Anxiety and ADHD - picking at skin, wondering if it’s related to current diagnoses or something else

[ASMomma00]

My 11 year old daughter has ADHD and anxiety. Over the past year she’s been picking at her skin compulsively. It started with mosquito bites she would dig at but has now become just general picking that’s led to open wounds and scars on her arms and legs. I don’t know if it’s related to ADHD and anxiety or if there’s something else we’re missing that’s causing this issue. Has anyone else’s child shown these symptoms, and how have you been able to help? Thank you!

[5Flyingeagle]

My daughter picks at her lip to the point it bleeds. Not sure if it is part of her OCD or ADHD Combined. I think the little things sticking up bugs her. She does it at school also. She make mosquito bites bleed also, and any other scratches and scabs she gets.

[ASMomma00 in reply to 5Flyingeagle]

Same for my daughter. There can be the slightest little bump or nothing at all and she picks until she digs a hole in her skin. It looks awful and is a constant worry to keep from infection.

[Makerwife21]

My son is 7yo (ADHD combined type and anxiety) and he rips his nails and toe nails off. If he's really bad he'll start picking at his bottom lip. I believe this is due to his anxiety. It's a coping mechanism. It's horrible to see him hurting himself this way. We're still trying to find the right combo of anti-anxiety and ADHD medication. It's an emotional rollercoaster for sure. On a different note, I also have an adult friend who actually picks due to her anxiety. She use to pick at her legs. With meds she became better.

I know this isn't that helpful but I hope you know you're not alone in this

[ASMomma00 in reply to Makerwife21]

Thank you. It is nice to know we’re not alone in this. She takes a very low dose of anxiety meds so we may need to re-evaluate her dosage. I left a message for her doctor today so hopefully we’re on the way to figuring this out.

[Wiola821]

Is she on medication, sometimes that's one of the side effects.

[ASMomma00 in reply to Wiola821]

Yes. She’s on meds for anxiety and ADHD. She started picking last year before she ever started on ADHD meds and well after she’d been on anxiety meds (2 yrs maybe), but it’s worth checking into. Thanks!

[WarriorWorrier in reply to ASMomma00]

My friends son just started this and the doc (dev pediatrician who has done interviews etc) said it was the medication. Good luck.

[Onthemove1971]

Just wait until acne set in.. for my son it has nothing to do with medication. He did this before he took any type of medication

[Mmagusin]

I believe this is side effect of the stimulant dexmethylphenidate, or Focalin. My son obsessively picks at mosquito bites and scabs until it bleeds and rips his nails down so short.. Not sure a solution except to switch medicine

[anirush]

My daughter did this when she was in high school. Her legs were so bad at times I can't believe they aren't scarred now.

Both of my grandsons have had problems with this when they are not stable. My oldest grandson used to chew his nails down to the quick, my youngest one would pick and scratch until he bled.

Both are pretty stable right now and don't do any of it anymore

[MunchkinMommy537]

“Excoriation disorder (also referred to as chronic skin-picking or dermatillomania) is a mental illness related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is characterized by repeated picking at one's own skin which results in skin lesions and causes significant disruption in one's life.”

I know of this because I do this when I’m stressed. My cuticles look like a war zone, and I also pick at my scalp. It sounds like she might need an increase in her anxiety medication.

mentalhealthamerica.net/con...

[ASMomma00 in reply to MunchkinMommy537]

Thank you. She started middle school last month, and while she tells me she loves it and everything is fine, I know it’s a huge adjustment. She’s picked before, but usually just mosquito bites. Now she’s picking at plain skin.

[MunchkinMommy537]

Make sure you work closely with her prescribing doctor to adjust her medication as she matures. Weight and height changes, hormone changes, all that can cause something that once worked well to no longer do so. It’s a struggle, but you’re doing the right things by researching and talking to people.

[Janice_H]

My son with ADHD picks sores, pimples, bug bites and skin around his cuticles until it bleeds. He also will break off his toenails to the point they become ingrown. I think a lot of it has to do with anxiety. You might try therapy to uncover what is causing the anxiety.

[Deesol]

Is she taking medication?

[Deesol]

Sorry just read the replies below. Might look into a different med combination. I’m not a doctor but it helped my daughter.

[Mudpies]

My 8 yo son (ADHD combined type) does this and has for about a year and a half. It’s much worse during the summer (more skin showing) and at school.

[ASMomma00]

Thanks everyone for the responses! Her doctor increased her anxiety med since it’s been 3 years at the same dosage. She’s grown quite a bit during that time. We’re also trying a hypnotherapist tomorrow.

[ASMomma00]

UPDATE: After much of my own research and attending a few workshops I’ve learned the skin picking is its own disorder : Body Focused Repetitive Behavior and is linked to OCD and anxiety.

[Redpanda5 in reply to ASMomma00]

Yes, you are correct! My dd was in 2nd grade when this began. She was later tested and diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety. I took her to a doctor who specifically treats BFRB. Bottom line, she told me it never goes away but can be managed. I was told to buy some fidget toys and store them in the house wherever she seemed to be most likely to engage in skin picking. Second, I was to reward her for not picking. We had a marble jar. At the end of each day she would get one marble for not picking (using the fidgets instead) and she would get TWO marbles if she admitted to skin picking. When the jar was half full she got a reward and then when it was all the way full she got a large reward. The doctor told me that when she got older to change the rewards to cash.

The doctor was right, it does seem to come and go. Her perfect face complexion was covered in scabs back in elementary school and it’s a miracle she doesn’t have scaring. At one point it switched to her hair and she actually became bald the size of a dime in a spot by her part. Again, the reward system had to come back. She’s 15 now and I’ll still catch her scratching at her scalp but she tries to do it in a less conspicuous areas and seems to care more now. She leaves her face alone because she seems to place a higher value on clear skin than picking it. It’s hard, but with time and effort, it can be managed.