Mucus eating

I'll raise my hand to have done this before. if you were like me when i wrote my first post tears probably poured out your eyes because you finally felt some sort of relief because you were about to let it out right? That is a scary but good feeling;) i have found support. i haven't posted for a while because by some miracle i stopped doing all these activities for like a month or two but they have all come back :( i know we all want to stop..i wish we could post pictures on here my fingers are knawled down to the 'quick' as my mother would say. do you know when you started doing these things? thanks for being brave & posting:)

Rachel - I am so delighted that you had the courage to come out and admit all this... I have had almost all the same issues, and I feel like the worst part is that I have the urge to eat whatever I get. It's interesting though... I think the thing that I have been most ashamed of is picking and eating mucus. I just ... can't stop, and it's horrible. I hate having to have "that discussion" where I tell the guy I'm dating that yeah, well, I pick my nose... and I eat it, too... luckily guys aren't as grossed out by it as I think girls might be, but who knows, I have a feeling more girls do it than guys. But yeah. I remember I wanted to quit picking AND eating, so I made that my new years resolution for 1998 - hah. The interesting thing was at first I realized "ok, I can't stop picking, there are some things that a tissue just won't help with, so I'll have to pick my nose, but I must not eat!!!" and I actually stopped eating for a while... but the thing was I did it in bed so much and I just wiped the boogers/snot on the side of the bookshelf next to me because I didn't have a tissue at hand, and it just made such a huge mess that I went back, figuring "ok, well, whether or not I eat my mucus I just have to do it in private. If i eat it there won't be any evidence leftover, so it's okay." and I haven't tried to quit since. Anyway, I have the same stuff - eating everything. Usually I regret putting my finger in my mouth when it's got earwax, because it tastes so bad, but I still do it compulsively sometimes. But I'm the same with the panties... Do you ever eat your menstrual fluid? Once I did because I went to the bathroom and had gotten my period unexpectedly, so I brought the panties up to my mouth and sucked out some of the blood that had stained them, and my god, ... just, i want to say "what a high". I think part of why I do it (as well with reg. vaginal discharge) is because I just feel like it's so dirty and wrong. But yeah, I think boogers taste delicious, i love them when they're harder - and I love to eat my scabs (then the blood that comes out), whiteheads/blackheads from zits, pus, anything. So yeah. You're not alone. :)

Thanks for all the supportive comments everyone. I am able to control my picking and eating easily when I am around people, but as soon as Im alone, Ill pick my nose, zit, fingers whatever to get something to eat. I never eat anything bloody on my panties, just the discharge when it dries. I also dont suck blood of a wound. I prefer to wait for it to clot and then eat the yellow stuff once its hardened. Im very proud of myself lately, I have stopped biting my nails. (I do this on and off every few months) AND, I have allowed my skin on my fingers to heal. No scabs or anything. Since there is nothing to pick, I am not inclined to.

Hi, I am so glad to come across you guys, i thought i was nutso! I am a compulsive picker. I pick and squeeze pimples and then eat the product, and of course that produces a scab which I also pick and eat. I have had sores that lasted years because i couldnt stop picking. I also bit my nails all my life until 9 years ago while i was pregnant with my baby girl. I stopped picking completely then, nothing at all, no picking or eating or biting my nails. The best i can figure is that i was blissfully happy at the time and i was quote possibly the happiest I have ever been. I didnt try to stop, it just stopped on its own and i didnt even notice i had stopped til my hubby commented on my long nails. I never started the nail biting again, but a few yrs later when i was diagnosed with MS i began picking again and then started tearing and eating my cuticles. I have had them really bloody and gross looking but figured out i could pour peroxide on them and in a few hours they would scab givin me more to eat. My thing when picking cuticles is that im trying to tear the extra skin and make them look better, but they always look worse. The thing i think when eating the stuff that i do is that if i put it back in it will help healing, so why waste it. I have found something that has made a huge difference in the cuticle biting if someone would like to try, acrylic nails! I never tear or pick when i have them.

i also completely stopped picking when i was pregnant i didnt even try or notice that i had stopped i just didnt pick why do you think that is?

It's one thing to pick at a scab or pimple, but to eat your vaginal fluid? I'm sorry, but something IS wrong with you. You really, really, really need to get some help. I may be wrong, but I don't think it's normal either to have breast discharge.

i dont think it you should post a reply like that pretty picker, it has taken alot of courage for rachel to post her problem in the forum and the the majority of people on here would agree that comments like yours are not helpfull to anyone. im trying to find out some of people's picking problems and mine could be influenced by hormonal inbalance and ive found rachels and the other lady that replied to her story very interesting because feeling happy only when pregnant and surplus vaginal discharge amongst other symptoms could be related to a hormonal inbalance.

Oh my goodness.. I knew there were thousands of other pickers in the world, but I had no idea there were other "pickers and eaters." This is such a relief! I do all that you all talked about. The harder and crustier things are, the better. I TOTALLY related to the post that said you have to get something out, a product, to feel fulfilled. I laughed out loud when I read the part about finding prey.. and then eating it! I totally understand. Because at that moment, when I'm in a picking frenzy, getting something out of my face/body becomes my goal in life. Nothing else matters. I do this now because I'm single and can--my secret remains secret--but I'm just worried I will carry this behavior into marriage. Well, that is if I even find a guy who doesn't mind my crazy, scarred-up face. Ehh!

I have been a compulsive skin picker for about 11 years. I always thought I was the only one that was eating the things I picked! It is so hard for me to type this, but it is also such a relief to know that I am not the only one. A lot of the time I am doing the picking, the only thing on my mind is to get something to put it in my mouth. I used to think that I was just obsessed with getting the scab off, because I hate the feeling of scabs, pimples, etc. and I just want the surface to be smooth (even though in my head I know I made it 10x worse) But now I am realizing that it is more than just that. If my nails aren't long enough I will use a fingernail clippers or a tweezers to get to it. I am so embarrassed and not many people know about my problem. I have been to a dermatologist trying to reduce my break outs, but I find myself making something out of nothing. I have been to a psychologist for behavioral cognitive therapy and because of lack of funds I had to stop going. I am so frustrated with myself. I haven't worn shorts or a swimsuit in years because of the scars I have on my legs and now the scars on my hands and arms and face are getting worse everyday. I want to stop this so bad, but don't know how! I am constantly looking for advice and help with this. I am on medication for OCD thinking that is what I have and why I do this, it seems to not be helping. I have been "experimenting" with medicine for years and haven't found anything to help. Anyone out there who has been a compulsive skin picker and has eaten things from their picking and has recovered from this, please give me some advice. Anyone actually, I am going crazy trying to stop this.

Rachel, I cannot tell you how happy I am to read your post. I came across this entire site accidentally and while browsing the forums and reading the stories from people here I think I am experiencing the problems closest to yours. I do everything you listed except for the nipple discharge (because I don't get any, I'm sure if I had any I'd eat that too). I am almost 25, I do not remember when my habit started but I've been doing these things as long as I can remember myself. I will consume almost any type of discharge/cellular waste from my body but am grossed out by the same stuff off other people's bodies. I occasionally pick at pimples on my face, sometimes shoulders (I get them but not much) and very rarely other parts of my body: chest, legs, arms. I eat hardened skin from different skin bumps I can scratch off, I can eat blackhead residue and acne puss (thankfully I do not get that sort of acne with puss very often any more). The part that has caused me the greatest deal of shame is the vaginal discharge. I pick it off my underwear, sometimes even little bits off short hairs around the area. I know this has to be unsanitary and I feel terrible after doing it. But when I'm at home in the bathroom I am drawn to do this. Often I have an urge to scrub myself really hard in the shower to try to get off every little bit of dead skin tissue and every bit of mucous off my body so I cannot eat them later. I often feel I get an abnormal amount of dead skin sloughing off or discharges, but objectively speaking I think I am about average in this. Noone in my life knows about this. I look like a girl next door, my weight is average for my height, I do not have visible scars, my breath smells normal, I lead a regular life, regular social/sexual life and am terrified at the thought of coming out with this issue to anyone I know, including my fiance or parents. I feel like this is so shameful that even family would not be able to be around me if they knew I do these things. I do all of my picking alone in the bathroom or in my bedroom or when I am 100% sure noone can see me. The only self destructive part of this behavior is the acne/blackhead picking and also irritating my scalp when I pick at it, but the rest of it is just plain disgusting. I am not on any medication, I have never been diagnosed with any mental conditions but that may be partly because I never felt the courage to seek help at times of need (especially college time). I have no idea where to even start with this issue, it has caused me a great deal of self loathing. Right now I am overcome with gratefulness for this resource and do not feel so alone. Good luck to everyone out there struggling with these feelings.

Such a relief to know that I am not alone. I too pick a great deal - Almost to the point of "danger" insofar as I love to pick my nose at almost every opportunity and take considerable risks socially. No-one (I hope) knows of my obsession, but I have nearly been caught eating my snot on numerous occasions and at work I will scrape my nail inside my gusset to collect my pussy discharge. (Mine smells bad but tastes like very nice yoghurt, by the way). I always think of the durian fruit eating experience - Has anybody else found that? As far as I know I have never suffered any illness doing this and like a previous writer, I like to leave my underwear on for several days, if practical, to let thedischarge build up. Otherwise I appear as a well adjusted and 'normal' person.

I do all those things too, as well I pick dry skin off my heels and eat it and chew the skin off my fingertips. I am a 35 year old mother of 3 who has been married for 12 years. I never pick or eat in public or in front of my husband or children. I have seen my husband Chew skin he has picked off his heels as well, so I really think more people do it than would ever admit to it. When my children were babies I would eat mucas from their noses as well. I used to suck my thumb until I was about 4 and I chewed my nails from then until I was in my early twenties. I wonder if it is some kind of oral fixation or an OCD thing? Even though I would be very embarrassed if I was ever caught doing any of these things, It isn't hurting anyone and lots of people do 'strange' things in private. Regardless I am so relieved to find out I am not alone in these compulsions!

Sadly to say this me too I eat my toenails/fingernails LIVE skin I know I am classified as a cannibal, and I do it with peoPle but secretly I even eat my hole discharge too and it smells like like an ass hole and I am sad of it but don't want to stop I am also sad too that you's too have OCOD and I like the taste I hope you all understand I am not a little child and I know what I shouldn't do And @ Rachel same same

yeah i no how u feel with the vaginal discharge, i pick it off of my underwear, but i dont eat it. and my nose, that i also do sometimes. but my fingers are so bad right now i can hardly type. they need to find a cure for this. its controlling my life.

I am so glad I found this whole post! I'm sixteen and everyone at school talks about how gross it is to pick your nose and eat it but if they only knew that I eat EVERYTHING I can get off my body. I pick scabs from anywhere, even my scalp, I pick my nose, I pop pimples, and anything I get, I eat. I've always felt so strange, awkward, and alone. And I also obsess over wanting to pop someone else's pimples! Me and my boyfriend will be in deep conversation and I'll catch my eye on a big juicy blackhead and all I wanna do is pop it! He hates it but he gives in and lets me spend hours at a time popping everything from his forehead to his neck to his chest, his back, and even his genitals! God, I feel so weird trying to even be intimate because the first thing that compluses through my head is "Pop me! Pop me! Pop me!" I'm so glad I'm not alone! Much much much love.

I'm so glad I found this. I've been doing the same thing for as long as I can remember. I will literally pick anything but like you I don't stop wounds healing. I will pick and eat my ears, scabs, vagina, spots, scalp, nose, anything. I don't get breast discharge but if I did I'd probably eat that too! I'm In my 30s, a professional and now a mum and I know this behaviour is shocking and shameful but not enough to stop. Weirdly I am breast feeding but have no desire to drink my own breast milk. I do eat mucus from my vagina which is the thing I have the most shame about. I think in the past I may have eaten my own egg but I manage to stop myself doing that these days even though I'm tempted. I hide this behaviour from my husband but he once caught me eating my eye mucus ('Sleep' as we call it in Britain) and was disgusted so I'm more careful now although he knows I pick everything. My mum picks her fingers til they bleed but I manage to leave my fingers alone. I really hope my daughter doesn't start doing this, she's only 7 months and I do do it in front of her but I need to stop. I've been known to pick at her scalp but I've stopped now as I read it can get infected. Otherwise I leave her alone although I do get a weird pleasure from cleaning out her nose and ears. Thanks to everyone for sharing and making me feel I'm not so alone with this.

Wow...I just came across a forum that was making fun of this thread. http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3486508&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1 I urge you not to read it if seeing people say REALLY awful things about dermatillomania will cause you to go into a picking frenzy. I can't believe the people in that thread think it's funny to make fun of people with a serious mental condition. Karma is going to get them in one way or another. I'm at a loss for words right now.

Wow, you guys have some crazy mental problems. It's so crazy I had to go out of my way and register just to say something. Never in my life of surfing the internet have people's words made me gag. Some of you guys are fucking disgusting. Please, I urge the people that pick and EAT their putrid discharge to go see a doctor. Wow, I just can't get over how disgusting this is. Eating your own pussy blood? And other dried vaginal discharge? What the hell. This is a joke, right? Sadly I know it isn't.

Ladies and Gents!!! I'm soooo glad I found you guys!! I have had this habit for a long time I'm 28 now but I can't remember a time I wasn't picking something and eating it!! I slowly found out that everyone else wasn't doing it.. So I had to sneak and do it.. My BF caught me with a scab in my teeth nibbling away.. He said what's that! I said huh nothing! I think he has caught me more than that and just hasn't said anything.. I'm always in my nose!! Oh well I'm not going to stop. It's my boogers scabs mucus vaginal fluid and whatever else I pick and eat!! And like it.. Thanks everyone for sharing!! We need to have a club or group!! But I live in Hawaii who else is here..? Im excited I found y'all!! Love picklick.

I think this is very gross but if it is a habit I say you should not eat the stuff in your underwear and on your nipples just wipe it off with a kleenex or a baby wipe.your face just try to annoy it and your nose pick it out with a klenex and throw it away.Hope this helps! ;) Peace,love and cupcakes!

hi, this is crazy. i can't believe how many people r on here. i do the same thing. fucking EVERYTHING. its been such a problem since i was a kid. the only people that really know about it are my close family. iv honestly been in self denial for such a long time. the worst i pick and eat is my dandruff. i just cant stop scratching my head and eat what i find under my fingernails. theres something so comforting about it. however i can keep the picking of everything else under control, and wait until I'm alone so no one can see me. its only recently that I've been able to admit it to myself. I'm even too embarrassed to admit this to my therapist. i know i have a mental disorder. and I'm on medication. but it doesn't change the picking. the only reason I've really realized I'm not alone is that i just caught my boyfriend of 2 years picking off some dead skin from his foot and eating it. i was like WTF. and he froze, wide eyed. but i couldn't help laughing because i did the same thing. we both pick and eat scabs, any dead skin and boogers. but he does tend to chew on his fingers a lot too. however I'm better at hiding it than he is. so i wanted to look this up cuz i was wondering wtf is wrong with us?? im 19 right now. i have really pretty hair. I'm really worried that i will go bald with how much i pick at my scalp. I've been able to stop before, but never longer than a month. because when i run my fingers through my hair i can't help but just notice something. & once i start i can't stop.

Hello everyone? This is my first time on here. I eat boogers, I use to eat snot. I like to eat the clot that comes when your nose bleeds. I to eat scabs fingernails and toenails the skin around them. That's disgusting. Eating vaginal discharge is super disgusting, at least from like a health perspective. I don't mean to judge, I'm just saying.

Thank you all for posting, I'm sitting here crying because I always thought I was alone. Recently at the dermatologist I the doctor quickly said, "Well you obviously have OCD" and just left it at that. I have always felt embarrassed and alone, Recently the picking has gotten so bad that I have scars down my leg. I pick my nose and eat it, I eat my scabs, my nails are chewed down to nothing and I make my toenails bleed I bite them and peel them so low. I got here by accident after clicking a recipe on pintrest and I think now that I have information I'll have more confidence in stopping. I'm a teacher so my students always see my hands which makes me so nervous on interviews, and I've been taking acne medication again to help stop breakouts because I pick my face less when it's not broken out, but that makes me go for scabs instead. I'm just so happy that I'm not alone.

Hello! Ok #1..... To the rude and inconsiderate ones, IF WE DISGUST YOU, STOP READING AND MOVE ALONG! No need to judge and be hateful! We have to live with that enough in the real world already. #2..... So glad I'm not alone! I also have trichotillomania as well as dermotillomania. I'm 234 days pull free though so yay! I too eat my pimples and boogers. My mom has caught me occasionally and it's embarrassing but I don't even realize I'm doing it sometimes. :-/ Take care everyone and try your best to ignore the haters. YOU ARE LOVED!

These postings provide me to stop eating boogers. I thought that this behaviour is normal. However it's not. Thanks everyone that I'm not alone.

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude, I understand its a desiese, ya really disgusting one for that matter, but pick what u want to pick! But that one user who said she picks at her 7month old baby! Now that's sick! U get turned on cleaning her nose and ears! That's disgusting! U need help! And ur child needs to be taken away from u!! What comes next!!!!?????

Hi, first time poster! I have been like this for as long as I can remember, started with nose picking but it is like I have an obsession with mucus now! I have tried to stop but this has never worked I'm now trying to embrace this behaviour quality. Just interested as to whether you guys think there is a reason behind us doing this? I've been asked by some friends before if it relates to something that happened in my childhood which I think could be the case...