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golfergirl , 22 Sep 2009

I hate this!

Hi my name is Katie and I have dermatillomania. Its weird, but I am only 13 and need help to stop. I peel my skin alot on my thumbs and sometimes on my other fingers. I usually use my fingers to peel my skin and sometimes my teeth. I have a very strict mother and I got into alot of trouble when she found out and that I kept on doing it. I know its wrong, but I can't seem to stop. I am always afraid to show my hands like other people and can't do normal things in front of other people because they'll ask what happened. I also play very competitive golf and it requires good hands. Please give my ideas to help stop me peeling my fingers without going to a counselor. Thanks
5 Answers
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tonysbricksmoocher14
September 22, 2009
Don't feel bad. I know that's cliche and easy to say. I pick at my fingers too. I keep my fingernails clipped as short as possible to prevent picking. I use lavender oil on my cuticles to keep me from picking them as well. I also put band-aides on my fingers too, this will make picking very difficult, at least for me. With regards to the embarrassment, yeah it stinks. I lie every once in a while about how my fingers get to be infected and scabbed over. My family knows I do it and they know the truth. But strangers who ask why my fingers look the way they do ask and I always tell them I had an accident or I burned myself and it normally doesn't go any further than that. I've never been to a counselor, but I'm not healed either. And my family knows I do it, but they know it's something that I deal with and don't really ask questions. They don't see it as worse than any other habit like smoking or whatever. So don't feel bad. It's something that all of us in this forum deal with in one aspect or another and many of us are hear to listen and offer advice :)
tonysbricksmoocher14
September 24, 2009
Not really. I started two new areas on my index and ring finger on my right hand this week. I've been stressed out a lot in the last week or so. Actually, it started when I was waiting to get an oil change on Saturday a.m. and got bored, so I started on my right hand and now it's infected. I put bandaids on them today so I've since stopped. That seems to be the only thing that keeps me from picking. Lotions, oils, none of it totally stops the picking other than bandaides. How about you?
golfergirl
September 24, 2009
Well, I've done this for some time now, and when I started, I peeled the whole back of my thumb until my first crease, but now it sort of subsided to just the top and around my fingernail. But my ultimate goal is to keep reducing the area of which I pick until I stop. Yeah, I also tried band aides, but my mom told me that it won't help because it only prevents me from picking, but won't stop the whole habit. Do you wear bandaides most of the time?
tonysbricksmoocher14
September 25, 2009
I wear them all the time when my fingers are infected. I have four fingers that are infected right now actually, one brand new today. I don't get them on my thumbs too much though oddly enough. I usually get them on my index, ring, and middle fingers. I think I pick my pinky the least of them. My mom doesn't really get involved. She knows I have a problem with it, but knows it and it's something that I deal with just like anything else. I'm sure your mom has a bad habit that she wishes she could kick - we all do. When you get bites, cuts or scrapes, do you pick at those too? I do. Do you pick at your arms too? I do all of these things. I think I do it out of boredom most of the time, but I know it's from something bigger than that, I just don't know what yet and I'm scared to go to any type of doctor or anything of the sort, y'know? You can email me if you'd like and we can chat or whatever anytime. You're the first person I've actually carried on a conversation with since I've been here :) So here it is: tonysbricksmoocher20@hotmail.com Have a good weekend!

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