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Post by Amtram on Feb 6, 2014 11:35:38 GMT -5
They're now covered under the umbrella diagnosis of "excoriation disorder" in the DSM-5, as a sub-category of OCD. I found a fact sheet that explains it pretty well, and The Child Mind Institute site has a good entry on it as well. (It addresses skin picking specifically, but all these things seem to have the same basic cause. . .) I'm hoping that sertraline will help me stop with mine. It's embarrassing to still be doing it as an adult.
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dotty
New Member
amiably eccentric
Posts: 40
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Post by dotty on Feb 12, 2014 21:18:16 GMT -5
I pick at any scabs I may have, but the only skin I pick/chew is hangnails. And the only hair is pull is all the lovely chin hairs that have been sprouting for the last few years. Don't suppose any of that counts.
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Post by Amtram on Feb 13, 2014 10:08:18 GMT -5
It kind of does if it fits the criteria. It's related to OCD, not to self harm, but there's sometimes an element of body dysmorphia behind it.
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Post by tigger on Feb 13, 2014 13:46:54 GMT -5
*sigh*
Picking used to be considered a symptom for both Autism and ADHD. Now it's separate?
My pdoc recently opined that OCD might just be a coping strategy for ADHDers, much like anxiety being both a coping strategy and an outcome.
Once upon a time- before DSM5- the picking, flapping, walking in circles, hair pulling/twisting, etc were all considered to be self stimming behaviors. I'll have to read the citations.
Dotty, I'm right there with you on the whole chin hair thing. I've been yanking them out for the past 20 odd years and no end in sight.
Edit to add: Fay, if it helps, I do it too. The only thing I've found that helps is a good skin cream. I like Emu oil. I find that if my skin is dry, the picking accelerates.
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Post by Amtram on Feb 13, 2014 14:56:35 GMT -5
Cordran tape helps, but it's prescription and expensive. Keeping busy does, too, but I haven't been terribly adept at that lately.
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