Is their anyone like me that pick at sore scabs excessively when stress?

Question

I am a naturally worry wort person. My personality is high anxiety, always thinking about stuff, analyzing wondering, questioning things. For the past year I have been unemployed, an I am taking medicines for generalized depression and anxiety. I always remembered as a child and throughout my life picking things. It was biting finger nails, picking skin off my fingers, picking eye lashes out, had a really bad sore scab in junior high on my wrist that had to be treated, after that healed there was a scab on my knee that I excessively picked the dickens out of. Picking dead skin of my feet, that develops a thicker epidermal layer (hardening , tougher layer) that makes me pick want to pick more.
Help somebody , now I have 5 huge sores on my back that are infected, I will leave them alone. But it feels so good to pick them a stinging little pain but feels good sensation, even though it hurts.
Is this a disorder!!! What is wrong with me. I take Lexapro 10mg and Visteril 25 mg.

Answer 1

I had this problem a lot several years ago when I was having a lot of anxiety/depression issues, so I know how you feel. The picking is almost like an addiction sometimes.

There is not a DSM-IV disorder for this. However, there is a disorder called trichotrillimania, which is kind of a compulsive disorder where the person pulls their hair out (usually on their head and sometimes eyebrows and eyelashes).

Talk to your doctor about this problem and ask if there might be another med that could help address it. Counseling, in particular behavioral therapy, has been shown to be quite effective for anxiety/compulsive issues, especially when combined with medication.

I had to find other things to do with my hands in order to stop the picking. I actually got fake nails for about 3 months because the sensation of picking wasn't satisfying for me when I wasn't able to use my natural nails.

Good luck.

Answer 2

if you are constantly scratching at yourself, even subconsciously, I'm no MD or shrink but I think you do have an anxiety problem. You also may have OCD, my sister has that. It makes you compulsively harm yourself (some people even cut) to deal with emotional pain. You get a "fix" when you do it, then you need that again so you find something else to scratch. When you next see your therapist for treatment for your anxiety, tell them about this. I have a coworker who bites his thumbnails down to the quick. He will do it in front of everyone and really go at them! It is all a part of the anxiety, I think. Tell your doc, and remember many people deal with issues like this. You are not alone.

Answer 3

I've heard of this disorder, i can't remember what it was called, it had a very long name but if you try to google your symptoms there are a few websites that address the constant picking and scratching.