[Anonymous]

I think I have dermatillomania/compulsive skin picking. I didn't realise it was an actual condition until recently, although I've been picking for a few years. I wondered how many on here have heard of it, or if anyone else on here has it? I haven't actually been to my GP or anything. Has anyone here ever been to the doctor's and received treatment, how did they address it?

It's really getting me down.. I have scars all over my arms and chest, and I don't know why I do it. It's worse at the moment wearing long sleeves all the time in this hot weather. My friends think it's eczema and my family don't mention it. I've been stressed about school, which makes it worse, and have spoken to the teacher in charge of student welfare about feeling down but haven't mentioned the picking.

Does anyone know if schools class this as self harm? It would be such a relief to just talk it over with the teacher, but I know that my school's self harming policy is to ring parents. I don't know how they would deal with this, because it is self injury, just not in the normal sense. Has anyone had any experience with schools and how they deal with dermatillomania?
Thanks

[amime]

Not sure if it's the same thing but I used to pick and bite the skin around my nails, it's an incredibly hard to stop but I've managed for quite a while now without picking.

[jme18]

Hi OP, I also suffer with dermatillomania and understand exactly how distressing the irresistible urge to pick can be.
I have recently been to my GP about it and have been told that it is associated with anxiety which i have recently become aware of.

The original GP I was registered with said it was stress related, which may be true, however there was no help offered whatsoever, so i decided to swap doctors.
My current GP fully understands dermatillomania and i have another appointment soon to discuss how to tackle this disorder as well as anxiety disorder, and manage stress better.

Anyway, I have heard from others that i could be thought of as self-harm, however i would disagree - suffering from this impulse control disorder is not something i do whilst thinking, i just do it without thinking, and cannot help it. Despite there being a feeling of relief when i am 'picking', i feel it is different to self-harm. Although, maybe the school informing your parents of the problem could be a good thing? Getting help and support is a big step to tackling the problem!

Personally, i don't think schools would have any knowledge of the problem, however they may give you advice as to how to approach the problem, and guide you in getting help.

I hope you get the help you need/everything works out for you; as i have suffered from compulsive skin picking on my face for about 2 years now, i can fully relate to the distress it causes

[Anonymous]

(Original post by jme18)
Hi OP, I also suffer with dermatillomania and understand exactly how distressing the irresistible urge to pick can be.
I have recently been to my GP about it and have been told that it is associated with anxiety which i have recently become aware of.

The original GP I was registered with said it was stress related, which may be true, however there was no help offered whatsoever, so i decided to swap doctors.
My current GP fully understands dermatillomania and i have another appointment soon to discuss how to tackle this disorder as well as anxiety disorder, and manage stress better.

Anyway, I have heard from others that i could be thought of as self-harm, however i would disagree - suffering from this impulse control disorder is not something i do whilst thinking, i just do it without thinking, and cannot help it. Despite there being a feeling of relief when i am 'picking', i feel it is different to self-harm. Although, maybe the school informing your parents of the problem could be a good thing? Getting help and support is a big step to tackling the problem!

Personally, i don't think schools would have any knowledge of the problem, however they may give you advice as to how to approach the problem, and guide you in getting help.

I hope you get the help you need/everything works out for you; as i have suffered from compulsive skin picking on my face for about 2 years now, i can fully relate to the distress it causes

Hi, sorry it's taken me so long to reply, thanks so much for your reply
I've booked an appointment with my GP, I have no idea what they'll say but I haven't been picking since my exams finished so at least the wounds aren't open and maybe they can give me cream to reduce the scarring. I think all I really want is someone to talk to about it, so that I can start to tackle it properly. I'm so worried she'll try to refer me to a counsellor or mental health practice or something though, or try to put me on medication :/

Depending on the doctor's reaction I might still talk to my school about it, I'm still so scared about talking to my parents about it though. I have no idea what they think it is, but I doubt they realise how much I stress about it.

[kayleigh.jean]

(Original post by Anonymous)
I think all I really want is someone to talk to about it, so that I can start to tackle it properly. I'm so worried she'll try to refer me to a counsellor or mental health practice or something though, or try to put me on medication :/

Depending on the doctor's reaction I might still talk to my school about it, I'm still so scared about talking to my parents about it though. I have no idea what they think it is, but I doubt they realise how much I stress about it.

don't worry about being referred or put on medication; your GP will do what's best for you and will discuss it with you too. If you're not showing signs of depression then, in my experience anyway, they'd try to avoid medication unless other treatments don't work. CBT's quite a likely one to be offered and that would help you to start tackling the issue and understanding it better.
OCD Free on Tumblr often advises people to find resources about what they're experiencing if they're finding it difficult to talk to their parents and to use those to aid you in explaining how you feel and what you're going through.
Good luck with your appointment

[ClaraJayne]

I also have this!
I can't stop picking at my face. And also have anxiety. But my doctor refuses to give me anti depressants for it so it will only get worse.


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