Bothersome repetitive body movements - Anxiety and Depre...

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Bothersome repetitive body movements

doctorpws1 profile image
5 Replies

I hope that someone can help me with this as weird as it sounds. I have a long history of severe depression and anxiety which is not controlled. I might state that I have never had any problems with or been diagnosed with OCD and I don't believe this is my problem. For many months I have the constant urge to pick at and rub my fingers together and it is driving me crazy. It happens all day long every day. I have cut my fingernails short, used lots of lotion on my hands and even wear latex gloves (which I can't wear all the time). There is a support group for people who pull at their hair and pick at their skin but I didn't get much help there. Has anyone else ever experienced this and if so, did you find anything that helped. Thanks for all constructive replies.

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doctorpws1 profile image
doctorpws1
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Veteran250 profile image
Veteran250

hello….. your medical problem is called EXPORIATION, I’m not medically qualified to advice you, but go on Google Search for EXPORIATION….. good luck.

doctorpws1 profile image
doctorpws1 in reply toVeteran250

No I think you mean excoriation which is simply scratching at the skin. This is called dermatillomania.

Downinil profile image
Downinil in reply todoctorpws1

Hi doctorpws1, I find myself scratching and my skin and picking like you described. Mine is anxiety related which is likely what you struggle with. Have you had a medical consult regarding this?

Hey :) I kind of did something similar- and I definitely suggest going to a therapist and/or a general physician asap.

For me, my therapist had me keep a record of it during the day for maybe a week. She wanted me to include a bunch of stuff: the day, time, how long I did it for, what emotions I was experiencing (before and after doing the behavior) and also, what happened just before I started engaging in my behavior.

Anyway- she looked over the info I collected and saw there was some pattern (I would do it a lot more before hanging out- esp if there would be a lot of strangers around) and came up with different things I could do instead.

I didn’t have any like cuts or blisters, but the therapist said if i started to see any physical consequences id have to go to the doctor to make sure they/it weren’t infected or anything.

idk if that’s helpful- but I’d go speak to someone if you aren’t already and definitely see a doctor to make sure everything’s good physically.

:)

MaggieSylvie profile image
MaggieSylvie

I have done this all my life - lips and thumbs, now fingers. I suppose it gives me some sort of comfort. I can stop it when I am suitably ashamed, but soon start again somewere where it heals qiuckly. Hard skin that arises from constant housework is always a temptation.

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