Dermatillomania

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I have been skin picking since I was a child. Not to any dysfunctional degree, but I can spot it in pictures and remember picking at scabs. I have struggled with anxiety and depression manifesting in different symptoms and behaviors but skin picking/dermatillomania/excoriation disorder has really been wired into me to a dysfunctional point since college (10 years ago).
It has bee manageable at times and really devastating to my mental health at other times. I am speaking with a therapist for general anxiety but she is not specialized in this specifically and I would just like some anecdotes of people with a similar issues and what they found helped them to change that behavior.

Thanks for any stories/advice!

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HLedger

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@hledger

MightyTogether 9mo

I'm new here!

Hi, my name is HLedger. I'm here because

#MightyTogether #Anxiety #Depression #ADHD #OCD #Dermatillomania

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Amy Temple

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@artemple95

BFRB disorders 11mo

Update

August 10th was my first full day of not skin picking.

It was a pretty easy day. I had some moments of course but I focused on playing with my puppy and my writing and I - with the help of God - managed to conquer them.

Then today, I cut my left ankle. Not bad but it did require a bandaid. My initial response after "Ouch" was "This is going to be a test 😂"!

Having more moments of difficulty but I've been focusing on my puppy, spending time with my family and watching reruns of NCIS. That seems to be working 😊👍.

I know I have a long road ahead of me but I know with the help of God, my family, my puppy and my support groups...I will be able to defeat this.

#Selfcare #MentalHealth #Dermatillomania

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Amy Temple

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@artemple95

BFRB disorders 11mo

Hello fellow members 👋😊. I joined this group because I have been battling a skin picking disorder for 35 years. It is due to all the bullying I endured in school and the discrimination and rejection I have suffered because of my having learning disabilities. I primarily pick at my nails which leads to hang nails that I picked at. Sometimes I bleed. Sometimes I just have sore, red marks.

Whenever I get a cut, I will put a bandaid on it but end up putting on another one because I have picked at the scab.

I have tried numerous times to stop. I even went as long as a year without picking. Thought I had beaten it but had a relapse.

Recently my desire to pick as increased because my elderly parents have just started to need more care. Not in a major way but it has happened so suddenly... it has been overwhelming sometimes.

This past week, I had noticed my left toe nail was getting long so I decided to pick at it and tore the whole thing off! It bled and there was mild throbbing and sensitivity. I was angry at myself for myself to say the least.

I really want to stop especially since I finally know why I have been doing it. It's just a matter of getting myself started. With my parents' changing health, I want to be able to be there for them whenever I'm needed without this burden.

My family knows about this condition. In fact, they have been encouraging me for years to stop.

I watched a YouTube video about how to stop. The counselor said, "Find a reason why you want to quit". I have found it. I want to quit for them because I know how much they love me.

I want to quit for me too. I'm middle aged now and I am so sick and tired of dealing with this!

I know that I can beat this. I think to myself, "If I can stop for a year, I can stop for good".

With the help of my faith, my family and the support groups I have found especially on here, I know I can do it ☺️👍.

#Selfcare #MentalHealth #Dermatillomania

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Ainsley

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@ains15

Dermatillomania 1y

I have a question

Hi! I have skin-picking disorder. My family has tried to get me to stop and I have tried to stop on my own. I pick until I bleed, and in the moment it feels good, but I end up getting blood on my clothes, and I even got an infection once. My mom bought me fidget toys (Pop-Its, fidget spinners, etc). I’m not trying to be ungrateful at all, but fidget toys just don’t work for me, and I’m not sure why. Nothing else feels as good for relieving my anxiety as picking (it feels awful afterward, of course). I’m just wondering if fidget toys don’t work for anyone else or if I’m the only one.
#Dermatillomania #ExcoriationSkinPickingDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #MentalHealth

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donnatnow

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@donnatnow

Anxiety 1y

I just can't STOP although I know I need to!

Does anyone suffer from scalp picking? I'm embarrassed to even write about it. People in my life just tell me to stop it, just don't do it....but I can't.
My last partner was kind about it---and we had a code-- when he noticed I was doing it he would make some gesture with his hand. This worked well. Now I live alone and have no one to help me stop.
My psychiatrist has put me on Prozac-- because I need a new anti-depressant as I'm sliding into depression and also thinking Prozac will help w the picking. I'm weaning off another Effexor & hoping for the best.
He says it's not related to OCD---and I agree-no other symptoms, but all to do w my depression. Well it's been going on for over a year now. At first just every couple days and in one spot....progressing now to about 15 areas on my head and several times/day.
Yes-gloves---I used to keep them in my night table-- but they ended up somewhere and I haven't put them back. Night time before bed is the worst-- and these days I spend a lot of time in bed!
I'm on a medical leave from work---so much time to sit around....which most often leads to my fingers running thru my hair!
Any tips would be much appreciated.
#Anxiety #Dermatillomania

(edited)

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Ainsley

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@ains15

MightyTogether 1y

Hi! I’m new here!

Hi! I’m Ainsley! I’m here because I love to write, and I want to relate to others who share my conditions. I like the feeling of having a community 🤗

#MightyTogether #CerebralPalsy #ChronicPain #Anxiety #Spasticity #SensoryProcessingDisorder #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Dermatillomania #Neurodiversity

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MightyTogether 1y

I'm new here!

Hi, my name is Mallyk. I'm here because

#MightyTogether #Anxiety #Depression #Migraine #Fibromyalgia #AutismSpectrumDisorder #ADHD #Dermatillomania #ExcoriationSkinPickingDisorder #ChronicPain

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Group Leader

Taryn This Is Me Trying

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@tarynvenske

This Is Trying 1y

See full photo

DARVO: The Twisted Defence of Abusers

I’ve long been familiar with being on the receiving end of DARVO, but never had the words to explain it so succinctly. In the realm of psychological manipulation, I think few tactics are as insidious and disorienting as DARVO. It stands for "Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender," a concept first identified by psychologist Jennifer Freyd. It's a defensive strategy used by perpetrators of wrongdoing, particularly those accused of abuse, to deflect blame, invert reality, and maintain power and control.

Denial is the abuser’s first line of defence. When confronted with evidence of their misconduct, abusers outright DENY the behaviour—often delivered with such confidence and composure that it can be incredibly persuasive to others. Following denial, perpetrators ATTACK the credibility of the accuser. This can be direct or subtle, with the abuser often portraying the accuser as mentally unstable, attention seeking, or manipulative. Finally, the most disorienting part of DARVO is the reversal of roles, where the PERPETRATOR claims they are the actual VICTIM. This can involve expressing hurt feelings, seeking sympathy, or claiming they are the ones who have been wronged.

I think that what makes DARVO so effective is that it exploits our inclination to give people the benefit of the doubt, it weaponises the victim's vulnerabilities, and intentionally obscures the truth. The reversal of victim and offender can be so convincing that it not only causes others to question the victim's claim, but can also make victims question their own reality and sanity. I am “fortunate” in that my early childhood experiences taught me to trust in myself, so that I never questioned my own sanity or reality. Yet it was incredibly isolating; knowing some things were not right but not having the words to explain it, so that for some years I self harmed as a coping mechanism.

Years of reflection have helped me understand that the ‘heart’ of abuse is really quite simple: it thrives in the shadows of ignorance. Naturally, this makes illuminating knowledge one of our strongest weapons against it. The second is calling that sh*t out when we see it 🏹

#Abuse #PTSD #PTSDSupportAndRecovery #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Anxiety #Trauma #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigue #Fibromyalgia #Depression #Selfharm #Dermatillomania #Trichotillomania #Selflove #Selfcare

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10pm

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@10pm

MightyTogether 2y

I'm new here!

Hi, my name is 10pm. I'm here because I have dermatillomania and want help and advice from someone may know how to navigate it. Being distracted and working while forgetting about myself and helping others was a huge plus. When the job stopped, hell broke loose, and old habits returned. Best medicine for me is to always keep busy. Your thoughts? Thank you in advance for your help.

#MightyTogether

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Dermatillomania