Nose picking

I just discovered this forum, and am so thankful to see other people facing the same issues!

I have always been a skin picker (I'm 32). I started some time as a child, I can't even remember when. This is the first time I've ever divulged my picking habits.

I've always picked at the skin around my fingernails. My husband hates it. He knows it's uncontrollable for me, but he'll hold my hand to help me stop. haha. Bu as you know the urge is SO strong. I also have picked my lips my whole life, which is annoying as well. In the last probably 6 years or so I've also started to pick my nose. It's bad. I hate feeling a piece of a scab- it just needs to be pulled out and removed! Even if it takes 30 minutes, it is so satisfying to finally have a "cleaned out" nose, free of scabs and hanging skin, or dried blood. That is, until the piece I just removed scabs over and it all begins again. I go through Kleenex boxes at work quite frequently, because I have so many nosebleeds from my picking. (No, I don't pick in front of anyone, but only because I've never been caught!) It has gotten to the point where it has interrupted my sleeping. I will wake up some time in the night, maybe 2am, and start picking. I'm honestly not really even conscious at that moment. I don't feel like it's really a choice I'm making coherently. It just happens. And then suddenly I "snap" out of it and I start thinking, "Stop this! I want to sleep!" By this time of course my fingers are all bloody.

I just had sinus surgery a month ago, and my doctor can't figure out why this scab in my nose isn't healing. Well, it's because I'm picking at it constantly! I can't stop. I haven't told him. I know he would think I was a lunatic. But I'm sick of picking. I want to stop. I read something on here about nose picking possibly affecting the brain? Ok that is scary. :-/