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HeyThereGirl , 27 Mar 2009

Skin picking, scab picking, hair pulling...

Hi. I'm new here. I never knew there were so many people like me!! I never even knew there was a name for what I deal with. I'm kind of in shock haha. As far back as I can remember, I have been a skin and scab picker. No matter how much I bleed, or how bad it hurts, my compulsion overrides all. I pull my hair and scratch my face off when I'm so pissed off or frustrated that I can't take anymore (luckily, that isn't often...still scary). I'm 24. Until I was about 20-21, I picked the soles and heels of my feet so bad that I should have bought stock in gauze and ace bandages. I bled constantly. Walking hurt soooo bad. But I just kept on doing it. I found out I was being stationed in Hawaii when I was 20, and for some reason, I stopped picking at my feet so much. I didn't want to worry about people seeing my shredded feet on the beach, like I worried in high school when I was on the swim team. It's so much more noticeable when the skin is wet. This unfortunately led to me concentrating more on my finger. Ususally my right hand, but since I stopped with my feet, My left hand gets it too. I always have at least one band-aid on. My fingerprints are like...gone. I had to use a fingerprint scanner at work to get in the building, and the only finger that works in my left ring finger! I still pick the skin around my nails on my toes, though. I can't control that impulse, yet. If I have a scab, I pick it until it scars. I hate that. I was molested from ages 3-5 by a neighbor. I have no idea if that relates to this at all, but I read what another poster wrote and it got me thinking. Anyways, that's me and my problems. I'm so glad I found this place, bc for the first time, I don't feel so strange haha.

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