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!
@@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
This video kinda made me want to cry... I’ve always felt so disgusting and really feared if people found out about my habits. The way you talked in this video made me feel safe, understand, and normal. I realize now that I’m not a disgusting person, I just need to kick some bad habits. Thank you so much for this video!
Same, it made me cry toward the end when he validated us by saying its okay that It happens don't beat yourself up, cause ik i feel so bad after going it
As soon as I get something to pop "perfectly" it triggers an almost trance like state where I keep looking for the next "perfect" pop, even if I destroy my skin it all seems worthwhile at the moment. After I have a picking relapse I feel like a lepar , I avoid people like the plague for weeks after. Seemingly appears to be triggered often from dopaminergic drugs..
i always thought that i was the only one. even if i destroy my body, that perfect “pop” is all worth it in the end. to me at least. and after that, i go at it over, and over, and over again. i feel extremely guilty and horrible after. im just glad that i found someone that does something similar to me.
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?
the guilt that comes after the skin picking honestly makes me feel like something is severely wrong with me. i feel so disappointed and disgusted every time i look in the mirror and i’m honestly so tired of it. i can’t even go out in public without feeling like everyone is judging me from a distance. i don’t want to feel this way anymore :(
One thing that can bring comfort is the knowledge of how God sees each individual. He doesn't focus on mortal imperfections. He sees a person's heart, their potential. He deeply cares. If nothing else helps, I hope this knowledge does. Stay strong and do your best, even if it's just a little at a time. 🤍
Oh my god same…. I finally asked someone for the first time last year if they had ever taken a sharp object to their face or acne before and they looked at me like I was actually crazy so out of curiosity I asked somebody else shortly after and got the same response. That’s what initially made me look at my symptoms as perhaps OCD and not just harmful nail biting and face picking. The nail in the coffin was asking my full blood brother and he said “oh yeah, I totally do that too” at least I’m not alone 🤷♀️
I completely understand. After a couple years of. My problem has shifted from picking my legs to my face and it makes it incredibly hard to go out after this. Because it seems that I look like a different person to me and I wish I could back in time and take it back. Its important to realize you are not alone we got this!
I needed this, i noticed that i hair pull the most when im alone feeling bored, stressed and worried. I get relief while doing it because its a distraction and makes me feel more relaxed, after i feel ashamed tho because i have now given myself a bald spot. about to watch part two. thank u for this info.
@@vimae947 me too and it’s right on the top of my head and I feel like people will make fun of me so I always just ether don’t look at people or cover it and IT JUST GETS SO ITCHY so if u have any way to make it help from itching I will gladly do that
this video- no judgement, giving me tools, helping me learn about my behaviour, helping me track my behaviour and feel less helpless. the comments- helping me feel less alone, putting my feelings into words basically, tonight is my first night of tracking, and really trying to help myself cope with this behaviour. Thank you to the creator of the video, and good luck everyone! you’re not alone in this situation, and you are not any less valuable or bad for having a repetitive behaviour like this
I really found fake nails helped me not have the ability to gauge at my skin and rip it off. The problem here being that it's expensive and not always easy to keep up getting my nails done all the time. This video really helped me realize that I should look more inward to tackle this as a mental disorder and go forward to address it. Thankyou for making this video, the empathy and kindness on how you talk is actually really soothing to hear during this topic.
I’ve hair pulled and skin picked since I can remember. I’m now 25 and have scars all over my legs and face, but I’ve only just noticed these :( it happens in the bathroom, look in the mirror and get a major urge, and have spent HOURS doing it before I even realised how much damage I’ve done. I never knew it had a name!
I understand and I'm sorry, I too have scars from plucked and scrape at the healing pop skins. And the ingrown hair made it worse as i must get them out. It's repetitive and quite second nature to me to pick and scratch at them when i'm alone. I started very young at scratching acnes and also find the answer of what it is actually called a few months ago. Bfrb is a long struggle for me as it is my coping of mental trauma and stress related things. I usually covered them up. I hope we can start being aware of our need to pick, and this strategy can be a start, and not worry too much of the slip up. Thanks
Honestly, same. I pick and bite. I'm 22 now, and my skin looks so horrid in certain places. My mom would say stuff to me, like how nobody would want to date a girl who has scars all over. I'm just now trying to stop. I work in healthcare position, so I really NEED to stop biting my nails completely. Having open sores on my fingers and nails won't be serve me well when dealing with unhygienic situations. I need to stop, but sometimes...it just helps me so much to bite and pick. It's eases stress. But also causes more stress
…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 currently pulling the fuzz off my fluffy pillow while watching this to cope instead of pulling my hair. I've had trichotillomania since 3rd grade, and I am in 7th grade now. It's been a long journey and I can say that for myself! I remember in 3rd grade I started to get more anxious for various reasons. When I got anxious, especially in school, I pulled my hair to cope with all these negative thoughts. As well as this, I pulled my hair out and chewed on it. Let's just say that it was very bad. I even got a bald spot which I was very anxious about as well, which added even more fear and guilt. We got my hair cut short, and I used various coping mechanisms. I've recently started pulling again sadly, but I'm working on it! I appreciate all your tips, they really help me a bunch. If you are someone with trichotillomania, please keep fighting! There is hope, trust me. I'll be on the journey with you guys to recovery! -From, Gracie!
Since 8th grade ive picked my skin religously, I have a break down and pick my skin to relieve stress then ill work the whole week to heal my face, so ill wear bandaids and ointments and Ill just stay home and not leave my room just to heal the mess ive done. Now that im in college I notice my acne scars from over th years, im working on trying to clear my skin but the main factor that causes me to pick is stress and thats why my skin is horrid durring the winter time and clear durring the summer. I hope one day I can stop myself
Damn, there’s no better comment that reflects my own life. I went from top of my year to the lowest. Had to make up for lost time. It’s been a long battle and I relapse less. I hope everyone gets through it.
Oh my gosh I felt like I was reading the exact thing I try to tell people when I express I have dermatillomania. I literally cover my arms and hide for a week or two while I lather ointments.
I just wanna wish the best of the best to anyone who's going through these kind of problems, i don't know how it feels like, but i imagine it must be painful, tiring and stressing, you can do this, you rock, stay strong boissss
i love picking strands of my hair, especially when i can get the roots. i am addicted to a specific texture of a hair strand, and how the roots feel at the end. i cant stop :(
It wasn't until recently when I realized that my simple habits were actually a major anxiety and stress response issue. I had actually thinned my hair out so much by grooming myself 24/7...Thank you so much! 😌
I am 59 years old and have been picking the skin around my thumbs for at least 50 years. I have been able to stop several times during that period, but always come back to it. This has always been shameful to me, and I cover up with bandaids to prevent anyone from seeing it. Moving on to Part 2 of the video now, thank you!!
Hi I do the same. I think I’ve began having nerve issues. Thumbs twitch and go numb on a daily basis. I’ve only been doing this for maybe 15 years so as someone who’s done it way longer do you have the same issues?
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!!!!!
Had trich since I was 8-am now thirty. Grew my eyebrows out the last two months for the first time in 22 years. I don’t even know what my adult face looks like with natural brows. Relapsed badly this week. All gone again, back to square one. The discouragement is hard to describe. Even knowing they *will* grow back in full and thick if I leave them alone long enough. Doesn’t seem to matter how good I do-I always have a day or two where the landslide starts again, and then I can’t stop until they’re gone completely. I want so badly to be free of this. First time I’ve watched videos about the condition. Hoping very much I can start to change these behavioral patterns.
For many years, I gouged the skin around my fingers so badly that all 10 digits were constantly bloody and ugly. It was so embarrassing; I was forever folding my fingers in on themselves to try to hide it. I still pick at the skin around my nails when stressed, but I’ve taken to keeping little clippers in several places so that as soon as I feel a hangnail, I neatly take care of it. My fingers now look normal most of the time; my thumbs are much better but occasionally take a beating depending on what’s happening in my life. Because it’s such an unconscious thing, I really have to keep those hangnails under control and my nails super short. It’s the only way for me to control it 🤷♀️ Thank you for this. I had no idea I wasn’t alone...
I pick my bottom lip and have done for 7 years. No more, after finding these videos! I remember when I was in foster care for a year when I was 9, I started picking and gouging at my scalp. I never did this at any other time in my life. Even though my whole childhood was traumatic as my mother is an alcoholic.. there's definitely some stress response which starts these habits off. I also had some disturbing sensory hallucinations in the evenings around this time so it must have been an extremely stressful event for my little brain to cope with.. now I'm 36 and determined to stop this damaging habit! Lip balm and regular gentle lip brushing is the way forward
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!!
the cheerful music in this video is giving me the STRONGEST cognitive dissonance bc he's just stating all of my worst habits while this nice upbeat music plays lmao
Omg, I cannot believe how well detailed my problem is described. You nailed all the situations and the beliefs around the conduct. Self register it seems to be very important, thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
i’m really crying right now, this is exactly what i need, thank you so much. my disorder started when i was 2, but i can’t just stop, even until now that i am already 15. it left me noticable wounds and this really triggered my body dysmorphia and my anxiety. i beated my onychopagia and have stopped biting my fingernails for 8 months now, and i really can’t wait for the time that i will beat my dermatilomania... hopefully i could.
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 :)
I was told when I was in therapy I had Excoriation Disorder years ago but never told me how to help myself. They just told me to stop doing it. Thank goodness I’m not alone in this
I started biting my nails at a very young age but at some point it developed into Dermatophagia (biting and picking skin on fingers). Now I’m realizing I’ve had this for nearly ten years and all I want is for my hands and fingers to look normal again. I also realize the various other BFRBs I have, and this video gives me hope that perhaps I can finally overcome them, instead of letting them continue.
i did not know what trichotillomania was, i am struggling with it, it is really hard to stop, i constantly pull it from my skull, eyes, brows. i dont have a therapist, i finally told my mom about it, she didnt consider it as some kind of disorder, she got angry and called me crazy. i keep trying, i count days of how many days/hours i go without pulling. thank you for the video and these comforting comments:)))
I have scalp picking issues, I do this whenever I am bored or just to relieve my anxiety. In the process I completely destroyed my hair pattern, it went from wavy to flat and frizzy and I’ve tried oil and hair masks along with applying neosporin to the scars. I’d appreciate tips with helping my hair go back to what it was.
I have the same problem, I always pick my scalp because it doesn't hurt as much as picking any other skin parts, it's been years now and I can feel some dry blood that never goes away because I keep picking on it when it's not healed yet. When I can't find any pickable bumps anymore I scratch it so hard until it bleeds a little. Now it is combined with impulsively cutting my hair, I miss my long hair and my head keeps itching because of those dry blood patches. I wish I can live like normal again
i already sort of knew the environments and triggers for my skin picking but it was really helpful to organize and write it all down and really think about it. it’s nice to know that this is not something that is incredibly rare or disgusting and that there are other people in the comments who also struggle with this
I started pulling out my eye lashes in second grade. Didn't understand it's a OCD disorder for many years. I grew up in DV and abuse and it was a way back then to handle anxiety about what was happening at home and once it started I learned it soothed social anxiety. This was helpful. Thank you for posting it.
Thanks bro, got rid of my trich, I was trapped in it for over 12 years! Haven't plucked a single hair since watching your video. It's been a month now and I am sure I'm sure I won't go back.
as stressful and overwhelming as it is for me to start thinking about treatment and tracking, your vibes are just SO NICE! the way you talk about this is so comforting and kind and that makes it way less scary :)))
recently found out that Repeated Body Focused Behavior, is not uncommon in people with ADHD. everyone has the impulse to pick / pull, but with ADHD, it is way more difficult to control that urge
Yup, it’s actually a stim for me. I get really nail biter whilst reading or watching a movie because I need the dopamine to concentrate on those tasks. But there’s a huge Venn diagram overlap between OCD and ADHD so I dunno what that means
My family has always viewed my skin picking as rebellious and they beat me, yell at me, point at my imperfections and expects me to stop picking immediately. My breaking point is when my mom and brother talks about what i'll be punished with like it's normal because my dad gave me harsh punishments for this. The last time he yelled at me, he threatened to kick me out of the house. I'm scared.. so scared. I just want a new family. I want a family who researches and supports instead of blaming me for my mental problems. I can't help it.
My guardians used to violently beat me for pulling my eye lashes and picking at my face. When I first heard that other people go thru this I cried for hours. It started when I was about 8 and I am now 44 years old and still gouge my face. It's embarrassing for me. I will wear masks or something to cover them. Or tell people I got burned by grease or had a mole removed... Along those lines. Talk to Someone who u feel safe with.
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 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! 😃
thank you so much. I'm a hair puller for most of my life, I'm 51 and bald. I hate this disorder. I just beat cancer, but can't seem to get a handle on this. I want my hair back. You are awesome and soothing.
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
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.
honestly realizing I had skin picking disorder just made it worse for me, because it made me think that, since it is not just "something I do" but a psychological disorder, I couldn't do anything and couldn't control myself anyway. In the end, I just accepted to live with the fact that I was going to continue skin picking 24h and scarring myself for life... But now I'm really trying to fight it, I found NAC supplements to be useful because they calm my anxiety, but definitely not enough for me to stop this. One other thing that worked it that I removed the mirror form my bathroom. Generally, taking care of my skin and having a routine also motivates me to stop because I feel like by picking I am "undoing" the results of my skincare. However, although these methods help, I still have almost constantly my hands on my face, ears, arms, and neck looking for textural irregularities and scratching them, and I can still spend 1-2 hours at my mirror just damaging my skin till I bleed...
I so relate to you & I'm sorry you too are struggling. I have other anxiety issues that I have really worked hard on & have dramatically improved....but it hasn't helped this problem. When you said how you felt about oh well nothing I can do I feel that. I wish I had answers for us. If you find something that helps please post it!! I wish you the best & try to be kind to yourself.
Boy can I relate to the irregularities being a trigger for picking! When I read that it was the first time I realized that’s what always triggers me especially if I’m under stress
Guys i did this for a 2 weeks. Identified when I do it , where I do it, what kind of clothes I'm wearing at that time, noted it all. Then I simply tried to avoid picking it was hard at first but not so much, I still do it sometimes but it's better now. During the times when I'm more likely to do it I oil my skin ( olive oil) it gets hard to pick, wear loose clothes, and cover that area ( wear long sleeves or pajamas) to make it less accessible. While the pickings not completely gone my scans have reduced alot ( coz of the oil n less picking). You can do this, give it a try.
I never realised I had a problem, I've always picked at my skin. But over the last year or so I've done it to the point where I'm bleeding, and especially on my feet I pick at my soles so much I walk with pain, and I'm afraid to let people see my hands
I thought I was the only one to do it. I have been picking the skin under my feet since I was a kid. I am 42 now and I still do it because it calms me down. However, I usually end up picking too much skin, so much that my feet bleed and I can hardly walk. As of now, I cannot keep my right foot with the sole on the bed because it hurts. I tried to stop, to use tools and creams to make my feet smooth but even when they are smooth I still pick the skin 🙄
My Therapist has suggested this video. I am 58 years old. I started hair pulling and then eventually picking at any rough skin I could find. Note, apparently when I quit smoking (1 1/2 to 2 packs a day) I developed these new habits. Looking back to childhood, I picked as a child and teenager to deal with my parents bad arguing. When I started smoking as a teenager, I stopped picking. So....I am a grandma with an embarrassing set of habits. This video made me feel that I am not alone. I am definitely going to use SCAMP and document my journey to recovery. I'll be checking in on Video 2. Thank you Nathan Peterson, you are comforting in explaining my BFRB'S.
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.
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’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’m going to share some thing embarrassing so that maybe it makes y’all feel a little bit less alone. I have seen so many people with hair pulling dermatillomania that feel so self-conscious about biting or chewing on the follicles of their hair so I’m just gonna let you all know I bite the skin around my nails and then swallow it. I can’t just throw away the nails or skin that I bite off. Wow that was actually physically painful to say out loud and I want to delete that comment so fast but, support and rally right 🤟🏻🤟🏻
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.
I do skin picking and even if I tell myself to stop sometimes I JUST CAN'T my skin is litteraly red or swolen or just bleeding everytime...I can't Stop it even if I'm walking,sometimes I just suddenly sit and pick it...People find my skin on the floor or in the carpet or in the bin idk what to do :/
I've went 5 days without picking the skin on my thumb, I've picked my thumb to the point where its bleeding, swollen and red. I use hand creams and ointments to stop
It started as a small child , twiddling my hair. Then we moved area, I started on my eyelashes. Then my hair and skin. Anxiety and fear, resulting in shame and guilt. I've got wirey easily broken hair, so the really wirey bits, or the breaking ones cause the most satisfaction. My vacuum gets blocked! I've had it cut short again to try and reduce the pulling, but then find I can pick instead. I'm 62 now, but what a relief to see the comments,and wish you all the best, not to harm yourselves for a lifetime. I'll get my journal out. Thank you!
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 :)
ive been pulling my eyelashes and eyebrows since i was like 10. makes me feel awful cause i feel like my inability to control it is like a metaphor for everything in my life i'm not strong enough to control. makes me really hate myself when i do it and feel really ashamed. like people can literally read my weaknesses off my face when they see my patches. sometimes i think i should get therapy but then the next time that its been a couple hours since ive pulled i talk myself out of it and tell myself im just being dramatic and that i should just pull myself together and stop.
Hi... we cant help each other! Dont know how... But maybe having a partner could help a lot, as a therapy like AA... Ive been pulling my eyebrows since 2015, im 28 now... And is still with me... Im looking for helo, and a partner with the same issue... this is my IG if you want to talk @anagabriela.cd ... you powerfull!
Same here. My hands have sores on every nail/finger. I start with the cuticles and keep going. I look for dry skin and i keep pulling. Tried to stop myself but i get really stressed, then I get really frustrated and ashamed after. If my boyfriend tries to stop me I get mad at him. I am struggling really hard with this. I’m currently on medication for anxiety and depression but nothing have helped this so far. Now I ordered a few fidgets and hand lotion and hopefully I can “entertain” my hands with them instead of picking at them. I do feel really bad abut this issue.
It makes me feel better to know I'm not alone with the dry skin picking. I tear my nails and legs up something fierce. Now, when my husband notices I'm picking at my nails or lips he wil come sit by me and hold my hands (all romantic like 😍) for a while until the intense urge to pick passes. Iv taken to useing a stress ball to help not pick at my hands when my hubby isn't available. Keeping my nails very short helps.
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'm almost thirty and I've picked my skin since I can remember. Over twenty years now. I get into these sessions where I'm unconsciously doing it for hours. I can't look into mirrors or else I'll forget to do anything else. I've even inadvertently missed work and other important occasions due to this behavior. People notice my scars and ask me. I tell them honestly that I have some mental disorder, but then I feel somewhat ashamed afterwards. I also feel like it could be one of the reasons people avoid me, since I haven't had any friends, relationships, or social connections since before I was ten. I feel like my unsightly condition gives people the creeps.
I didn't know this was a thing, I thought I was just weird because I'm always chewing at the skin of my fingers and pulling off the dead skin with my teeth until I have a lot of callouses. I think I started by chewing the cuticles of my fingernails which I thought was normal because a lot of people chew their nails, then I guess I started unconsciously chewing my fingertips when I was anxious and I didn't realize that until middle school when I went to a pool party and my friends all noticed that the white dead skin on my fingernails was covered in spots that were only visible when I was pruney. At this point I have purple callouses on several fingers and still chew at them when I'm anxious (which is always lol) or when I feel a piece of loose dead skin and get so focused on it that I have to chew it. My mom keeps telling me to stop and everyone thinks it's gross but I can't seem to stop. Hopefully this helps.
Wow! Thanks for sharing your experiences! Most of the time individuals are okay with their BFRB until it starts interfering with their life. I hope this video can help you! 😃 I wish you the best!
@@ocdandanxiety yeah it started interfering when I get yelled at for picking at it Like people even think that i pick my foot because my phone they blame my phone or me XD
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...🥺
I've often found myself picking skin off my fingers until they bleed, and would regret it as it would really sting whenever I washed my hands afterwards, but I've never been able to stop, and I didn't realise this was OCD-related until today. Now I know, I'm going to try to stop as I've recently managed to beat a couple of other habits Thank you :)
This is the best method!!! This is how I stoped 10 years ago and I didn't even know it had a name! I relapsed and I'm restarting, now i'm 10month without pulling but skin picking is still bad, I'm getting better :D
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 pluck leg hair with tweezers. Once I've shaved my legs or plucked them once, the compulsion to pluck is stronger as I'm more likely to get the black ends. It started when I was 16 and had panic disorder as a way to relieve intense anxiety. I stopped for ages, but started again after becoming anxious about my health and feeling helpless.
Same. I've never let myself feel bad for doing this - I just want them to be out. But then a half hour or more goes by in a strange posture and I have to stop eventually.
I've told 2 therapists about my hair pulling habits. They usually ask if it's distressing to me, which mostly it's not, so they don't try to get me to stop. It's comforting to me and it's not in places where others will notice. Super vulnerable sharing that, but I imagine others are in similar places, so maybe it's helpful to share my experience.
I've been picking at the skin on the sides if my fingers for about 2 years now and I hope this works😩 I've found 1 trigger that makes it worse but I do it pretty much all the time. I have social anxiety and when I'm in social situations the picking gets more aggressive.
I am typing out a commit because I noticed that I was pulling hair lol I am really trying to kick this habit because I've nearly scarred my scalp and really want my hair to grow back. Thank you so much for your kind tone of voice, the people around me are not always very nice about this habit
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 just answered all these questions and it was really emotional and eye opening for me. I really needed this thank you sooo much! I’ve been picking for most of my life and it’s crazy how much I learned about myself while doing this! Thank youuu sooo muchhh
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.
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 🙏 ❤️ 😊
thank you for this. i've only been biting and eating (so gross) the skin inside of my mouth and picking at the skin on my scalp for only around a year and i honestly had no idea it was any more than a bad habit. I i hope this will help me stop doing these things!
just found myself picking at my scalp almost directly after this comment without realizing what i was doing, so i guess i have my work cut out for me...
Hey! That's what this is all about. Learn some triggers and be more aware. Also not shaming yourself. If it happens it happens. We just keep learning every day! 😃
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 🦋
Oh so this is a thing too, well damn 😂 I usually pick my skin/acne when I'm anxious/worried, guess it has something to do with being self-concious about my skin since childhood so if I see any bumps I get the urge to purge them. Been quite great for a while now though! And my skin is clearer than ever before 🙏🏻
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!
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
This video kinda made me want to cry... I’ve always felt so disgusting and really feared if people found out about my habits. The way you talked in this video made me feel safe, understand, and normal. I realize now that I’m not a disgusting person, I just need to kick some bad habits. Thank you so much for this video!
You're so welcome! I wish you the best!
Me Too
Same here
This is like on another level for me tooo
Same, it made me cry toward the end when he validated us by saying its okay that It happens don't beat yourself up, cause ik i feel so bad after going it
@@ocdandanxiety I pull out my hair then ingest it, been doing it since age 4, 24 now.
As soon as I get something to pop "perfectly" it triggers an almost trance like state where I keep looking for the next "perfect" pop, even if I destroy my skin it all seems worthwhile at the moment. After I have a picking relapse I feel like a lepar , I avoid people like the plague for weeks after. Seemingly appears to be triggered often from dopaminergic drugs..
Yes exactly, like picking a scab off and you finally got it all off...you shouldn’t do it but it somehow feels like the ultimate goal in the moment.
Same! Its nice to know that im not the only one
YES, THIS
i always thought that i was the only one. even if i destroy my body, that perfect “pop” is all worth it in the end. to me at least. and after that, i go at it over, and over, and over again. i feel extremely guilty and horrible after. im just glad that i found someone that does something similar to me.
@@veeschu its a daily struggle, I hope you find a solution to getting rid of the obsession friend!
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
the guilt that comes after the skin picking honestly makes me feel like something is severely wrong with me. i feel so disappointed and disgusted every time i look in the mirror and i’m honestly so tired of it. i can’t even go out in public without feeling like everyone is judging me from a distance. i don’t want to feel this way anymore :(
I feel exactly the same 💔
Literally not alone, this made me tear up because it’s the same thing for me too
One thing that can bring comfort is the knowledge of how God sees each individual. He doesn't focus on mortal imperfections. He sees a person's heart, their potential. He deeply cares. If nothing else helps, I hope this knowledge does. Stay strong and do your best, even if it's just a little at a time. 🤍
Oh my god same…. I finally asked someone for the first time last year if they had ever taken a sharp object to their face or acne before and they looked at me like I was actually crazy so out of curiosity I asked somebody else shortly after and got the same response. That’s what initially made me look at my symptoms as perhaps OCD and not just harmful nail biting and face picking. The nail in the coffin was asking my full blood brother and he said “oh yeah, I totally do that too” at least I’m not alone 🤷♀️
I completely understand. After a couple years of. My problem has shifted from picking my legs to my face and it makes it incredibly hard to go out after this. Because it seems that I look like a different person to me and I wish I could back in time and take it back. Its important to realize you are not alone we got this!
The way you talk is so sweet 🥺 I feel comforted by your voice! Thank you for this video, I didn’t know where to start to fix this.
Thanks so much for your kind words! It means a lot! 😃
Me too 🥺🥺
Thanks so much!!
I know!!!
Kinda like he’s speaking with a child... our inner child 👁👄👁.
I needed this, i noticed that i hair pull the most when im alone feeling bored, stressed and worried. I get relief while doing it because its a distraction and makes me feel more relaxed, after i feel ashamed tho because i have now given myself a bald spot. about to watch part two. thank u for this info.
I hope it was helpful for you! 👊😉
omg same I have this hugeee bald spot now and I feel so insecure about it. and the growing hairs just stick up :(
where's hair that u pull
Nitish Dubey i think his scalp
@@vimae947 me too and it’s right on the top of my head and I feel like people will make fun of me so I always just ether don’t look at people or cover it and IT JUST GETS SO ITCHY so if u have any way to make it help from itching I will gladly do that
Shout out to all my fellow relapse’rs👋😣
You're amazing!!
OCD and Anxiety thank you, im doing the best i can😅☺️
7 years in. I do it less but it doesn’t get easier. Hope everyone can push through 😥
@@estpsama3229 we can do this!
I’ll be doing good and then I do it unconsciously and get a new scab 😞
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
this video- no judgement, giving me tools, helping me learn about my behaviour, helping me track my behaviour and feel less helpless.
the comments- helping me feel less alone, putting my feelings into words
basically, tonight is my first night of tracking, and really trying to help myself cope with this behaviour. Thank you to the creator of the video, and good luck everyone! you’re not alone in this situation, and you are not any less valuable or bad for having a repetitive behaviour like this
I really found fake nails helped me not have the ability to gauge at my skin and rip it off. The problem here being that it's expensive and not always easy to keep up getting my nails done all the time.
This video really helped me realize that I should look more inward to tackle this as a mental disorder and go forward to address it. Thankyou for making this video, the empathy and kindness on how you talk is actually really soothing to hear during this topic.
*suddenly notices I'm picking at acne while watching video
Lmaoo while I was reading ur comment I was picking at it
Same ☹
Lmao why u call me out like that 😂😂
I pick at my acne a lot too, you are not alone.
me with my trichotillomania, pulling: 👁👄👁
I’ve hair pulled and skin picked since I can remember. I’m now 25 and have scars all over my legs and face, but I’ve only just noticed these :( it happens in the bathroom, look in the mirror and get a major urge, and have spent HOURS doing it before I even realised how much damage I’ve done. I never knew it had a name!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I hope you are able to find some treatment. It can really help. I look at bfrb.org for providers. 😉
I understand and I'm sorry, I too have scars from plucked and scrape at the healing pop skins. And the ingrown hair made it worse as i must get them out. It's repetitive and quite second nature to me to pick and scratch at them when i'm alone. I started very young at scratching acnes and also find the answer of what it is actually called a few months ago. Bfrb is a long struggle for me as it is my coping of mental trauma and stress related things. I usually covered them up. I hope we can start being aware of our need to pick, and this strategy can be a start, and not worry too much of the slip up. Thanks
Honestly, same. I pick and bite. I'm 22 now, and my skin looks so horrid in certain places. My mom would say stuff to me, like how nobody would want to date a girl who has scars all over.
I'm just now trying to stop. I work in healthcare position, so I really NEED to stop biting my nails completely. Having open sores on my fingers and nails won't be serve me well when dealing with unhygienic situations. I need to stop, but sometimes...it just helps me so much to bite and pick. It's eases stress. But also causes more stress
try b vitamins orthomolecular therapy.
Me too.
My best wishes go out to all these tortured souls. It’s tough being the odd sheep.
Thank you😭❤️
Thanks man ❤️
Encouragement??
Thank you 💙💜
…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 currently pulling the fuzz off my fluffy pillow while watching this to cope instead of pulling my hair. I've had trichotillomania since 3rd grade, and I am in 7th grade now. It's been a long journey and I can say that for myself! I remember in 3rd grade I started to get more anxious for various reasons. When I got anxious, especially in school, I pulled my hair to cope with all these negative thoughts. As well as this, I pulled my hair out and chewed on it. Let's just say that it was very bad. I even got a bald spot which I was very anxious about as well, which added even more fear and guilt. We got my hair cut short, and I used various coping mechanisms. I've recently started pulling again sadly, but I'm working on it! I appreciate all your tips, they really help me a bunch. If you are someone with trichotillomania, please keep fighting! There is hope, trust me. I'll be on the journey with you guys to recovery!
-From, Gracie!
Ap recover kr gye??
Keep up the good work, Gracie! Proud of you 💟
Since 8th grade ive picked my skin religously, I have a break down and pick my skin to relieve stress then ill work the whole week to heal my face, so ill wear bandaids and ointments and Ill just stay home and not leave my room just to heal the mess ive done. Now that im in college I notice my acne scars from over th years, im working on trying to clear my skin but the main factor that causes me to pick is stress and thats why my skin is horrid durring the winter time and clear durring the summer. I hope one day I can stop myself
Thanks for sharing what you go through! I hope you can find some relief soon! 😃
Damn, there’s no better comment that reflects my own life. I went from top of my year to the lowest. Had to make up for lost time. It’s been a long battle and I relapse less. I hope everyone gets through it.
Oh my gosh I felt like I was reading the exact thing I try to tell people when I express I have dermatillomania. I literally cover my arms and hide for a week or two while I lather ointments.
I just wanna wish the best of the best to anyone who's going through these kind of problems, i don't know how it feels like, but i imagine it must be painful, tiring and stressing, you can do this, you rock, stay strong boissss
Thank you man. You too.
I pick the scabs in my head all the time every single day. I’m scared imma go bald because I end up pulling roots 😭
trichotillomania??
I pick scabs on my scalp a lot too, even when my scalp starts bleeding I can’t stop myself from doing it :(
i want to cut my hair to the salon but im scared i will get judged
Same I have loads of scabs that I just pick, It hurts but it feels good
i love picking strands of my hair, especially when i can get the roots. i am addicted to a specific texture of a hair strand, and how the roots feel at the end. i cant stop :(
It wasn't until recently when I realized that my simple habits were actually a major anxiety and stress response issue. I had actually thinned my hair out so much by grooming myself 24/7...Thank you so much! 😌
I am 59 years old and have been picking the skin around my thumbs for at least 50 years. I have been able to stop several times during that period, but always come back to it. This has always been shameful to me, and I cover up with bandaids to prevent anyone from seeing it. Moving on to Part 2 of the video now, thank you!!
Hi I do the same. I think I’ve began having nerve issues. Thumbs twitch and go numb on a daily basis. I’ve only been doing this for maybe 15 years so as someone who’s done it way longer do you have the same issues?
Hello. I do not have those issues.@@madalynwatt9850
Ive struggled with this for years. Seems hopeless but Ill keep chugging along and see if I can figure it out.
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.
Had trich since I was 8-am now thirty. Grew my eyebrows out the last two months for the first time in 22 years. I don’t even know what my adult face looks like with natural brows.
Relapsed badly this week. All gone again, back to square one. The discouragement is hard to describe. Even knowing they *will* grow back in full and thick if I leave them alone long enough. Doesn’t seem to matter how good I do-I always have a day or two where the landslide starts again, and then I can’t stop until they’re gone completely.
I want so badly to be free of this. First time I’ve watched videos about the condition. Hoping very much I can start to change these behavioral patterns.
2 years later - Rooting for you! Would love an update x
Same as soon as I grow it back I take it out it's disgusting and debilitating
For many years, I gouged the skin around my fingers so badly that all 10 digits were constantly bloody and ugly. It was so embarrassing; I was forever folding my fingers in on themselves to try to hide it. I still pick at the skin around my nails when stressed, but I’ve taken to keeping little clippers in several places so that as soon as I feel a hangnail, I neatly take care of it. My fingers now look normal most of the time; my thumbs are much better but occasionally take a beating depending on what’s happening in my life. Because it’s such an unconscious thing, I really have to keep those hangnails under control and my nails super short. It’s the only way for me to control it 🤷♀️ Thank you for this. I had no idea I wasn’t alone...
I pick my bottom lip and have done for 7 years. No more, after finding these videos! I remember when I was in foster care for a year when I was 9, I started picking and gouging at my scalp. I never did this at any other time in my life. Even though my whole childhood was traumatic as my mother is an alcoholic.. there's definitely some stress response which starts these habits off. I also had some disturbing sensory hallucinations in the evenings around this time so it must have been an extremely stressful event for my little brain to cope with.. now I'm 36 and determined to stop this damaging habit! Lip balm and regular gentle lip brushing is the way forward
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!!
the cheerful music in this video is giving me the STRONGEST cognitive dissonance bc he's just stating all of my worst habits while this nice upbeat music plays lmao
Your energy, vibe, positivity, intelligence, empathy is GREATLY APPRECIATED
YOU EARNED A SUBSCRIBER
*anxiety cheek biter*
Omg, I cannot believe how well detailed my problem is described. You nailed all the situations and the beliefs around the conduct. Self register it seems to be very important, thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
You are so welcome
i’m really crying right now, this is exactly what i need, thank you so much.
my disorder started when i was 2, but i can’t just stop, even until now that i am already 15. it left me noticable wounds and this really triggered my body dysmorphia and my anxiety.
i beated my onychopagia and have stopped biting my fingernails for 8 months now, and i really can’t wait for the time that i will beat my dermatilomania... hopefully i could.
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 :)
I'm now a month clean. It's helping. I use moisturizers to help. Thank you so much 💙
Thanks for sharing!!
Hiii, I tried using pimple cream or antiseptic cream.. works for about a few months ,, then I will relapse again.
I was told when I was in therapy I had Excoriation Disorder years ago but never told me how to help myself. They just told me to stop doing it. Thank goodness I’m not alone in this
I started biting my nails at a very young age but at some point it developed into Dermatophagia (biting and picking skin on fingers). Now I’m realizing I’ve had this for nearly ten years and all I want is for my hands and fingers to look normal again. I also realize the various other BFRBs I have, and this video gives me hope that perhaps I can finally overcome them, instead of letting them continue.
i did not know what trichotillomania was, i am struggling with it, it is really hard to stop, i constantly pull it from my skull, eyes, brows. i dont have a therapist, i finally told my mom about it, she didnt consider it as some kind of disorder, she got angry and called me crazy. i keep trying, i count days of how many days/hours i go without pulling. thank you for the video and these comforting comments:)))
My friend.
You are changing lives.
I hope you know this
I have scalp picking issues, I do this whenever I am bored or just to relieve my anxiety. In the process I completely destroyed my hair pattern, it went from wavy to flat and frizzy and I’ve tried oil and hair masks along with applying neosporin to the scars. I’d appreciate tips with helping my hair go back to what it was.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences! You're awesome!😃
I have the same problem, I always pick my scalp because it doesn't hurt as much as picking any other skin parts, it's been years now and I can feel some dry blood that never goes away because I keep picking on it when it's not healed yet. When I can't find any pickable bumps anymore I scratch it so hard until it bleeds a little. Now it is combined with impulsively cutting my hair, I miss my long hair and my head keeps itching because of those dry blood patches. I wish I can live like normal again
Same I also pick at my scalp I'm telling my dad Tommorow
@@GinkgoBee omg I do exactly the same thing, incessantly picking at my scalp, ends up making me feel like my hair is constantly dirty too
@@garimajoshi9270 YES , i feel this too, ill take a shower or i have to put my hair up even if i just got out the shower.
i already sort of knew the environments and triggers for my skin picking but it was really helpful to organize and write it all down and really think about it. it’s nice to know that this is not something that is incredibly rare or disgusting and that there are other people in the comments who also struggle with this
I started pulling out my eye lashes in second grade. Didn't understand it's a OCD disorder for many years. I grew up in DV and abuse and it was a way back then to handle anxiety about what was happening at home and once it started I learned it soothed social anxiety. This was helpful. Thank you for posting it.
I also deal with social anxiety but did not have pain in my childhood. Apart from a disorder of eating and as an adult I dealed with OCD.
Thanks bro, got rid of my trich, I was trapped in it for over 12 years! Haven't plucked a single hair since watching your video. It's been a month now and I am sure I'm sure I won't go back.
as stressful and overwhelming as it is for me to start thinking about treatment and tracking, your vibes are just SO NICE! the way you talk about this is so comforting and kind and that makes it way less scary :)))
Thanks!
I'm a bit late, but I've wanted to stop picking myself for years. This is very helpful!
It is never too late my friend! You can do it! Make sure to watch part 2 😃
His voice is really soothing!i could listen to him all day!
Haha. Thanks!
recently found out that Repeated Body Focused Behavior, is not uncommon in people with ADHD. everyone has the impulse to pick / pull, but with ADHD, it is way more difficult to control that urge
Yup, it’s actually a stim for me. I get really nail biter whilst reading or watching a movie because I need the dopamine to concentrate on those tasks. But there’s a huge Venn diagram overlap between OCD and ADHD so I dunno what that means
My family has always viewed my skin picking as rebellious and they beat me, yell at me, point at my imperfections and expects me to stop picking immediately. My breaking point is when my mom and brother talks about what i'll be punished with like it's normal because my dad gave me harsh punishments for this. The last time he yelled at me, he threatened to kick me out of the house. I'm scared.. so scared. I just want a new family. I want a family who researches and supports instead of blaming me for my mental problems. I can't help it.
Oh I´m so sorry for you :(
You poor darling. Just take heart. Is there someone at school like a counsellor you can talk to?
Same story here 😢
My guardians used to violently beat me for pulling my eye lashes and picking at my face. When I first heard that other people go thru this I cried for hours. It started when I was about 8 and I am now 44 years old and still gouge my face. It's embarrassing for me. I will wear masks or something to cover them. Or tell people I got burned by grease or had a mole removed... Along those lines. Talk to Someone who u feel safe with.
sending love and compassion
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 so happy I'm not the only one! I thought I was weird and alone because I did this. This helped out alot, thank you so much!
🚨Step-By-Step Program to learn how to stop hair pulling, skin picking, & nail biting. (try for free) 👉 www.ocd-anxiety.com/bfrb-online
I pick out my eyelashes and eyebrows when im bored. you really truely helped me discover a way i can stop it. Thank you so much and i love u
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
thank you so much. I'm a hair puller for most of my life, I'm 51 and bald. I hate this disorder. I just beat cancer, but can't seem to get a handle on this. I want my hair back. You are awesome and soothing.
Same here..51 but I shaved my head and although I find a way to pull a sprout it's not as bad...
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!!
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.
My parents hate the fact that I pull out my hair but don't allow me to go to therapy, kinda ironic
Same
Same, but with my skin. I have derma
Go anyway Ann . Good luck
That is how it normally goes, you must do your best to take care of you
Same and i hate it when they just tell me to stop 😐 like? I can't resist it 🤨
honestly realizing I had skin picking disorder just made it worse for me, because it made me think that, since it is not just "something I do" but a psychological disorder, I couldn't do anything and couldn't control myself anyway. In the end, I just accepted to live with the fact that I was going to continue skin picking 24h and scarring myself for life... But now I'm really trying to fight it, I found NAC supplements to be useful because they calm my anxiety, but definitely not enough for me to stop this. One other thing that worked it that I removed the mirror form my bathroom. Generally, taking care of my skin and having a routine also motivates me to stop because I feel like by picking I am "undoing" the results of my skincare. However, although these methods help, I still have almost constantly my hands on my face, ears, arms, and neck looking for textural irregularities and scratching them, and I can still spend 1-2 hours at my mirror just damaging my skin till I bleed...
I so relate to you & I'm sorry you too are struggling. I have other anxiety issues that I have really worked hard on & have dramatically improved....but it hasn't helped this problem. When you said how you felt about oh well nothing I can do I feel that. I wish I had answers for us. If you find something that helps please post it!! I wish you the best & try to be kind to yourself.
Boy can I relate to the irregularities being a trigger for picking! When I read that it was the first time I realized that’s what always triggers me especially if I’m under stress
Guys i did this for a 2 weeks. Identified when I do it , where I do it, what kind of clothes I'm wearing at that time, noted it all. Then I simply tried to avoid picking it was hard at first but not so much, I still do it sometimes but it's better now. During the times when I'm more likely to do it I oil my skin ( olive oil) it gets hard to pick, wear loose clothes, and cover that area ( wear long sleeves or pajamas) to make it less accessible. While the pickings not completely gone my scans have reduced alot ( coz of the oil n less picking). You can do this, give it a try.
I really appreciate this video! It's SO HARD to stop but I just want pretty skin 🥺
I never realised I had a problem, I've always picked at my skin. But over the last year or so I've done it to the point where I'm bleeding, and especially on my feet I pick at my soles so much I walk with pain, and I'm afraid to let people see my hands
Oh no. I'm so sorry my friend. This sounds like it would be so painful. I hope you can find some relief for what you're struggle with soon! 😃
I do it to the top of my head once I was doing it in bed and felt blood run down my head
My fingers bleed every day I just remove my skin around nails until they bleed and this been since I was soon young.
I thought I was the only one to do it. I have been picking the skin under my feet since I was a kid. I am 42 now and I still do it because it calms me down. However, I usually end up picking too much skin, so much that my feet bleed and I can hardly walk. As of now, I cannot keep my right foot with the sole on the bed because it hurts. I tried to stop, to use tools and creams to make my feet smooth but even when they are smooth I still pick the skin 🙄
My Therapist has suggested this video. I am 58 years old. I started hair pulling and then eventually picking at any rough skin I could find. Note, apparently when I quit smoking (1 1/2 to 2 packs a day) I developed these new habits. Looking back to childhood, I picked as a child and teenager to deal with my parents bad arguing. When I started smoking as a teenager, I stopped picking. So....I am a grandma with an embarrassing set of habits. This video made me feel that I am not alone. I am definitely going to use SCAMP and document my journey to recovery. I'll be checking in on Video 2. Thank you Nathan Peterson, you are comforting in explaining my BFRB'S.
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.
this guys tone of voice is just so wholesome and loving i genuinely feel likes he cares about 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.
You talk like someone who’s been through this, very relatable and eye opening thank you
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!
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’m going to share some thing embarrassing so that maybe it makes y’all feel a little bit less alone. I have seen so many people with hair pulling dermatillomania that feel so self-conscious about biting or chewing on the follicles of their hair so I’m just gonna let you all know I bite the skin around my nails and then swallow it. I can’t just throw away the nails or skin that I bite off. Wow that was actually physically painful to say out loud and I want to delete that comment so fast but, support and rally right 🤟🏻🤟🏻
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.
I do skin picking and even if I tell myself to stop sometimes I JUST CAN'T
my skin is litteraly red or swolen or just bleeding everytime...I can't Stop it even if I'm walking,sometimes I just suddenly sit and pick it...People find my skin on the floor or in the carpet or in the bin idk what to do :/
I've went 5 days without picking the skin on my thumb, I've picked my thumb to the point where its bleeding, swollen and red. I use hand creams and ointments to stop
Me also it's out of control
Man I get it letting you know I care for you sometimes I'll litterly bite a layer or 2 of my nail of without even noticing it sucks man. I need help
It started as a small child , twiddling my hair. Then we moved area, I started on my eyelashes. Then my hair and skin. Anxiety and fear, resulting in shame and guilt. I've got wirey easily broken hair, so the really wirey bits, or the breaking ones cause the most satisfaction. My vacuum gets blocked! I've had it cut short again to try and reduce the pulling, but then find I can pick instead. I'm 62 now, but what a relief to see the comments,and wish you all the best, not to harm yourselves for a lifetime. I'll get my journal out. Thank you!
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 :)
Before - during - after the BFRB:
Sensory - Cognitive (Thoughts) - Affective (Feeling) - Motor (Movement) - Place
ive been pulling my eyelashes and eyebrows since i was like 10. makes me feel awful cause i feel like my inability to control it is like a metaphor for everything in my life i'm not strong enough to control. makes me really hate myself when i do it and feel really ashamed. like people can literally read my weaknesses off my face when they see my patches. sometimes i think i should get therapy but then the next time that its been a couple hours since ive pulled i talk myself out of it and tell myself im just being dramatic and that i should just pull myself together and stop.
Hi... we cant help each other! Dont know how... But maybe having a partner could help a lot, as a therapy like AA... Ive been pulling my eyebrows since 2015, im 28 now... And is still with me... Im looking for helo, and a partner with the same issue... this is my IG if you want to talk @anagabriela.cd ... you powerfull!
I literally cant stop picking at like the skin on the side of my nails. there's nothing to it I just do it without even noticing
Same to the point I give myself blisters and marks I’m really struggling to stop your not alone!
Same here. My hands have sores on every nail/finger. I start with the cuticles and keep going. I look for dry skin and i keep pulling. Tried to stop myself but i get really stressed, then I get really frustrated and ashamed after. If my boyfriend tries to stop me I get mad at him. I am struggling really hard with this. I’m currently on medication for anxiety and depression but nothing have helped this so far. Now I ordered a few fidgets and hand lotion and hopefully I can “entertain” my hands with them instead of picking at them. I do feel really bad abut this issue.
It makes me feel better to know I'm not alone with the dry skin picking. I tear my nails and legs up something fierce. Now, when my husband notices I'm picking at my nails or lips he wil come sit by me and hold my hands (all romantic like 😍) for a while until the intense urge to pick passes. Iv taken to useing a stress ball to help not pick at my hands when my hubby isn't available. Keeping my nails very short helps.
I'm also very lucky that my depression meds help with my anxiety as well.
Yes
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 found your video very helpful... I just love how calm and collective you are. I'll be watching more of your videos, thank you❤
I'm almost thirty and I've picked my skin since I can remember. Over twenty years now. I get into these sessions where I'm unconsciously doing it for hours. I can't look into mirrors or else I'll forget to do anything else. I've even inadvertently missed work and other important occasions due to this behavior. People notice my scars and ask me. I tell them honestly that I have some mental disorder, but then I feel somewhat ashamed afterwards. I also feel like it could be one of the reasons people avoid me, since I haven't had any friends, relationships, or social connections since before I was ten. I feel like my unsightly condition gives people the creeps.
I've created a Discord community to stop picking my skin for one month. If you are interested feel free to check the group out😌 discord.gg/xS5UN3M4
I didn't know this was a thing, I thought I was just weird because I'm always chewing at the skin of my fingers and pulling off the dead skin with my teeth until I have a lot of callouses. I think I started by chewing the cuticles of my fingernails which I thought was normal because a lot of people chew their nails, then I guess I started unconsciously chewing my fingertips when I was anxious and I didn't realize that until middle school when I went to a pool party and my friends all noticed that the white dead skin on my fingernails was covered in spots that were only visible when I was pruney. At this point I have purple callouses on several fingers and still chew at them when I'm anxious (which is always lol) or when I feel a piece of loose dead skin and get so focused on it that I have to chew it. My mom keeps telling me to stop and everyone thinks it's gross but I can't seem to stop. Hopefully this helps.
Wow! Thanks for sharing your experiences! Most of the time individuals are okay with their BFRB until it starts interfering with their life. I hope this video can help you! 😃 I wish you the best!
I do the same but I use my nails, tweezers and nail clippers. I'm so sick of being in pain all the time and bleeding all over the place.
@@ocdandanxiety yeah it started interfering when I get yelled at for picking at it
Like people even think that i pick my foot because my phone they blame my phone or me XD
I feel this 100%
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
most videos i find aren’t helpful but this is so helpful!! thank you just subscribed 💜trying to stop destroying my body ):
Oh thanks for the kind words! You're too kind! I hope you can find some relief soon! 👍🏻
OCD and Anxiety thank you so much(:
I've often found myself picking skin off my fingers until they bleed, and would regret it as it would really sting whenever I washed my hands afterwards, but I've never been able to stop, and I didn't realise this was OCD-related until today. Now I know, I'm going to try to stop as I've recently managed to beat a couple of other habits
Thank you :)
This is the best method!!! This is how I stoped 10 years ago and I didn't even know it had a name! I relapsed and I'm restarting, now i'm 10month without pulling but skin picking is still bad, I'm getting better :D
Amazing! Thanks for sharing!
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 pluck leg hair with tweezers. Once I've shaved my legs or plucked them once, the compulsion to pluck is stronger as I'm more likely to get the black ends. It started when I was 16 and had panic disorder as a way to relieve intense anxiety. I stopped for ages, but started again after becoming anxious about my health and feeling helpless.
Same. I've never let myself feel bad for doing this - I just want them to be out. But then a half hour or more goes by in a strange posture and I have to stop eventually.
I've told 2 therapists about my hair pulling habits. They usually ask if it's distressing to me, which mostly it's not, so they don't try to get me to stop. It's comforting to me and it's not in places where others will notice. Super vulnerable sharing that, but I imagine others are in similar places, so maybe it's helpful to share my experience.
I've been picking at the skin on the sides if my fingers for about 2 years now and I hope this works😩
I've found 1 trigger that makes it worse but I do it pretty much all the time. I have social anxiety and when I'm in social situations the picking gets more aggressive.
I am typing out a commit because I noticed that I was pulling hair lol I am really trying to kick this habit because I've nearly scarred my scalp and really want my hair to grow back. Thank you so much for your kind tone of voice, the people around me are not always very nice about this habit
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 just answered all these questions and it was really emotional and eye opening for me. I really needed this thank you sooo much! I’ve been picking for most of my life and it’s crazy how much I learned about myself while doing this! Thank youuu sooo muchhh
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?
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 🙏 ❤️ 😊
thank you for this. i've only been biting and eating (so gross) the skin inside of my mouth and picking at the skin on my scalp for only around a year and i honestly had no idea it was any more than a bad habit. I i hope this will help me stop doing these things!
just found myself picking at my scalp almost directly after this comment without realizing what i was doing, so i guess i have my work cut out for me...
Hey! That's what this is all about. Learn some triggers and be more aware. Also not shaming yourself. If it happens it happens. We just keep learning every day! 😃
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 🦋
Oh so this is a thing too, well damn 😂 I usually pick my skin/acne when I'm anxious/worried, guess it has something to do with being self-concious about my skin since childhood so if I see any bumps I get the urge to purge them. Been quite great for a while now though! And my skin is clearer than ever before 🙏🏻
I just want to say thank you, listening to this and reading the comments means the world to me. Ty Doc.
I am always looking for a dry patch... when i stop picking my lips i start nail biting, and when i stop the nail biting i pick my lips :( cant do both
I'm sorry for what you're going through. What's cool is the treatment is the same for anything type of BFRB.
@@ocdandanxiety thank you for this channel!
We’re suffering the same way
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