I have a question about self=mutilators......?

Question

I am on very friendly terms with my neighbor. Allow me to give some backround. She lives on disability. She's 45. Lives alone, but goes out somewhat frequently at night. She tells me she has 2 aneurisms (spelling?) in her head that have not popped. From this she takes medication, some of which is narcotic. This is what she does, she picks at her face in the mirror. With her fingernails. Occassionally I would see little nicks here and there and she told me she'll sit and pick at her face when she's stressed. I went over to give her some red beans & rice I made and I was shocked. She looked like someone put a dozen cigarettes out on her face. When I asked her about it, she told me she went to picking at her face again. Now I'm worried.
Can anyone tell me any rudimentary psychological reason people do this. I NEED to tell her she needs help. But I want to approach it from the right perspective. Any info would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Why people self-multilate: they are hurting. when they cut themselves (or w/e) it dissociates them from the pain they're feeling in their life. It's like a distraction. Some people do it because they feel emotionally numb and they want to feel something. It also causes a release of seratonin (hormone that makes you feel good).

Call a therapist and tell her about your neighbor and give the therapist her information.

It's the best thing you can do for her. She won't thank you immediately, but in time she will be grateful.

Answer 2

It's called Dermatillamania... it's where you compulsively pick at your skin. It's in the impulse disorder family which makes it harder to control. It's usually triggered by stress and for that reason, a lot of psychiatrists seem to prescribe anti-anxiety pills for it. I know someone who has trichotillamania (it's in the same family but you pull out hair) .. in periods of stress she'll get bald spots on her eyebrows and eyelids from pulling out the hair but when things in her life are calm it's relatively fine. It's difficult to get these things to stop.. it's similar to nail biting where sometimes you don't even realize you're doing it.

In short, it's an impulse disorder, primarily triggered by stress and a psychiatrist would likely order either anti anxiety medication or anti depressants to help. Be gentle with her when you tell her, she's obviously dealing with stress in an unhealthy way and you want your conversation to come across as concerned for her well being and not accusing. :)

Answer 3

you're gonna have to tell it to her face. straight up and down, no beating around the bush, eye to eye. and she's not gonna want to hear it either but its the only thing you can do. if she wants to get better then she's the one that is going to have to admit that she is having difficulties. and when/if she does come around you gotta be there for her no matter what. one reason is because its the only way they know to deal with the hurting.. does she have a low self esteem? also pain releases endorphins which is the bodies natural happy drug... tell her if she does it again or wants to or thinks about it of after she does it that you want her to let you know... it's a really world of help those words. and it's something she can't keep going this way cos i know it's a horrible way to feel.