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The below is a forum entry made by one of our community members. If you want to know more about your condition, we suggest you read the following article written by a mental health professional on
Compulsive Nose Picking (Rhinotillexomania)

Rachel , 11 Jan 2010

Mucus eating

I have been a very mild picker for as long as I can remember. I think its herediterary for the most part. My mother is a very strong picker and I have grown up watching her pick everything. Anyway, I have never really found my picking to interfere with my normal life. I pick scabs, acne, cuticles, and my nose, but never to the point of scarring or keeping a wound from healing. I do eat everything I pick though. I will also eat the occasional bit of ear wax or discharge from my nipples (normal waxy stuff, nothing abnormal) Im new to the forums, but Im wondering if anyone else is like me. The weirdest thing I do is I wear my underwear for a couple of days, build up a layer of normal vaginal discharge and then I pick that off my underwear and eat it after it dries. It tastes like boogers and is the same texture. I know this must not be sanitary and I have tried to stop, but if its there, Ill eat it. I just wonder if the eating of everything is related to a dietary issue. I do have a great deal of shame associated with this behavior and have never spoken of it to anyone.
94 Answers
serene
March 14, 2018

Dang...now that last post though.... Learning something new each day!

mac_savvy
May 01, 2018

I am so incredibly relieved to have found this site. As I sat here reading comments I took a huge sigh of relief knowing this habit I've hidden from the world for who knows how long is something not only I do.
I am a huge picker, I pop, squeeze, drain, mutilate my face. I have deep cystic acne and will attack my face. Be they deep cysts, white heads, black heads, pimples, ingrown hairs, any bump blemish scab or sore gets attacked. Dried scabs or flakey skin get chewed on, anything under my nails gets scrapped across my teeth and cosumed. My fingers are always busy picking, squeezing, etc...... I have acrylic nails but still bite the edges and my cuticles and eat them. With my cuticles or ingrown nails I'll attack them until an infection or sore under the skin grows, then the next day I'll mess with it trying to squeeze out puss or that clear fluid. It becomes very painful but squeezing it and that pressure is one of those "good hurts" like when you get a massage and they hit a deep knot in your back. Its painful but weirdly satisfying and pleasureable.
I've never told anyone about eating my boogers, mucus from my nose but I dig at it like crazy. I'll wipe my nose across the back of my hand amd will lick off the stringy, sticky mucous left. With boogers like many seem to agree, the crunchier the better.
I'll take the back side of tweezers and scrape out my ear canal and outter ear to get wax, dried skin, dirt etc... out. I dont eat the ear stuff because its bitter but I wipe it on my pants which leaves an icky mess.
My picking of my face is so bad that I'll start and will lose an hour of time up in the mirror picking any and all bumps and blemishes. I love finding a bump on my scalp and will pick making it bigger and worse than ever. I wont let it heal because I'm too busy picking it constantly through the day. Ive gad giant sores covering a good section of my scalp which because I'm platinum blonde is very visible to others. I make up stories saying I have no idea where it came from but know damn well its my doing. Its getting concerning that I will create mountains out of mol hills in regards to my sores, pimples, etc..... I started lactating due to hormone treatment for endometriosis amdnie squeeze my nipples like crazy to get thr milk out. Anything I can squeeze and get something out of gets attacked evem after becoming painful. Im so relieved to finally say that I eat my skin, boogers and that I have major serious picking issues. I'm thankful to not be alone. Oh and I will pick and pop on my signifiganf other as well. If I feel a bump of any kind even with them protesting.... the picking happens

mac_savvy
May 01, 2018

I am so incredibly relieved to have found this site. As I sat here reading comments I took a huge sigh of relief knowing this habit I've hidden from the world for who knows how long is something not only I do.
I am a huge picker, I pop, squeeze, drain, mutilate my face. I have deep cystic acne and will attack my face. Be they deep cysts, white heads, black heads, pimples, ingrown hairs, any bump blemish scab or sore gets attacked. Dried scabs or flakey skin get chewed on, anything under my nails gets scrapped across my teeth and cosumed. My fingers are always busy picking, squeezing, etc...... I have acrylic nails but still bite the edges and my cuticles and eat them. With my cuticles or ingrown nails I'll attack them until an infection or sore under the skin grows, then the next day I'll mess with it trying to squeeze out puss or that clear fluid. It becomes very painful but squeezing it and that pressure is one of those "good hurts" like when you get a massage and they hit a deep knot in your back. Its painful but weirdly satisfying and pleasureable.
I've never told anyone about eating my boogers, mucus from my nose but I dig at it like crazy. I'll wipe my nose across the back of my hand amd will lick off the stringy, sticky mucous left. With boogers like many seem to agree, the crunchier the better.
I'll take the back side of tweezers and scrape out my ear canal and outter ear to get wax, dried skin, dirt etc... out. I dont eat the ear stuff because its bitter but I wipe it on my pants which leaves an icky mess.
My picking of my face is so bad that I'll start and will lose an hour of time up in the mirror picking any and all bumps and blemishes. I love finding a bump on my scalp and will pick making it bigger and worse than ever. I wont let it heal because I'm too busy picking it constantly through the day. Ive gad giant sores covering a good section of my scalp which because I'm platinum blonde is very visible to others. I make up stories saying I have no idea where it came from but know damn well its my doing. Its getting concerning that I will create mountains out of mol hills in regards to my sores, pimples, etc..... I started lactating due to hormone treatment for endometriosis amdnie squeeze my nipples like crazy to get thr milk out. Anything I can squeeze and get something out of gets attacked evem after becoming painful. Im so relieved to finally say that I eat my skin, boogers and that I have major serious picking issues. I'm thankful to not be alone. Oh and I will pick and pop on my signifiganf other as well. If I feel a bump of any kind even with them protesting.... the picking happens

GanjaMom78
November 15, 2018

Shockedaboutthis First of all I love You! But What you said was ABSOLUTELY NOT NICE! How could you say a child should be taken away from her mother?!?! It’s judgementle people like you that make this world SO UGLY!!! All the mother is doing is groom her child as a cat or dog would do for their new born litter! It’s NATURAL! And I believe this is how we were in the beginning of time when all were happy and one! When we were all at peace and living life as it was meant to be!!!!! People like you cause harm on families and more distress! God Help you and I love you again!!!!

GanjaMom78
November 15, 2018

Maybe all this eating of our bodily parts was meant to be?? Maybe we are supposed to do it?? Maybe society brain washed us to think it’s wrong?? So this way we will all be sick and take pharmaceuticals?? I’ve read in many studies that mucus eating in particular has antibodies and defends us from illnesses, like a vaccine.. maybe we aren’t supposed to be forced to take vaccines and do as our impulses or feelings causes us to do,, to pick and eat, for there must be a reason. I’ve always believed to my own private self and before reading the benefits of mucus eating that it is the reason why I rarely ever catch colds and get sick like many others do.. I have 4 kids, ages ranging from 14 years old to 2 years old, and I have only gotten sick twice from them. Most the time I’m the only one who doesn’t catch the virus.. although I have never told them my secret for society makes it seem disgusting and my children will think I am disgusting too.. but I have read them the article before but never admitted I did the booger eating myself.. I love picking and eating my scabs, pimples, skin and alllllll, and like one person said, it’s like catching a prey and feeling rewarded.. I do all these things in private. On the outside I am over all a good functioning intelligent mindful and highly aware person. I do want to add that I am an Empath, I am a highly sensitive person and want happiness for ALL. Been thru traumatic childhood. Had a narcissistic father and a schizophrenic mother. But I’ve grown and learned. I appreciate what I have and I’m humble... I don’t eat vaginal discharge though, but now I’m thinking about it lol idk if I’ll ever stop. I’m 40 years old and thought I would be over this thing since I was 20! But nope, still on it and going even more stronger now than ever! Honest, if a natural disaster were to strike and there’s no food and we are stuck somewhere, we would survive a good amount of time with our own bodies and ingesting what we can till we can get free.. I’ve even told my kids that if need be that they must do that. Heck! I believe there’s a higher purpose for why we do this but I don’t know for certain. I love you guys and I love ALL! Good Luck with the healing but honestly, I think it’s ok especially the mucus eating because it is healthy for you! Xoxo

picklerick
December 07, 2018

I pop my pimples or any bump and eat the muck that I get from doing so. I also have an obsession with finding ingrown hairs and popping them. Once the longer hair pops out it’s like a high. And then I eat that stuff too. It’s a compulsion. At least we aren’t harming others.

amcadoo
December 09, 2018

I would like to say how can you get upset for someone's opinion of your behavior when you're posting it. If you don't like the persons comment of your behavior then don't post everyone has a right to their opinion as it is your right to eat boogers and mucus and such.

Sakki Yoon
June 25, 2019

Many have said they prefer booger’s that are hard. Simply store the snot in a safe place and it will dry up and harden. You can enjoy it later as a special treat. Scratch the dandruff from your scalp, collect what is under your nails & store in a covered container. After a few weeks or however long you prefer, you can enjoy a larger amount at one time. Bon Appetite.

sadie0520
November 20, 2020

It is so comforting to know that I’m not the only one struggling with such things. I’m a 15 year old girl and only recently have I realized the extent of my habits. I never really thought all too much about it before. But now I’ve considered it more and I feel ashamed. I pick and eat my boogers, scabs, puss, nails, cuticles, dandruff, and discharge. It’s like I don’t even realize I’m doing it most of the time. Its impulsive and I just can’t stop myself. In addition to eating thing my own body produces, I also tend to snack on paper, plastic, fabric, graphite, chapstick, and other inedible items. I guess I might have pica. Thankfully it hasn’t been so bad to the extent that I have internal damage. I don’t eat anything sharp or large unlike the woman in the movie “Swallow”. I couldn’t imagine eating a battery. That movie kind of made my eating habits feel invalid. But I also know that if I were to admit my habits to someone else, their reaction would surely make me feel alienated. So I guess my habits are valid in some cases. Anyway, glad I’m not the only one.

Deadgirl_Dolly666
December 05, 2020

Yeah I get it.....I do all of these things......and I even pick at my scalp, peel out dandruff, and eat that too :(
My boyfriend doesn’t know about this.......nobody does, I don’t want anyone thinking I’m weird.
Finally, someone else who does the same things. I just.....I feel so weird and I felt so alone
When I first started researching reasons behind eating my scabs and blackheads I found out about this and thought, what if this is uncommon? Can I tell anyone? Would they think it’s weird?.....so I haven’t told anyone except y’all
My nail biting is to the point where my nails are past my nail beds.......my face has these spots that look like rashes.....
It just, it feels so nice to know that this is more common than I thought it was and that other people go through the same thing ;w;

Aelrbubble
March 12, 2021

I have many of the same issues. Is this due to something that happened in my childhood?

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