excoriation disorder

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Is this applicable?

I am what I call a chewer. At 52 I am just now recognizing this as kind of a combination between repetitive self harm/self soothing. I chew and bite the insides of my mouth, lips and cheeks. This area heals quickly overnight and I have a fresh canvas to begin again. I find I do it most often when emotional or uncomfortable. I’m not sure what is causing this but I have always done it. I’m also a picker but not as much at the moment. My therapist brought up recently that she thinks I may have high functioning autism and I definitely have Borderline Personality Disorder and CPTSD. Just curious if anyone else does this or has any information about it.
#ExcoriationDisorder

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Skin #dermotillomania #BodyFocusedRepetitiveBehaviors #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder

Musings on Skin from a Dermatillomaniac:

"Birthday Suit" - a familiar colloquialism for the flesh we wear from birth. However, upon further reflection, it is truer than we would like to admit. In viewing surgeries and autopsies, it becomes clear that skin is little more than a garment, easily rolled up, peeled back, or torn asunder to reveal the bloody undergarments below. Does seeing flesh as clothing help to curb the urge to destroy it? Perhaps.

Consider it: you've been issued one outfit, which you must ensure will last a lifetime. Not all tears can be repaired without lasting blemishes, and not all stains will fully fade away. It will wrinkle, bleach, and stretch, but if you care for it it you may wear it proudly all your life. Should you damage it, your shameful negligence of this irreplaceable garment shall be on display for all to see forevermore. Although these blemishes may be hidden from the many, those who come to know you fully will have their perception forever clouded by these irascible imperfections.

The next time that we seek to tear the fabric of the finest suit we own, perchance such perspectives help us to stay the eager hand of destruction, and steer the fates towards happier outcomes, beyond that cycle of harm in which we so often find ourselves.
#ExcoriationSkinPickingDisorder #Dermatillomania #Selfharm #Selfcare #Anxiety #Depression #skinpicking #Awareness #Mindfulness #Recovery #Art #IntrusiveThoughts #Stress #Scars #ExcoriationDisorder #Journaling #WritingThroughIt

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Is this Excoriation? OCD or Anxious behaviour?

Hi! I'm new to this plataform so I hope I'm using it correctly. So, all my life I've bitten my nails . I remember it started to get worse at like age 8-10 when I also started to tear, bite and eat the sides of my fingers. A little later on (I think) I also started doing it with my toenails, mostly picking since bitting was kind of hard to reach. It mutated a little and not also my toenails where compromised but also the soles of my feet. I take skin out of it, sometimes only from the hardened part but also from the smooth and thin parts, like between my toes. This sometimes results in bleeding and it hurts a little to walk. I'm also really prone to picking ingrown hairs and blackheads, but I think the other stuff is kind of more relevant and causes the most obvious damage to my body.
Also, I have a so called "obssesion" on picking on acne, since I do not have any, I do it to my boyfriend. And we sometimes catch me doing it without his permission, which is bad and also kind of embarrasing to me, like I can't control myself.
I'm sorry if any of this grosses you out 😓, I just would really benefit from talking to someone who may struggle with something similar to what I struggle with.
Also, sorry if I make mistakes on my English, it's my second language 😅.
Ps: I've been seeing a therapist for almost two years now, and we've talked briefly about this, but this wednesday I'm planning on asking her if she believes this might be a disorder.

#ExcoriationDisorder #Anxiety

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How to stop picking skin/pulling hair?

This is part of my biggest new years resolution, to stop picking! Its even more pressing of an issue because now i'm looking to go back to school to become an esthetician (a skin specialist). I'm excited and nervous about it, hence I want to pick and pull at myself even more--but I know I must overcome this because what will my teachers and peers think of me trying to better others skin when my own is a mess?!
I NEED to nip this in the butt. Do any of you guys have any tips for this?
I just don't know what to do... #ExcoriationDisorder #ObsessiveCompulsiveandRelatedDisorders #Dermatillomania #Anxiety #needcopingskills

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#coveritup #ExcoriationDisorder

I've thought about getting tattoos to cover embarrassing arm scars, but then I thought...what about all the new picking. I'm having a terrible time coping with this disorder. and husband/friends dont understand. they even grab my hands.. That just makes my anxiety increase! Help!
#ExcoriationDisorder

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Excoriation Disorder

So I’m pretty sure I have this. For YEARS I have ripped off my fingernails and toenails (and they bleed and get infected) pick at scabs, rip off arm hair, scratch my hands (I have chronic #Eczema ) so that could be a reason why. I mess with my acne so badly. And it’s also worse when I’m stressed. Aghhh help! Is this #ExcoriationDisorder ? If so I’ll bring it up to my therapist and see if I can get some help!

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Accepting Dermatillomania

When I was little, I would be constantly told off for picking scabs and biting my nails. Most children go through phases of this kind of behaviour and eventually grow out of them. I didn’t.
While my nails are now long and healthy, the picking of scabs turned into picking spots, and then squeezing pores, and plucking hairs, even turning to using tweezers on my own skin. It began on my face and soon became something that I did all over my body.
About a year ago, three of the picked spots on my thigh (that weren’t even spots until I came along) became infected, quite badly. I was on antibiotics for about a few weeks until they healed up. I now have some very noticeable scars where the infections were that regularly stop me from wearing shorts or skirts (I’m an 18 year old girl and it’s summer, so that’s not the most ideal situation). For the first time, I properly noticed that I pick my skin. Until then, I hadn’t even realised it was something I did that was abnormal, and would regularly have ‘sessions’ of excoriation without even realising I was doing it- I’d almost ‘wake up’ to the fact that I was picking my skin after ten, fifteen, twenty minutes of doing so (and still do). I thought the infection might be the wakeup call I needed. It wasn’t.
This morning, something’s snapped in me. I’ve forced myself to realise that dermatillomania is a recognised mental illness, a form of OCD, and not something I can pass off as a by-product of stress. I’m going to stop.
None of my loved ones know about this. I’m not going to tell them, especially as I know there’s nothing they can do (I don’t pick in front of them, although sometimes if I go to the bathroom while I’m with them I can get distracted looking in the mirror or at my legs). But I’m having the necessary conversation with myself.
I’m going to start keeping a journal, posting on this platform, recognising when I do it most often, and trying to implement other coping techniques. It would appear it’s a product of a life of perfectionism and body dysmorphia issues (and probably some genetic factors too) but I know for certain that I can overcome this.
I’m going to be better.
Days without picking: 0
#Dermatillomania #ExcoriationDisorder

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Excoriation disorder

About a year ago I noticed I had developed a gross habit of picking at my skin when I am anxious or stressed out. I didn’t even realize I was doing it so much until I looked in the mirror and felt so ashamed and embarrassed of what I saw. I had acrylic nails on for about 6 months and I still tried to pick my skin at first but it was hard to so I eventually quit for the most part. Now that I have taken them off I noticed I have immediately picked up this habit again. Can someone please help?? #CheckInWithMe #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #ExcoriationDisorder #help

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