Eating disorders & picking

Me too. I'm a 20-year-old female. I used to pluck out hairs in elementary school, but the reaction by my mother got me to stop. I have picked my skin, with better and worse phases, since my early teens. I began having anorexic impulses and later behaviour at around 15, and most of the picking went away. I even had a period when the picking was minimal and I ate normally. Now the eating disorder is back, and so is picking, worse than ever. Never before have I systemically picked my face: it used to be easier to hide. I also went through about six months of cutting, but have been clean for over a year now. I would think that for me these are all manifestations of feeling imperfect and trying to "fix" things, by starving and picking on skin imperfections. To try to be pretty. Ironically, if this keeps up, I'll become a skeleton with scarred skin. Also, first post, registered just to reply to this. :)

Hey lita, thanks for signing up and responding to my post! I seriously thought there would be more people like us. (By the way, I had to create a new acct because I forgot my password and even which of my many email addys I used. I'm such a derp.... and so preoccupied with picking lately.) Do you mind me asking what meds you are on? Especially if it helps either of our bad behaviors, I'd really be interested! xo

Hi Im 35 and have suffered an eating disorder since I was 13 and have been a compulsive picker for the same amount of time .I have post traumatic stress and anxiety and have been taking antidepressants for 2 years now (lovan). The lovan has helped my annorexia but im also a fussy eater and have a fear of food and eat the same things over and over .I have always been ashamed of my picking and have hidden it from everyone ,until I seen this site today I never knew it was a disorder .Im so happy to have discovered there is a name to what I do and to find so many people in the same boat as me.