Question

Posted October 27th, 2012 by WhiteRus
Does the act of eating scabs mean someone has pica?
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On October 29th, 2012 olivegreen said:
According to the DSM IV (soon to be revised) Pica is classified as an eating and feeding disorder of childhood. It is defined as the "persistent craving and compulsive eating of non-food substances." Considering that in my understanding (and my experience) the eating of scabs/skin/etc is not the core craving or compulsion with dermatillomania (picking is), it would not be classified under Pica. Disclaimer: I work in the Mental Health field but am not a Psychiatrist. And hey, don't forget--the classifications of disorders that are given in the DSM IV and anywhere else are HUMAN JUDGMENTS. They do not make or break us as humans. They are titles given to humans by humans. Take them for face value. :)
On October 27th, 2012 WhiteRus said:
The reason I was wondering is because I'm really embarrassed about it... I also pick my nose and eat my boogers, and I eat the dirt from under my nails. I have never told anyone about it because its so shameful... But just like picking, it's th same set of circumstances that lead me to that behavior... The anxiety, the boredom, etc...
On October 27th, 2012 Karissa said:
Also, if 99% of us eat our scabs, then we'd ALL have pica (which is an eating disorder,) which means a helluva lot more people would've responded to Marmocet's post a couple weeks ago.
On October 27th, 2012 Karissa said:
Interesting, but I doubt it. I've read that 99% of pickers do something orally with their "pickins". Me, I chew then spit it across the room;)
For information on the skin picking disorder (Dermatillomania), symptoms, causes and treatment methods, get the Complete Guide to Skin Picking Disorders.