Notice
The below is a forum entry made by one of our community members. If you want to know more about your condition, we suggest you read the following article written by a mental health professional on
Dermatillomania (skin picking disorder)
Feet picking
Hi,
I'm a 48 year old woaman from the UK. I've been picking obsessively at the soles of my feet for about 16 years now. In my younger days I had other obsessive habits: a year or so of OCD riutualistic behaviour with which involved categorising things with numbers, then obsessive blackhead removal followed by a period of constant searching for split ends. The foot picking began after a period of self loathing in my early 30s and I have been unable to stop.
The good thing is that it's largely invisible to the outside world and I manage to control it in the company of others, apart from close family. To this extent it hasn't ruined my life, job or anything but is nonetheless causing me great angst.
Until I came on this site this evening I did not know this condition had a name and identity, CSP, which is strangely comforting. I hope just being on the site will help me overcome the problem. I have to say I 'm hugely grateful to all of you for posting your experiences here because it helps a newcomer like myself to understand that we are not alone.
I have suffered terrible guilt and self disgust at my habit. I think the problem shifted to my feet because I loathe them anyway. They are big and wide and ugly with bunions. I've never been able to wear dainty strappy sandals and the foot picking is making things worse. In the summer the problem is exacerbated because my feet are in flip flops or sandals rather than safely zipped up in boots with socks all day! In winter evenings, when I'm in my slippers, and no one's around, are far worse. Sometimes I pick my feet so much (and use a chiropody blade too) they bleed and I have to clean blood off my shoes and wear plasters. I even limp for a few hours if I go too mad.
I can't help thinking that the typical OCD perfectionism is at play here. I feel that I am striving to achieve a perfect smoothness with my feet and am not satisfied with any kind of roughness. Unfortunately I know deep down the roughness is mostly caused by me and I'm making it worse. Sometimes I manage to avoid foot picking for a while, when I'm out all day and in the evenings in the company of others. It usually occurs in situations when I am bare footed and resting for long periods eg. watching TV, using my laptop, reading the paper. These are all situations where I cannot resist picking my darned feet and eating the skin!! My husband sometimes tries to stop me but it just adds to the tension I'm feeling.
I'd be particularly interested in hearing any comments from compulsive foot pickers out there. Is there a method for dealing with it, other than cutting my feet off or tying my hands behind my back...?
Question, have you always "picked " or did it start after going on antidepressants, or having life stress & anxiety increase. (both of which are part of my life) I have bitten my nails since I was about 8. I am now in my sixties.
I get manicures to help curtail it but I wind up with my fingers in my mouth anyway. Other than this horribly unattractive habit, I am Reasonably poised, good personal appearance and sense of fashion, good personal hygiene. On top of the nail biting, Several years ago , privately, I started picking the rough ragged cracked skin on my feet. (until causing bleeding) Family members who saw the bottoms of my feet were alarmed.
Today is the first time I even thought about googling it. I am astounded it is a classified disorder, and so prevalent. I tried all sorts of foot creams and abrasive tools, I finally found an easy solution to smoothe my feet, and thus avoid the urge to pick at them. It is a rechargeable cordless dremel. None of the other rotary foot sanders have enough torque, they stop rotating at the slightest pressure. The manual abrasive tools simply took way too much time. I do still have the urge to run my fingers over where the rough , cracked callouses usually a ear, but if the skin is soft and smooth, I manage to leave things alone. Yes, I am also a perfectionist/ high achiever. So It sounds like I may have OCD and ADD or the other conditions names don this forum. Anyone know of a medication, or naturopathic remedy? I have seem a variety f therapists and psychiatrists over many decades, and none f them ever inquired about these kinds of habitual behaviors. Very disappointing. Would appreciate more input.
In reply to Question, have you always by GiantsFan
I was also surprised to know this is a classified disorder. I remember exactly when I started picking my feet - in 2004, when the company I worked for was about to go bankrupt. I left this job and I've been doing well since then, but I couldn't stop picking my feet skin. I feel ashamed because it is a gross habit and in my case, I believe stress triggered my condition. Good luck.
Sorry, there are a few typos in my previous comment.
I had never really thought anyone else picked at their feet so I'm quite surprised to find this. I'm only 16 but have been doing it for years along with the habits of splitting my ends of my hair and biting my nails. I find it very satisfying peeling the skin of my heels and even sometimes keeping the odd thick rough piece. I've never really tried to stop as I've ignored the pain and hidden my heels as it was always worth the pleasure is gave me as creepy as that sounds.
i am not a freak. i am not alone. omg this thread is amazing. i thought i was the only one. i skin pick on my right arm (i think that has to do with the physical abuse i had as a kid and always having my right arm over my head/face/body to protect myself), and that is visible and easier to talk about. but my feet? my super deep secret that i never told or showed to anyone. even when i was married. it was just too shameful and how do you explain the behavior of pulling off your skin and eating it? and doing it in a fugue state, semi-dissociated? how do you explain why you are limping because inside your show your sock is bloody and you have wrapped your feet in tissue and medical tape? how do you explain it to you pedicurists? i am grateful for this thread because i now know it's not just me. i now know i'm not some bizarre monstrous freak, who should be ashamed. i didn't have kid because of this - how would i explain it? would they emulate me? i've done a lot of therapy but even this i did not fully admit to my therapist. i told her half - that i tore at myself. and that half was hard enough. but here, you all know what it's like, how soothing and involuntary it is, how it affects your desire to be seen at all, to workout, to be around other people. will they know? can they see it? in therapy i became aware of ACE and my score is 9 out of 10. the test discusses childhood conditions that cause C-PTSD, which i have. i am always trying new ways to understand myself and heal myself. i think that is the one thing we all share - this need to make something perfect out of a perfect mess, only making it worse. is the skin flat? are there any blemishes? if i just pick this one part, will it all be pink and smooth and perfect again, even if it's raw? thank you for this thread. thank you for sharing. my behavior this past year has gotten worse, and it is all stress related. right now, i can feel for the first time i'm not alone and i'm not a complete freak of nature. thank you. thank you so so much.
I was so happy to find this site. I just spent an hour writing a comment & bearing my guts out, and I didn't intend to really say much at first. It just all came spilling out the more I wrote. It was quite therapeutic and some pretty good revelations. I don't know if I hit a wrong button or what happened - but it all disappeared. Drat. I had some good stuff to share - even with myself! My problem started when I was 12. The skin picking (I can't believe I finally verbalized that!) was shortly followed by hair pulling. I have never, ever shared this information with a counselor or therapist. Or anyone for that matter. We all have a story to tell. Mine started when I was 5 and the "boy scout" neighbors across the street did something horrid to me in their back yard tent while our moms had coffee together. Mom told me to shut up (my dad was a decorated Marine!) and that I didn't know what I was talking about. Outward appearances were of utmost importance to her. So it's no mystery that I began peeling my skin and pulling my hair - yet sad that it took me so long to figure it out. I attacked myself in ways that weren't visible to the passer-by, acquaintance, or even husband at times. My sister is 3 years younger than me. We did have a good childhood - don't get me wrong. My dad was the most wonderful father and man of God that many of us have ever known. He just passed last April & I have been devastated. He adored my mom. And she knew it. And she adored him as well. But she wanted perfection in my sis and me. So of course she told me to shut up about the rape cuz how in the world would she explain to her Marine husband that his 5 year old daughter got molested/raped by boy scouts across the street while she was having coffee and making appearances? But I will tell you what, my sister thanks me to this day. Because I thanked God for giving me that little sister and I treasured her and protected her and guided her and entertained her and made sure she had the best childhood an older sister could provide. I didn't even realize at the time why I was doing it. But she still thanks me to this day. And I thank her. And thank you all for listening to my rambling. I'm a good listener too. Thank you for all the stories you've shared that I have been reading - so helpful & appreciated!