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Deilman , 05 Mar 2014

New, and afraid of my recent increase--Ideas??

I've been picking since a teen with bad acne. I also have mild trichotillomania, which was more of my concern when I was a teenager. I bit my nails as long as I can remember, and all of these patterns have stayed simmering throughout my life. Now I'm 26 and have noticed my skin picking has gotten much more severe over the past few weeks. The obvious change in my life that could be responsible for this is that I broke up with my boyfriend of 8 years. However, my stress level has reduced significantly since I broke off that toxic relationship. I didn't think a decrease in stress would trigger more picking! I scratch at my scalp all the time, pick at my face, shoulders and breasts constantly, even sometimes wasting time at work obsessing over little tiny pores and blackheads. I now see red marks all over my chest, shoulders and back. I have always eaten everything I pick off (it's like finding something to bite on is the goal), and the follicles of all the hairs I pull. I'm concerned. Anyone know possible reasons for this change? I don't honestly know anything about the science behind increases and decreases in derma and trich behaviors. If I were to stab at the dark, I'd guess hormones would play a part in this, and that maybe all the tension that had built up with my toxic relationship is being released through my compulsions? Does anyone have insight to why I might have started to just slide into this spiral? Any help or even recommendations of resources is greatly appreciated.

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