Do I have Dermatillomania?
The following set of questions is designed to help you get a better idea of whether or not you exhibit signs of excoriation (skin picking) disorder. We’ll also help you determine the severity of those signs.
Choose the most relevant response to your situation, based on the past 7 days. If you are unsure, please estimate to the best of your ability.
This questionnaire is adapted from various psychometric tests such as the Hair pulling scale (Massachusetts general hospital), the NIMH Trichotillomania Sympton Severity Scale (NIMH-TSS), and other BFRB scales such as Milwaukee Inventory for the Dimensions of Adult Skin Picking (MIDA) (Walther,Flessner, Conelea and Woods, 2009) and the Skin Picking Scale-Revised (Snorrason, Olafsson, Flessner, Keuthen, Franklin and Woods, 2012).
This questionnaire is not exhaustive and is not meant to replace a comprehensive assessment by a qualified mental health professional. Also, it is important to differentiate between Dermatillomania, which is a psychological condition, to medical conditions. Consult a doctor for medical examination if you are uncertain.
How frequently do you experience the urge to pick your skin?
How intense are the urges to pick your skin?
Do you lose control of your picking behaviour?
Do you find it effortful to resist your temptations to pick?
How many hours do you spend picking your skin every day?
Does your skin picking behaviour affect your daily functioning (for example, delay in getting out of the house, interfering with work or relationship)
Do you avoid activities (for example, participating in social events or activities that require you to expose your picked spots) because of your skin picking behaviour?
Are you distressed (for example, anxious, ashamed, guilty) by your skin picking behaviour?
How much skin damage do you currently have due to your skin picking? (Only consider the damage caused by skin picking)
Your scores indicate that your skin picking problems are mild. While your skin-picking behaviors may respond to specific situations and events, they do not seem to interfere significantly with your daily functioning at the moment. We recommend that you continue monitoring these behaviors to ensure they do not deteriorate. It may be beneficial to build greater awareness of its triggers by keeping a diary or journal of the times you pick your skin. You can also consult the following resources:
Your scores indicate that your skin picking problems are moderate. Your skin-picking behaviors may be interfering in some areas of your daily functioning. We recommend that you continue monitoring your skin-picking behaviors and seek support to manage them. This has the added benefit of ensuring that they do not deteriorate.
Your scores indicate that your skin picking problems are severe. It appears that they are interfering with your daily functioning across different contexts. Your skin-picking behaviors may be a response to specific situations and events. Medical and/or psychological attention is highly recommended to help alleviate and manage your problems.
Your scores indicate that your skin picking problems are extremely severe. It appears to be impeding your daily functioning and stopping you from engaging with activities or people around you. Medical and/or psychological attention is strongly recommended to help alleviate and manage your problems.
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