Could I have OCD?

Question

I have always had a really bad habit since i was a child of chewing the skin around my nails off. Gross, I know. Ive tried my whole life (im 23) to stop and if I dont do I get really anxious inside, almost to the point of panic attack.
I have chewed all the skin off from around most of my fnigers, all the way down to the first knuckle. I let it heal, and do it again.

Someone told me this is OCD. Is that a posibility? If not, why else am I so driven to do this? Its like a calming behaviour for me, like a baby sucking a thumb.

Erick, its not a habit. Its like a subconcious NEED to do it. I feel that if i dont do it, I will really not be ok.

Dont talk about something if you have no idea what its like.

Answer 1

it probably is a form of ocd but you need to stop this..could you find something less mutilating to chew on?like gum..toffee beef jerky

Answer 2

I'm not an expert by any means, but I would think you would need to have other traits in order for this to be OCD. Do you have any other problems where you need to repeat certain actions, or have things a certain way or else you will panic in a similar fashion? If so I would say yes.

Answer 3

You need to see a psychiatrist to get evaluated, but here is what OCD is all about:

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have persistent, upsetting thoughts (obsessions) and use rituals (compulsions) to control the anxiety these thoughts produce. Most of the time, the rituals end up controlling them.

For example, if people are obsessed with germs or dirt, they may develop a compulsion to wash their hands over and over again. If they develop an obsession with intruders, they may lock and relock their doors many times before going to bed. Being afraid of social embarrassment may prompt people with OCD to comb their hair compulsively in front of a mirror-sometimes they get "caught" in the mirror and can't move away from it. Performing such rituals is not pleasurable. At best, it produces temporary relief from the anxiety created by obsessive thoughts.

Other common rituals are a need to repeatedly check things, touch things (especially in a particular sequence), or count things. Some common obsessions include having frequent thoughts of violence and harming loved ones, persistently thinking about performing sexual acts the person dislikes, or having thoughts that are prohibited by religious beliefs. People with OCD may also be preoccupied with order and symmetry, have difficulty throwing things out (so they accumulate), or hoard unneeded items.

Healthy people also have rituals, such as checking to see if the stove is off several times before leaving the house. The difference is that people with OCD perform their rituals even though doing so interferes with daily life and they find the repetition distressing. Although most adults with OCD recognize that what they are doing is senseless, some adults and most children may not realize that their behavior is out of the ordinary.

The course of the disease is quite varied. Symptoms may come and go, ease over time, or get worse. If OCD becomes severe, it can keep a person from working or carrying out normal responsibilities at home. People with OCD may try to help themselves by avoiding situations that trigger their obsessions, or they may use alcohol or drugs to calm themselves.

OCD usually responds well to treatment with certain medications and/or exposure-based psychotherapy, in which people face situations that cause fear or anxiety and become less sensitive (desensitized) to them. NIMH is supporting research into new treatment approaches for people whose OCD does not respond well to the usual therapies. These approaches include combination and augmentation (add-on) treatments, as well as modern techniques such as deep brain stimulation.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm#anx3

Answer 4

Yes, this is OCD. Luckily, it is treatable, with anti-anxiety medications and a course of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Answer 5

This sounds kind of like self-mutilation. Maybe you should start with your family doctor and see what he recommends or he could make a referral for you to an appropriate person.

Answer 6

OCD has nothing to do with bad habbits.