@@draculena I’ve never thought of it as a disease but you’re totally right. It is. I’m struggling with skin picking and it keeps getting worse day in and day out. Any good tips would be appreciated
It is very hard for me to watch this video because... I don't want to do it, I feel bad/gross after but at the same time I don't want to confront my problem.. but I do. Comments like this help!
When you said, "Let's take away shame and guilt from this. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't." I teared up... the most reassuring words I could ever ask for when everyone around me has always told me to stop doing it ( one time I even went to a dermatologist for my scars resulting from BFRB and she said I should just tie my hands up. Oh the humiliation...)
Oh no. I wish it were that easy to just stop! Thanks for sharing your experiences. Taking away the shame and guilt is such an important step in the process. 😃
That is terrible but man I remember a time when I specifically asked my mom to tie my hands behind my back when I was younger just so that I wouldn't pick
I'm sorry you had that experience and your dermatologist mistreated you like that :( Sometimes healthcare professionals can be insensitive. I've experienced it too I don't know what is it, do they become desensitised after a while after looking at a lot of similar cases?
…skin picking, scalp picking, nose picking and ear picking. I feel so embarrassed to admit it, but it’s there and I gotta stop ignoring it. This video is everything.
I’m a 16 year old girl and I’ve been obsessively picking at skin imperfections for almost 5 years. This is no exaggeration, but in the entirety of that time frame, I have not gone a single day without picking. It ranges from a mild pick on maybe my arms or back on good days to full blown hour/s long sessions that leave my face, chest, arms, back and even legs a bleeding, red, inflamed mess. I’ve gone to the point where my arms have been shaking from the amount of wounds on my shoulders and yet there still seems to be this burning, unbearable nervous energy balled up inside me that causes me to keep rummaging around trying to find unbroken skin to pick. I speculate that I may also have bipolar 2 and that this may be a external manifestation of trying to suppress my fluctuations of mood, and also the result of my heightened energy during a ‘high’ (sometimes hypomanic, if my suspicions are correct) state as well as the self loathing I feel during a low. It is reaching an unbearable threshold but my parents are not too welcoming on the topic of mental health and are rather old school in their beliefs that the observable products of my illness are caused by laziness and device addiction. I don’t know how to help myself. I want to get on some sort of medication so bad, I feel as though I’ll go mad if I let this continue, but I just don’t know how. I don’t think my job makes enough money for me to be able to afford the medication and therapy appointments that I think I require. Any tips? I’m desperate!!!!!
So glad I found this! I struggle with a lot of different nervous tics (or BFRBs as I just found out they are called. haha) And I mean A LOT!!! I bite my nails, pop my knuckles, pick at my scalp, pick my nose, rub my eyes, and more. The most recent one I developed is the compulsive behavior of sucking air through my teeth for seemingly no reason. Up until now I've just kind of dismissed all of them and tried to ignore them, but it's gotten to the point that I can't control it and it's literally interrupting my ability to speak in full sentences without stopping in the middle to do the behavior. Not to mention it's driving my wife absolutely crazy. Anyway, I definitely have a long ways to go still and am hoping to find a therapist or someone that can help locally, but these videos and this understanding of what the underlying problems are is definitely a step in the right direction. Any advice of what kind of therapist or doctor to look for when it comes to getting help with this? Thank you again!!
I'm 23 and have always had various BFRBs. I've wanted to quit for years but have never known where to start, everyone's advice is "just stop it!" and that of course does less than nothing. Now my teeth are worn from nail biting and I have stripes of scar tissue in my cheeks from chewing, I NEED to quit. This is the first helpful information I've ever received, the first thing that actually offers a direction to go and feels like it could change the behavior. I can't express how grateful I am for your video, thank you so much. I'm going to go watch the others you have on BFRBs and look for the next step :)
Thank you for this video!! I've been scalp picking for 15 years and my hair has gotten so thin over the years and the longest I've gone without picking was 7 days and I relapsed frequently...I'm going to try out the SCAMP sheet and try my best to be more aware of my picking habits. I'm hoping to grow my hair back out and put an end to this vicious disorder 🥺
I'm coming back to this video to thank you! last year my hair picking went badly I had so much anxiety and my skin was so bad! I've tried everything but your advice helped me a lot! I used to pick up my belly baby hairs, now it's way better..... I hope I can continue to do so! You are an Angel! xoxo
This resonates with me and Part 2 even more. I have just posted this on my Tric Facebook page because I rate this so much and want to share you with others. Thank you.
I have trichotillomania, I once stopped for 2 years, my hair grew long, but a major thing happened in my life, broke my heart, and I had a really bad relapse, it was more aggressive and the area affected is 2 times bigger now, I haven't stopped since then, this was about 5 years ago!. I'm a strong person, but this is way to hard to stop, I cannot control it and I hate it when I feel helpless. I hope this helps!
Wow. 2 years free. That's awesome! Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like you have all the power and have proven to yourself that you can do it. I hope you have great success with this! 😃
I’m a therapist and I don’t remember learning about this as a scalp picker since high school. However, I do encourage my patients to analyze these same areas when it comes to whatever challenge they may be dealing with. Over eating/ emotional eating for example. Thank you for this insight! I’m going to kick this habit, so I don’t have to remain a hypocrite!
I want so much to reach my hair goals but I feel like this keeps setting me back. This video was so validating and showed me even more what triggers me.
I’m trying SO. DANG. HARD. To quit my picking. It’s astounding to me, having psychology background and degrees, AND IT IS THE ONE HABIT I HAVEN’T BEAT… yet. I will though. I mean man, I’ve written papers on this for myself, and for me it is impulsive and compulsive. I am the kind of person who will be deep into an episode without even realize I’m doing it, then because I’ve created such an imperfection I then “need” to keep going to re-smooth out my surface, which for me are my lips and my nail beds. I get so embarrassed by my impulsiveness, and just by the physical sores I create… ugh. I was exposed to cold sores a few years ago and now almost any time I have a bad lip-picking episode I set off a freaking cold sore episode, and even THAT hasn’t been enough to get me to stop! GAAHHHHHHHHHH. The struggles. I’ve done my scamp profile before but I’m trying this again since I’m older and more determined. It’s so interesting how I can go for weeks, even months a few times without it, but I can just pick it back up like I never left it. My goodness. My body deserves better than this, and so does my peace of mind.
my old doctor wrongly Diagnose me with bipolar 1 and had me on lithium for over 20 years thank God now I am re diagnosed and I can start healing thank you for all the people here 🙏 ❤️ 😊
This was really great. I'm just starting treatment for my BFRB and I'm so keen to learn when, why and how I do it. Starting now! Thank you for your friendly and kind manner :)
Each time it goes so bad I'm tired of running away from my problem but also too scared to face it too. Thank you for this encouragement and tips, I'm grateful to find this. I make sure I try.
thank you for this new knowledge and awareness for myself/my picking and chewing, i never realized how much it consumed a lot of my life, i appreciate you!!!!!!!
I suffer from trichotillomania and you have no idea how happy I am that someone is describing exactlyyy how I feel when I pull my eyelashes out. I'm in tears coz I've been dealing with it for years now and I'm glad I'm not the only one I thought I was insane...🥺
This is so comforting. My open wounds and scabs and scars on my face give me so much shame and anxiety. And nobody around me has any understanding or sympathy that I cant stop picking!! I could cry. I'm going to do take some time for myself tomorrow while my daughters busy and go through this and write it all out. I can't even imagine how much my life would improve if I didn't have to pick anymore. Thank you so much for this. I have hope 🥺🥺
I've always picked my skin and bitten my lips. My mother always picked her skin....and now I'm watching my sons nail biting and biting their lips......And if I don't do anything else, I'm going to break this cycle of unaddressed anxiety with them.
Thank you for this 💜 we are NOT alone and should NOT be ashamed or feel guilty We are NOT bad, weird, creepy, gross, etc. We are human beings that have some challenges to deal with! Hey animals do it too and we don’t shame them 🦋
Dealing with this is madness for me and it all started in middle school and I'm now in my senior year of high school..I have a skin picking problem very bad and it's because I am very obsessed with trying to get every impurity out of my pores and I end up causing breakouts and my face is just one big scar ☹️it's very sad and I try so hard to stop but nothing feels more relieving when I finally give in and do it again..I'm very glad that people are talking about this because people think I'm crazy when I come to school with my face covered in scabs and I try to explain that I pick and scratch uncontrollably and nobody seems to get it
I can't tell you how much I empathize with you. 😭 I struggle with the exact same thing and the same urges and the same shame. I've heard that this is a condition and been to doctors to try and get help and had them tell me to "get a stress ball". You aren't alone. I understand the feeling of trying to hold off and then giving in and feeling that rush like everything is fixed and just further broken at the same time. It won't be this way forever. We're all on a journey, and you're taking a good step to try and help yourself, which is progress to be celebrated. 🙂
I’m a compulsive pimple popper. I start picking because I HATE the look and feel of pimples-especially the big ones that hurt. The urge to pick can start from anxiety or stress or boredom, but honestly it can just be “I’m having a break out and have 4 new white heads that I don’t want the world to see.” I always pick in the bathroom. I always feel guilty while I’m doing it, and I feel ashamed afterwards. I set goals for myself and when I don’t meet them, it’s super frustrating for me. I have wasted hours in front of that mirror, and $1000’s on products. I know that if the acne would go away, I’d stop picking....but my dermatologist has given up on me. He’s tried every treatment imaginable and nothing has worked. I’m a lost cause, so unless God decides to heal me miraculously, I’m still going to have pimples , and will still struggle with this stupid disorder. :(
As I was writing down for SCAMP, I realized knowing “something is always there” to pick is such a comforting feeling deep down, might be about having an unsecured attachment growing up.
this is so smart and useful ty!! i would of never thought my issue might be for sensory reasons.. cause picking my skin doesnt make my acne go away or better I just like the feeling of it!
Thank you for this vital information. Today I choose to release traumatic energy in my body. I am aware of BFRB and will be putting a months plan on natural remedy.
I've struggled with cheek biting for as long as I can remember but it's got really out of control this last year... I can no longer hold myself from doing it in public and I get really self-conscious, it's not that common of a thing and I feel like people just see me as if I'm making weird faces lol. Also I recently noticed I'm actually starting to get wrinkles on my upper lip from it, so I feel like I should start making a bigger effort. I'm more hopeful after watching this, thank you so much! 😊
@jsg. As a baby, I rubbed my lips on a receiving blanket. But I did chew the inside of my mouth and picked at my lips when I was young. I catch myself every once in a while now. I'm 60.
I find it funny because people asked me if I have OCD. Out of pride assuming I'm perfect, I replied "No". I notice now over my life that I'm at times a sloth at home, and sometimes a neat freak elsewhere. I am so grateful to have seen this in myself. All praises. I have a self-improvement project to work on.
as a person with skin picking, something that really helps me is having a fidget cube while I’m doing something like watching youtube, reading, anything without actually using my hands, and I also try to do skincare as often as possible, and it really helps to stop more cuts or pimples.
The music in the back ground of this video made it impossible for me to get to the end. I'd like to watch it without the music. I feel it could be helpful.
I remember struggling with my teen years trying to pop my pimples or get id of white heads and and any blemish slightly visible, ultimately making the appearance much more apparent after irritating my delicate skin barrier. I didn’t think I had a problem, or knew that I had one. All it took for me to stop, was to listen to this random youtube video I watched saying “the more you touch your face, the more acne you get”. Obviously, you can touch your face with CLEAN hands and generally you’ll be fine. However, something else I heard really made me certain to stop, which was “Every time you try to squeeze out a pimple, you have risk of creating infection by pushing the pus inwards into the body instead of out.” or smthn along those liners. That is the EXACT moment I forced myself to stop, and it worked! I felt like I was protecting my body, and in return also had less pimples from touching and picking my skin religiously. Ok bye!
33 started pulling at 7 this video made me think, something feels different even though I know this information. His delivery and approach really captured my attention. Going to watch part 2. For some reason I feel hopeful that after seeing this I can finally HOPEFULLY stop my trich episodes
Thanks for this! Ok I will do the SCAMP model: "S": I am looking to feel a few things: 1) the pointy end of course hairs on my face; 2) bumps from acne that are either deep or surface level 3) an uneven edge or crispy dried flake of skin on my lips, especially ones that make a rough sound when I run my fingers over them; or a hollow feeling behind the skin scabbing over. I am seeking a complete visible (and ideally slow) extraction of the hair or acne (an empty-looking follicle and smooth sensation), and i like to feel the pointy-ness or goop in my fingers after I have removed it to see what is no longer "plaguing my skin". I am seeking a feeling of being "clear" and "light" and "empty". "C": The thoughts : before: "if i do it once, I will do it a million times" " do it! do it!" "if you don't do this, you will suffer/die"; "you can't tolerate not doing it" "it's just one" "your face is supposed to be smooth" "there is not supposed to be bumps or hairs- they are 'wrong'" "it will feel so good to do it" During it's like "i need to get everything out or it's wrong", "maybe i just need a different tool" at the end "wow i got it out, but i really damaged my face" or "i will get you next time, hair follicle/zit!" "A": There is sometimes a sense of boredom; I want to stimulate myself. Or there is an intense urge before. I feel it in my chest like a wave, and a sensation that if i don't do it, I will explode! During i feel a need for more; and to get everything. After, i feel guilt, anger, frustration, and sometimes fear of what i just did, and then some shame. "M": My hand usually goes straight to my chin, and starts feeling from there. I believe i usually start with right, but if it is not available i go with the left. "P" In front of the computer, in front of the mirror, in the car, when i am taking a shower (that's when i go after acne elsewhere on body), in front of the TV. Usually when i am doing something monotonous or repetitive or boring or slow. I use tweezers or my fingers for hair, and my fingers (or a needle if it feels necessary) for acne.
It's amazing how I had to learn english in order to grasp a good insight of this really interesting treatment. You're very helpful. Muchas gracias por su ayuda.
My six year old son has a lot of compulsive behaviors such as coughing a little, panting a little, washing his hands repeatedly, and peeing all the time. Thank you for the information. I learned a lot.
I'm 32, I managed to get rid of nail biting by my own, I don't know how, it just stopped and I haven't feel the desire to do so in more than 5 years but I'm still stuck with dermatophagia, it's not the worst case but it makes me not look like an adult and my fingernails have gotten a weird shape because of it. Hang on it there guys :)
I have this condition. I pick at my thumb and sometimes bite the skin off my lips and inner cheeks when I feel an imbalance of smoothness. I was picking my thumb and thought about my mother telling me it was a nervous tic. I looked it up and my search brought me here.
im only 13y.o (2020) I bit my nails, pick nails, and pick fingers skin since 3y.o, and now when i was 12y.o i pick my scalps:) when i go to the salon, the worker asked "why are there so many scabs on your head?" 🙂👍 2 days ago and now I busied myself with drawing something. I keep my hands busy so they don't pick scalp/bite nails :) ofc my broken English 👁️👄👁️
Thank you for this I’ve suffered with this for 25+ years and still currently suffering with it I pick at my skin and my moms making me feel worse cause she just doesn’t understand
I'm sorry you're struggling with this. I hope these videos can help guide you a little bit. It's tough for others to understand. I hope you can feel better soon! 😃
I will in a word Scamp you’re absolutely right for she has me thinking, just cause she says it’s a little red or sees a scab I didn’t follow through she makes me promise and it’s no good when I promise I set myself up for failure
I still remember writing on my steam machine, slippery with blood from constantly picking my fingers. Whichever habit I conquer just blooms as another. Deep thought, whether stressful or not, pondering, seems to trigger.
Thank you for this. I am exhausted from struggling with picking my feet. I’m seeing a psychologist and I’ve tried medicines to help but I can’t go without picking for longer than 36 hours. Somedays I do well but it’s normally followed by a bad day. The cycle is depressing and just makes me want to give up. I do recall having some success with journaling about the urges so I’ll use the SCAMP method and see if it works.
Watching this video I was drawing and I realized my hand went straight to my hair the moment I put my pencil down. I decided I’ll try drawing holding a pencil permanently in each hand, that way my left doesn’t start the habit either.
It's way worse with stress. Suffering from an itchy scalp I try to take less hot showers and I use apple cider vinegar as a rinse when I have too many things going on with my scalp. Cut your nails short if you're doing it too much. It's so difficult.
These comments make me feel so seen I struggle with all of these and it’s really hard when someone tells me to stop out loud when I don’t even realize I’m doing it it makes me want to cry I feel so embarrassed
I just want to be able to eat spicy food and brush my teeth normally again. But if i am not doing the lip biting then i am intensely flexing my shoulders while shoving my wrist into my teeth/biting my right upper forearm with such intense pressure ive developed HUGE calluses on my right arm. I have too wear a tennis band on my wrist to keep people from constantly asking about it. Putting the pressure on my wrist brings me to a maladaptive daydream and its something ive done for as long as i can remember. The main problem is that when i bite my upper forearm i am flexing and pulling on my arm witch over time has done so much damage to my back and shoulder muscles, i have tons of muscles knots and they will spasm and ache. Its like my brains realized how much i am hurting my muscles and has let me change it to bitting my lips, but scar tissue has been building up and i can feel it witch only makes me feel the bumps on my tongue and makes the urges way worse and ohhhh god the lips are so sensitive it is the worst.
I have chewed and picked and pulled hair since I was around nine or 10 years old and I'm usually aware that I'm doing it. I like to roll the hair between my fingertips for the texture, it's very soothing for some reason. The picking and chewing happens all the time, even in a work environment. I'm very hard for me just stop, and it has gotten extremely bad during this quarantine. I did really good not pulling my eyebrows for a while, I only did a little bit. But now I find that I have to draw them on again.
Thanks for sharing your experiences my friend! I hope you can find something that works well for you. Notice your progress and give yourself credit for what you've accomplished. Hopefully you can build from there. 😃
I just scrolled through a heap of comments and no mention of people picking in their sleep. I pick my scalp day and night, and while asleep. My picking is exacerbated by medication. In your dreams you pick as good/bad/well as I! In my dreams; I pick. Humour aside it is complicated. I cannot bring bodily awareness and conscious cognitive resources to the unconscious, unaware state of sleep. There's no rationalising with unconsciousness. We cannot rule out anxiety, boredom, self destructive intent, but it is behaviour. Maybe sometimes it is stand alone behaviour or a consequence of brain/nervous system processes that are biochemical but not necessarily related to a particular cognitive or mood state? This theory also cannot be ruled out. The mind/body duality is a lie
i am 32 years old and just this year realized that this is something other people do other than me.. I just thought i was weird and then finally googled it.
Omg wait I didn’t watch the full video and I just realized a couple months ago I started to pull my eyelashes bc it was cool when I looked at them and idk why I just did it I was fascinated how small and the little white tip at the end where it was pulled out and I purposely find one that’s loose and pull it out and I thought I should probably stop before this becomes a habit and I’ve tried to stop and I haven’t thought about it until now thank you
When i was in phys ed class in third grade I picked my nose and ate it. Jeff saw me and said "that's disgusting. I don't think I did it after that, at least not in public.
I find i start picking either my nose, scalp, face and sometimes all three together, when I’m just sitting feeling anxious and when I’m avoiding doing stuff because of my ocd. After doing it i feel disgusted with myself because I’m a women and I shouldn’t be doing stuff like that. It then can make me feel like I’m a dirty person, which is one of the big fears of my ocd.
I love myself okay, I have good thoughts but I also hide all my negative feelings bc idk how to say then out loud without hurting others so when I pick/pull my skin/hair idc and let these thoughts out.
I try to be as hygienic as I can but I feel gross when I pick ive never felt so normal until I’ve seen this video I tend to pick and pull because my brain thinks the area is unclean and so I pull until it’s bald it’s really annoying and painful and I never can just stop mid pull because my brain is in a trance like fog But I genuinely want to take this video into my day to day I don’t know why I do it either ive done it since I was a kid I’m 20 now and it’s crazy to think I’ve done it for so long it leads to nothing good in the end and yet it’s so incredibly difficult to stop Thank you seriously I feel normal
I'm a 43 yo male and I hate the fact I can't stop rubbing my eyebrows I've tried I grew out off nail biting and chew my knuckles so why can't I beat this
I have a habit very similar to the skin picking and I have been trying to stop it for a long time now it starts to heal but as soon as I see im improving I go back to doing it I have done all of what you said in this video and it never worked im thinking of buying gloves to stop my habit as long as I can even if I have to have them on forever I don't care I just need/want this to stop
I grew out of one bfrb only to replace it with another. My skin picking now is focused on a recent case of eczema. The I get satisfaction from pulling the dry skin off.
I deal with scalp picking all the time, and I really want to stop. It makes my hair greasy all the time and my scalp burn after I do the act. I do it unconsciously and on purpose and always tell myself when I am done doing the act that I won't do it again, but the cycle just keeps going. Its just so satisfying in the moment that sometimes I just zone out, but I feel soooo guilty after it and just feel so disappointed in myself. It's infuriating.
it amazes me when people dont have this problem. how else do they pass the time!!!!!!!! how are people so normal!
Lol ! I always wondered the same 🤷♀️😁
I feel the same way. It’s getting worse and worse and I didn’t even know I was doing it until recently
Trich symptoms started at 18 for me, so I miss the times when I didn't feel the need to pull :/
T i’ve been picking the skin on my lips since i was 3 or 4 years old 😭 i just can’t shake the disease
@@draculena I’ve never thought of it as a disease but you’re totally right. It is. I’m struggling with skin picking and it keeps getting worse day in and day out. Any good tips would be appreciated
It’s so comforting to read the comments and not feel like the only one in the world struggling with this
same 💕
Yeah, I'm glad that we can come here and feel that we belong!
Yes I am happ
Same I’m always picking at my scalp and my mom tells me to stop and I’m like 👁👄👁 if I could then I woulddddd
It is very hard for me to watch this video because... I don't want to do it, I feel bad/gross after but at the same time I don't want to confront my problem.. but I do. Comments like this help!
When you said, "Let's take away shame and guilt from this. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't." I teared up... the most reassuring words I could ever ask for when everyone around me has always told me to stop doing it ( one time I even went to a dermatologist for my scars resulting from BFRB and she said I should just tie my hands up. Oh the humiliation...)
Oh no. I wish it were that easy to just stop! Thanks for sharing your experiences. Taking away the shame and guilt is such an important step in the process. 😃
That's just sickening. Im so sorry to hear you were mistreated in this way.
That is terrible but man I remember a time when I specifically asked my mom to tie my hands behind my back when I was younger just so that I wouldn't pick
I'm sorry you had that experience and your dermatologist mistreated you like that :(
Sometimes healthcare professionals can be insensitive. I've experienced it too
I don't know what is it, do they become desensitised after a while after looking at a lot of similar cases?
Oh urs is better, i am having lip picking disorder, my dermatologist told me to put tape on my lips so that I don't pick it again
How to stop my hands from SCANNING my skin for imperfects??
Always happens when I don’t medicate enough so trying to medicate
this is a great question. i put bandaids on my finger tips it helps a lot
I feel that for my hair I’ll cut off a strand if it’s like really textured and I have curly hair 😓
I've never related so much to a comment
Wear gloves
…skin picking, scalp picking, nose picking and ear picking. I feel so embarrassed to admit it, but it’s there and I gotta stop ignoring it. This video is everything.
Me too. All of this .
I’m a 16 year old girl and I’ve been obsessively picking at skin imperfections for almost 5 years. This is no exaggeration, but in the entirety of that time frame, I have not gone a single day without picking. It ranges from a mild pick on maybe my arms or back on good days to full blown hour/s long sessions that leave my face, chest, arms, back and even legs a bleeding, red, inflamed mess. I’ve gone to the point where my arms have been shaking from the amount of wounds on my shoulders and yet there still seems to be this burning, unbearable nervous energy balled up inside me that causes me to keep rummaging around trying to find unbroken skin to pick. I speculate that I may also have bipolar 2 and that this may be a external manifestation of trying to suppress my fluctuations of mood, and also the result of my heightened energy during a ‘high’ (sometimes hypomanic, if my suspicions are correct) state as well as the self loathing I feel during a low. It is reaching an unbearable threshold but my parents are not too welcoming on the topic of mental health and are rather old school in their beliefs that the observable products of my illness are caused by laziness and device addiction. I don’t know how to help myself. I want to get on some sort of medication so bad, I feel as though I’ll go mad if I let this continue, but I just don’t know how. I don’t think my job makes enough money for me to be able to afford the medication and therapy appointments that I think I require. Any tips? I’m desperate!!!!!
I have no tips to offer because I struggle with the same thing, but I really hope you find some relief soon.
Ive struggled with this for years. Seems hopeless but Ill keep chugging along and see if I can figure it out.
So glad I found this! I struggle with a lot of different nervous tics (or BFRBs as I just found out they are called. haha) And I mean A LOT!!! I bite my nails, pop my knuckles, pick at my scalp, pick my nose, rub my eyes, and more. The most recent one I developed is the compulsive behavior of sucking air through my teeth for seemingly no reason. Up until now I've just kind of dismissed all of them and tried to ignore them, but it's gotten to the point that I can't control it and it's literally interrupting my ability to speak in full sentences without stopping in the middle to do the behavior. Not to mention it's driving my wife absolutely crazy.
Anyway, I definitely have a long ways to go still and am hoping to find a therapist or someone that can help locally, but these videos and this understanding of what the underlying problems are is definitely a step in the right direction.
Any advice of what kind of therapist or doctor to look for when it comes to getting help with this?
Thank you again!!
His voice is really soothing!i could listen to him all day!
Haha. Thanks!
I'm 23 and have always had various BFRBs. I've wanted to quit for years but have never known where to start, everyone's advice is "just stop it!" and that of course does less than nothing. Now my teeth are worn from nail biting and I have stripes of scar tissue in my cheeks from chewing, I NEED to quit. This is the first helpful information I've ever received, the first thing that actually offers a direction to go and feels like it could change the behavior. I can't express how grateful I am for your video, thank you so much. I'm going to go watch the others you have on BFRBs and look for the next step :)
🚨Step-By-Step Program to learn how to stop hair pulling, skin picking, & nail biting. (try for free) 👉 BFRBOnline.com
Thank you for this video!! I've been scalp picking for 15 years and my hair has gotten so thin over the years and the longest I've gone without picking was 7 days and I relapsed frequently...I'm going to try out the SCAMP sheet and try my best to be more aware of my picking habits. I'm hoping to grow my hair back out and put an end to this vicious disorder 🥺
I'm coming back to this video to thank you! last year my hair picking went badly I had so much anxiety and my skin was so bad! I've tried everything but your advice helped me a lot! I used to pick up my belly baby hairs, now it's way better..... I hope I can continue to do so!
You are an Angel!
xoxo
Wow! Thanks so much for following up! You’re amazing!!
This resonates with me and Part 2 even more. I have just posted this on my Tric Facebook page because I rate this so much and want to share you with others. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing!! I'm glad it's been helpful!
this guys tone of voice is just so wholesome and loving i genuinely feel likes he cares about me
I have trichotillomania, I once stopped for 2 years, my hair grew long, but a major thing happened in my life, broke my heart, and I had a really bad relapse, it was more aggressive and the area affected is 2 times bigger now, I haven't stopped since then, this was about 5 years ago!. I'm a strong person, but this is way to hard to stop, I cannot control it and I hate it when I feel helpless. I hope this helps!
Wow. 2 years free. That's awesome! Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like you have all the power and have proven to yourself that you can do it. I hope you have great success with this! 😃
That happened to me and not sure what triggered the relapse
I’m a therapist and I don’t remember learning about this as a scalp picker since high school. However, I do encourage my patients to analyze these same areas when it comes to whatever challenge they may be dealing with. Over eating/ emotional eating for example. Thank you for this insight! I’m going to kick this habit, so I don’t have to remain a hypocrite!
I want so much to reach my hair goals but I feel like this keeps setting me back. This video was so validating and showed me even more what triggers me.
I’m trying SO. DANG. HARD. To quit my picking. It’s astounding to me, having psychology background and degrees, AND IT IS THE ONE HABIT I HAVEN’T BEAT… yet. I will though. I mean man, I’ve written papers on this for myself, and for me it is impulsive and compulsive. I am the kind of person who will be deep into an episode without even realize I’m doing it, then because I’ve created such an imperfection I then “need” to keep going to re-smooth out my surface, which for me are my lips and my nail beds. I get so embarrassed by my impulsiveness, and just by the physical sores I create… ugh. I was exposed to cold sores a few years ago and now almost any time I have a bad lip-picking episode I set off a freaking cold sore episode, and even THAT hasn’t been enough to get me to stop! GAAHHHHHHHHHH. The struggles. I’ve done my scamp profile before but I’m trying this again since I’m older and more determined. It’s so interesting how I can go for weeks, even months a few times without it, but I can just pick it back up like I never left it. My goodness. My body deserves better than this, and so does my peace of mind.
my old doctor wrongly Diagnose me with bipolar 1 and had me on lithium for over 20 years thank God now I am re diagnosed and I can start healing thank you for all the people here 🙏 ❤️ 😊
This was really great. I'm just starting treatment for my BFRB and I'm so keen to learn when, why and how I do it. Starting now! Thank you for your friendly and kind manner :)
Each time it goes so bad I'm tired of running away from my problem but also too scared to face it too. Thank you for this encouragement and tips, I'm grateful to find this. I make sure I try.
thank you for this new knowledge and awareness for myself/my picking and chewing, i never realized how much it consumed a lot of my life, i appreciate you!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for the kind words!! You're awesome!
I really appreciate this video! It's SO HARD to stop but I just want pretty skin 🥺
I suffer from trichotillomania and you have no idea how happy I am that someone is describing exactlyyy how I feel when I pull my eyelashes out. I'm in tears coz I've been dealing with it for years now and I'm glad I'm not the only one I thought I was insane...🥺
We can share our stories ☺️. Drop if you have Instagram id or something
This is so comforting. My open wounds and scabs and scars on my face give me so much shame and anxiety. And nobody around me has any understanding or sympathy that I cant stop picking!! I could cry. I'm going to do take some time for myself tomorrow while my daughters busy and go through this and write it all out.
I can't even imagine how much my life would improve if I didn't have to pick anymore.
Thank you so much for this. I have hope 🥺🥺
I've always picked my skin and bitten my lips. My mother always picked her skin....and now I'm watching my sons nail biting and biting their lips......And if I don't do anything else, I'm going to break this cycle of unaddressed anxiety with them.
Thank you for this 💜 we are NOT alone and should NOT be ashamed or feel guilty We are NOT bad, weird, creepy, gross, etc. We are human beings that have some challenges to deal with! Hey animals do it too and we don’t shame them 🦋
Dealing with this is madness for me and it all started in middle school and I'm now in my senior year of high school..I have a skin picking problem very bad and it's because I am very obsessed with trying to get every impurity out of my pores and I end up causing breakouts and my face is just one big scar ☹️it's very sad and I try so hard to stop but nothing feels more relieving when I finally give in and do it again..I'm very glad that people are talking about this because people think I'm crazy when I come to school with my face covered in scabs and I try to explain that I pick and scratch uncontrollably and nobody seems to get it
I can't tell you how much I empathize with you. 😭 I struggle with the exact same thing and the same urges and the same shame. I've heard that this is a condition and been to doctors to try and get help and had them tell me to "get a stress ball". You aren't alone. I understand the feeling of trying to hold off and then giving in and feeling that rush like everything is fixed and just further broken at the same time. It won't be this way forever. We're all on a journey, and you're taking a good step to try and help yourself, which is progress to be celebrated. 🙂
I’m a compulsive pimple popper. I start picking because I HATE the look and feel of pimples-especially the big ones that hurt. The urge to pick can start from anxiety or stress or boredom, but honestly it can just be “I’m having a break out and have 4 new white heads that I don’t want the world to see.”
I always pick in the bathroom.
I always feel guilty while I’m doing it, and I feel ashamed afterwards. I set goals for myself and when I don’t meet them, it’s super frustrating for me.
I have wasted hours in front of that mirror, and $1000’s on products. I know that if the acne would go away, I’d stop picking....but my dermatologist has given up on me. He’s tried every treatment imaginable and nothing has worked. I’m a lost cause, so unless God decides to heal me miraculously, I’m still going to have pimples , and will still struggle with this stupid disorder. :(
As I was writing down for SCAMP, I realized knowing “something is always there” to pick is such a comforting feeling deep down, might be about having an unsecured attachment growing up.
this is so smart and useful ty!! i would of never thought my issue might be for sensory reasons.. cause picking my skin doesnt make my acne go away or better I just like the feeling of it!
Thank you for this vital information. Today I choose to release traumatic energy in my body. I am aware of BFRB and will be putting a months plan on natural remedy.
I've struggled with cheek biting for as long as I can remember but it's got really out of control this last year... I can no longer hold myself from doing it in public and I get really self-conscious, it's not that common of a thing and I feel like people just see me as if I'm making weird faces lol. Also I recently noticed I'm actually starting to get wrinkles on my upper lip from it, so I feel like I should start making a bigger effort. I'm more hopeful after watching this, thank you so much! 😊
@jsg. As a baby, I rubbed my lips on a receiving blanket. But I did chew the inside of my mouth and picked at my lips when I was young. I catch myself every once in a while now. I'm 60.
@@kimfroman2023
At least you catch yourself. I don't even know I'm doing it - and then don't seem to care as I'm in a trance like state.
I bit the inside of my cheeks. I created bad wrinkles on my upper lip. I quit.
Have you had any improvement?
Your demeanor is so kind and caring and gentle 💚
i just found your videos and it’s so comforting and upbeat in a way that’s not obvious or teasing happiness lol this is very helpful thank you my guy
I find it funny because people asked me if I have OCD. Out of pride assuming I'm perfect, I replied "No". I notice now over my life that I'm at times a sloth at home, and sometimes a neat freak elsewhere. I am so grateful to have seen this in myself. All praises. I have a self-improvement project to work on.
Thank you so much to everyone involved in creating this video.
This was extremely helpful and comforting. This made me think about why I do this action a lot and I am looking forward to improving my behavior ☺️
as a person with skin picking, something that really helps me is having a fidget cube while I’m doing something like watching youtube, reading, anything without actually using my hands, and I also try to do skincare as often as possible, and it really helps to stop more cuts or pimples.
The music in the back ground of this video made it impossible for me to get to the end. I'd like to watch it without the music. I feel it could be helpful.
I never even realised the need to track it before watching this video...thanks so much.
I remember struggling with my teen years trying to pop my pimples or get id of white heads and and any blemish slightly visible, ultimately making the appearance much more apparent after irritating my delicate skin barrier.
I didn’t think I had a problem, or knew that I had one. All it took for me to stop, was to listen to this random youtube video I watched saying “the more you touch your face, the more acne you get”. Obviously, you can touch your face with CLEAN hands and generally you’ll be fine. However, something else I heard really made me certain to stop, which was “Every time you try to squeeze out a pimple, you have risk of creating infection by pushing the pus inwards into the body instead of out.” or smthn along those liners. That is the EXACT moment I forced myself to stop, and it worked! I felt like I was protecting my body, and in return also had less pimples from touching and picking my skin religiously. Ok bye!
33 started pulling at 7 this video made me think, something feels different even though I know this information. His delivery and approach really captured my attention. Going to watch part 2. For some reason I feel hopeful that after seeing this I can finally HOPEFULLY stop my trich episodes
Thanks for this! Ok I will do the SCAMP model:
"S": I am looking to feel a few things: 1) the pointy end of course hairs on my face; 2) bumps from acne that are either deep or surface level 3) an uneven edge or crispy dried flake of skin on my lips, especially ones that make a rough sound when I run my fingers over them; or a hollow feeling behind the skin scabbing over. I am seeking a complete visible (and ideally slow) extraction of the hair or acne (an empty-looking follicle and smooth sensation), and i like to feel the pointy-ness or goop in my fingers after I have removed it to see what is no longer "plaguing my skin". I am seeking a feeling of being "clear" and "light" and "empty".
"C": The thoughts : before: "if i do it once, I will do it a million times" " do it! do it!" "if you don't do this, you will suffer/die"; "you can't tolerate not doing it" "it's just one" "your face is supposed to be smooth" "there is not supposed to be bumps or hairs- they are 'wrong'" "it will feel so good to do it" During it's like "i need to get everything out or it's wrong", "maybe i just need a different tool" at the end "wow i got it out, but i really damaged my face" or "i will get you next time, hair follicle/zit!"
"A": There is sometimes a sense of boredom; I want to stimulate myself. Or there is an intense urge before. I feel it in my chest like a wave, and a sensation that if i don't do it, I will explode! During i feel a need for more; and to get everything. After, i feel guilt, anger, frustration, and sometimes fear of what i just did, and then some shame.
"M": My hand usually goes straight to my chin, and starts feeling from there. I believe i usually start with right, but if it is not available i go with the left.
"P" In front of the computer, in front of the mirror, in the car, when i am taking a shower (that's when i go after acne elsewhere on body), in front of the TV. Usually when i am doing something monotonous or repetitive or boring or slow. I use tweezers or my fingers for hair, and my fingers (or a needle if it feels necessary) for acne.
It's amazing how I had to learn english in order to grasp a good insight of this really interesting treatment. You're very helpful. Muchas gracias por su ayuda.
I liked what you said about not shaming ourselves when we repeat out bfrb.
My six year old son has a lot of compulsive behaviors such as coughing a little, panting a little, washing his hands repeatedly, and peeing all the time. Thank you for the information. I learned a lot.
I hope your son can feel better!
I'm 32, I managed to get rid of nail biting by my own, I don't know how, it just stopped and I haven't feel the desire to do so in more than 5 years but I'm still stuck with dermatophagia, it's not the worst case but it makes me not look like an adult and my fingernails have gotten a weird shape because of it. Hang on it there guys :)
There’s something so impactful abt him mentioning needles as a tool. I use them all the time and my husband gets so worried when he catches me
This video is so helpful! Please keep up the great work!
I have this condition. I pick at my thumb and sometimes bite the skin off my lips and inner cheeks when I feel an imbalance of smoothness. I was picking my thumb and thought about my mother telling me it was a nervous tic. I looked it up and my search brought me here.
Thank you for the interesting, proffetional & calm presentation. Is it possible to delete the annoying background music?
Thanks in advence.
Thank you so much, I have been disappointed and disgusted in myself for these habits and you helped.
Just found this video / channel. And already feel better for it!
I’m picking my scab as I’m watching this because I’m trying to stop and it helped a lot thank you
You should make a video for when somebody "sees" or "catches you" I try to be transparent about my condition for that reason.
This is exactly what I needed!
Ive tried this treatment before and it really does work!
im only 13y.o (2020)
I bit my nails, pick nails, and pick fingers skin since 3y.o, and now when i was 12y.o i pick my scalps:)
when i go to the salon, the worker asked "why are there so many scabs on your head?" 🙂👍
2 days ago and now I busied myself with drawing something. I keep my hands busy so they don't pick scalp/bite nails :)
ofc my broken English 👁️👄👁️
Thank you for this I’ve suffered with this for 25+ years and still currently suffering with it I pick at my skin and my moms making me feel worse cause she just doesn’t understand
I'm sorry you're struggling with this. I hope these videos can help guide you a little bit. It's tough for others to understand. I hope you can feel better soon! 😃
I will in a word Scamp you’re absolutely right for she has me thinking, just cause she says it’s a little red or sees a scab I didn’t follow through she makes me promise and it’s no good when I promise I set myself up for failure
I still remember writing on my steam machine, slippery with blood from constantly picking my fingers. Whichever habit I conquer just blooms as another. Deep thought, whether stressful or not, pondering, seems to trigger.
*steno machine*
Funnily, my way of stopping hair pulling is to listen to videos on stopping hair pulling. Keeps me alert and out of a subconscious mind.
Thank you for this. I am exhausted from struggling with picking my feet. I’m seeing a psychologist and I’ve tried medicines to help but I can’t go without picking for longer than 36 hours. Somedays I do well but it’s normally followed by a bad day. The cycle is depressing and just makes me want to give up. I do recall having some success with journaling about the urges so I’ll use the SCAMP method and see if it works.
I can’t stop picking my skin so am watching this video
Overcoming hair pulling is so hard.
Pulling out thin hair gives me satisfaction.
I can check all but one box. Skin picking, lip and cheek biting and nose picking. It's a problem, I inherited it from my paternal great grandmother.
Picking while I watch
Beard hair puller here - fidget spinners have been a godsend for me
Thanks for sharing what works for you! I wish you well!
Watching this video I was drawing and I realized my hand went straight to my hair the moment I put my pencil down. I decided I’ll try drawing holding a pencil permanently in each hand, that way my left doesn’t start the habit either.
I bite my lips raw until they bleed and it sucks. My skin is thickened and painful because I’ve been doing it for years. I really hope this helps.
It's way worse with stress. Suffering from an itchy scalp I try to take less hot showers and I use apple cider vinegar as a rinse when I have too many things going on with my scalp. Cut your nails short if you're doing it too much. It's so difficult.
These comments make me feel so seen I struggle with all of these and it’s really hard when someone tells me to stop out loud when I don’t even realize I’m doing it it makes me want to cry I feel so embarrassed
I’ve mostly struggled with rhinotillexomania and dermatillomania
I just plucked a fat chunky out of my eyebrow and I want to cry and die. I need some support. I’m having a flare up on my eyebrows 😡😡😭
I just want to be able to eat spicy food and brush my teeth normally again. But if i am not doing the lip biting then i am intensely flexing my shoulders while shoving my wrist into my teeth/biting my right upper forearm with such intense pressure ive developed HUGE calluses on my right arm. I have too wear a tennis band on my wrist to keep people from constantly asking about it. Putting the pressure on my wrist brings me to a maladaptive daydream and its something ive done for as long as i can remember. The main problem is that when i bite my upper forearm i am flexing and pulling on my arm witch over time has done so much damage to my back and shoulder muscles, i have tons of muscles knots and they will spasm and ache. Its like my brains realized how much i am hurting my muscles and has let me change it to bitting my lips, but scar tissue has been building up and i can feel it witch only makes me feel the bumps on my tongue and makes the urges way worse and ohhhh god the lips are so sensitive it is the worst.
I have chewed and picked and pulled hair since I was around nine or 10 years old and I'm usually aware that I'm doing it. I like to roll the hair between my fingertips for the texture, it's very soothing for some reason. The picking and chewing happens all the time, even in a work environment. I'm very hard for me just stop, and it has gotten extremely bad during this quarantine. I did really good not pulling my eyebrows for a while, I only did a little bit. But now I find that I have to draw them on again.
Thanks for sharing your experiences my friend! I hope you can find something that works well for you. Notice your progress and give yourself credit for what you've accomplished. Hopefully you can build from there. 😃
I just scrolled through a heap of comments and no mention of people picking in their sleep. I pick my scalp day and night, and while asleep. My picking is exacerbated by medication. In your dreams you pick as good/bad/well as I! In my dreams; I pick.
Humour aside it is complicated. I cannot bring bodily awareness and conscious cognitive resources to the unconscious, unaware state of sleep. There's no rationalising with unconsciousness.
We cannot rule out anxiety, boredom, self destructive intent, but it is behaviour. Maybe sometimes it is stand alone behaviour or a consequence of brain/nervous system processes that are biochemical but not necessarily related to a particular cognitive or mood state? This theory also cannot be ruled out. The mind/body duality is a lie
I’m going to try to stop today wish me luck
Just noticed I was pulling my left brow watching this
I have this repetitive habit of curling my eyelashes with my fingers. I do this repetitively and a lot.
i am 32 years old and just this year realized that this is something other people do other than me.. I just thought i was weird and then finally googled it.
Omg wait I didn’t watch the full video and I just realized a couple months ago I started to pull my eyelashes bc it was cool when I looked at them and idk why I just did it I was fascinated how small and the little white tip at the end where it was pulled out and I purposely find one that’s loose and pull it out and I thought I should probably stop before this becomes a habit and I’ve tried to stop and I haven’t thought about it until now thank you
When i was in phys ed class in third grade I picked my nose and ate it. Jeff saw me and said "that's disgusting. I don't think I did it after that, at least not in public.
This dude needs an Emmy award 😂😂😂
hahahaha
I have had problems with my hair and scabs specifically in my hairline for 20 years… I’m 27
THis was very helpful thank you!!
I find i start picking either my nose, scalp, face and sometimes all three together, when I’m just sitting feeling anxious and when I’m avoiding doing stuff because of my ocd. After doing it i feel disgusted with myself because I’m a women and I shouldn’t be doing stuff like that. It then can make me feel like I’m a dirty person, which is one of the big fears of my ocd.
I love myself okay, I have good thoughts but I also hide all my negative feelings bc idk how to say then out loud without hurting others so when I pick/pull my skin/hair idc and let these thoughts out.
I try to be as hygienic as I can but I feel gross when I pick ive never felt so normal until I’ve seen this video
I tend to pick and pull because my brain thinks the area is unclean and so I pull until it’s bald it’s really annoying and painful and I never can just stop mid pull because my brain is in a trance like fog
But I genuinely want to take this video into my day to day I don’t know why I do it either ive done it since I was a kid I’m 20 now and it’s crazy to think I’ve done it for so long it leads to nothing good in the end and yet it’s so incredibly difficult to stop
Thank you seriously I feel normal
Does anyone else continuously pick their gums? When I have a long nail, I dig my gums until they are really sore, and it hurts to brush my teeth
I'm a 43 yo male and I hate the fact I can't stop rubbing my eyebrows I've tried I grew out off nail biting and chew my knuckles so why can't I beat this
I have a habit very similar to the skin picking and I have been trying to stop it for a long time now
it starts to heal but as soon as I see im improving I go back to doing it
I have done all of what you said in this video and it never worked im thinking of buying gloves to stop my habit as long as I can even if I have to have them on forever I don't care I just need/want this to stop
Scamp worksheet won't download
Thanks for letting me know my friend. I just updated the link. It should work now!😊
I can’t get it to download either
@@afish5924 Try now! It should work!
@@ocdandanxiety I just tried and still isnt working
It worked for me thanks
I’m 70 and still chew my nails. I can’t stop. My front lower teeth hurt and are crooked. What a silly turkey I am!
I grew out of one bfrb only to replace it with another. My skin picking now is focused on a recent case of eczema. The I get satisfaction from pulling the dry skin off.
Thank you so much!! Working through skin picking. I’m ruining my face
I deal with scalp picking all the time, and I really want to stop. It makes my hair greasy all the time and my scalp burn after I do the act. I do it unconsciously and on purpose and always tell myself when I am done doing the act that I won't do it again, but the cycle just keeps going. Its just so satisfying in the moment that sometimes I just zone out, but I feel soooo guilty after it and just feel so disappointed in myself. It's infuriating.
I am constantly scratching the same scabs on my head and it gets to the point to where it bleeds and leaves scars/bold spot it’s so embarrassing
literally me too
i do it in school and everything
If I had to list every time I wanted to excoriate my skin I wouldn't get anything else done.
Thanks for sharing this👏🏿
You are so welcome