐ซ I did join the BFRB support group but unfortunately will be on a night shift this week when it meets . Thank you in advance โค๏ธ
- Date posted
- 11w
Does anyone have any good tips on how to reduce the urge to pick your skin? I wasnโt aware that this was something often associated with OCD until my therapist told me about it. I regularly engage in skin picking especially on my face and it has made my acne even worse and lead to scarring. I donโt want to continue doing it but sometimes I just do it without even realizing Iโm doing it.
- Date posted
- 7w
Hiiii, Iโm Sara ๐ and I have Severe OCD ๐ง , Severe Excoriation Disorder โ, ADHD โก, GAD ๐ฐ, and Major Depressive Disorder ๐ง๏ธ. I love using emojis if you havenโt noticed lol. To keep this as straightforward as possible I want to focus on the OCD and dermatillomania part today. I hope this can help some people ๐ฌ and maybe give others a better understanding of what itโs like to live with these two issues! โบ๏ธ I have always struggled with skin picking, especially on my face ๐, and it has made my acne worse and caused scarring. ๐ค I did not realize until my therapist told me that it can be connected to OCD. Sometimes I do not even notice I am doing it, and other times I am aware but cannot stop. ๐ For me, the OCD side is often tied to perfectionism or needing that just right feeling. ๐ซ From thoroughly washing my face and hands, overusing or meticulously applying products to make sure the โritualโ is done perfectly takes both time and money. To having picking episodes which causes scars to heal slowerโณ and to also leave me with a โpepperoni faceโ ๐ from all the red and raw wounds or with widespread hyperpigmentation that lingers for months. Oof ๐ ERP IS A LIFE SAVER!!! ๐ Addressing that OCD pattern is a big part of ERP, Exposure and Response Prevention ๐ช. ERP helps you face the discomfort without picking or fixing, so over time your brain learns the urge does not need to be acted on. ๐ค Behold~ another technique, HRT! Habit Reversal Training can still be part of treatment, but timing matters โฐ. If OCD is the main driver, starting HRT too early, especially if it leans on avoiding triggers, can unintentionally strengthen the OCD cycle ๐. That is why ERP often comes first, and HRT is added later once the compulsion has weakened. ๐ค Skincare time! Oooo la la la ๐คญ For wound care ๐ฉน, I keep it simple. When the skin is still open, I use a gentle cleanser ๐ซง, a moisturizer ๐ง, and Aquaphor directly on the wound, then keep it covered to protect it from bacteria ๐ฆ and UV exposure ๐. Once the wound has closed and turned pink ๐ธ, I use a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer, a scar cream, and SPF daily to prevent discoloration and help the scar fade. Fidget toys ๐ช do not work for everyone (Ik people who love it ๐), but ERP paired with steady skin care has made the biggest difference for me โจ. If possible, I recommend seeing a dermatologist ๐ฉบ to help heal your skin and give you tools for long term care, and ask directly if they understand skin picking and OCD and will keep that diagnosis in mind while treating you. Progress is absolutely not linear ๐๐. You will have times when you pick or have an episode, even when your skin has been looking great. ๐ฅ That does not mean failure โ. In OCD, compulsions are rewarded in the moment because anxiety drops after you do them, so the brain learns that the behavior works ๐คฅ. ERP builds new learning that competes with the old habit rather than erasing it, which means stress, hormones, sleep loss, or strong cues can still light up the old pathway at times โก. The goal of therapy and strategies is not to create a life with zero urges ๐ซ, but to help you navigate ๐งญ life with OCD by reducing how often urges show up, how intense they feel, and how quickly you recover when they happen. Most important part EVERR ๐ฎโ๐จ๐ฅฐ The most important part of this process is practicing self compassion ๐ and remembering that no one is perfect ๐ผ. Every lapse is information you can use for the next step forward! ๐ซ Thanks for listening to my Ted talk! ๐ (edited) (edited)
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