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Harlequinqueen1 , 17 Aug 2010

Does anyone who skin picks, suffer from anxiety?

Hi. I don't know if any of u suffer from an anxiety disorder and OCD? I do and I think that it's part of both disorders that I have. You know the obsessions about picking and the feelings u have before u pick. Can u tell me why u pick?
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Evaline
August 18, 2010
I pick due to a high level of anxiety. It seems to give me some relief. I do it mostly at night when I'm on my laptop and watching TV. I can't just sit without engaging in this behaviour. Don't know why, but I have a compulsion to do it.
Rachel04
August 19, 2010
All constant skin pickers have anxiety.... all people in general have anxiety, actually. Skin picking is a way to calm yourself from anxiety, not knowing that it will only make things worse. Skin picking is a form of OCD in itself. Ive been picking since i was 8. I'm 19, and i know now why i pick, therefore it's easier for me to catch myself.
Buffyfan
August 25, 2010
I have OCD and constantly pick my scalp until it bleeds and scabs over. Then I pick the scabs until they bleed and scab over. It's a vicious cycle
hakunamatasha
August 27, 2010
most people with any OCD or picking disorder do so because of stress and/or anxiety. Its each persons way of coping with this and in a way, a relaxation technique. The tricky thing is that in the end, its only worsens the problem and makes the person feel worse. I pick because of stress and anxiety so it helps to research different methods and techniques to better calm yourself down and relax when youre stressed. Like deep breathing, writing in a journal, or exercise. You just have to figure out what works for you.
Popcorn47
August 28, 2010
I have anxiety and this is how I react to it. But admittedly, I also do it when I'm angry, at myself or my husband,....as if picking my face, shoulders and breats will "really show them" how mad I am,,,ahHA so there, take THAT you people I'm mad at, I'll show you. Problem is, what am I proving, who am I hurting? Not those that I feel caused me pain. I justify it in my head that I'm picking because so n' so pissed me off or I'm angry as hell,...and yep it's my stress steam release mechanism. Totally for the wrong reasons. I do it other times do, like when I'm sad and have been crying. And also some of the meds I take I believe trigger the start of it. This sounds nuts but I swear I can feel my hair grow (those stray 2 or 3 hairs on the corners of upper lips, that itch and start me up. I swear I feel the skin swelling encroaching on the pores making them plugged and blocked and more visible....so I can't help but wonder if one of my meds I take contributes to this. It sounds weird to say I can feel my hair grow (only there, and the few on my chin)..probaby 9 hairs all together, but I feel them without touvching them I know they're there. I'm thinking of taking up crocheting again because I can't help but think that keeping my fingers busy will be crucial.

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