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Using nail clippers
I cannot stop using nail clippers!
And it's not to clip my nails either, I clip away all the skin on the sides of my fingers.
Sometimes I'll stop at 1 layer but most of the time after a picking episode I'm left with bright red raw fingers even though it's very painful I can't stop.
And when I do stop I move onto the bottom/heal of my feet.
I find it really embarrassing especially now that my boyfriends started to notice my little problem and tells me stop or makes me wear socks he's even had to hold my feet still at times just so I don't grab at them! :(
How can I stop?
November 25, 2013
I'm afraid I can offer no advice to you. I've been doing this same thing since I was around 5 years old. I'm 63 now and am still using my nail clippers. I've never been able to stop. Nutrogena hand cream is about the only hand cream that will help soften my hands. They are so rough that they snag everything they touch and I'm really embarrassed to shake hands with anyone.
It was only a few months ago that I even found out that I was not the only person in the world that did this, so at least you know you are not alone. From what I gather it is a distant relative of OCD and may be associated with ADHD at times.
When I was younger it was only the tips and sides of my fingers but over the years it progressed to the palms of my hands and between my thumbs and forefingers always in search of that one little piece of skin that just didn't seem to belong there.
I've been on many meds, all kinds of prescription creams, and lots of therapy, but I've never been able to stop this or to even control it. Wish I had better news for you.