Skin picking disorder, also known as dermatillomania, is a mental health condition where a person compulsively picks or scratches their skin, causing injuries or scarring. It is considered a type of repetitive "self-grooming" behavior called "Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior" (BFRB). The following are some symptoms of skin picking disorder:
- Skin picking that’s ongoing or happens repeatedly.
- Multiple attempts to stop skin picking or to do it less often.
- Negative impact on various aspects of your life, including your work or social life, because of shame, embarrassment, or other similar emotions.
- Skin picking behavior doesn’t happen because of any other medical condition, such as scabies or other skin-related conditions, or because of a drug (recreational or prescription).
There are various treatments for skin picking disorder, including therapy and medications. Some of the therapies used to treat skin picking disorder include:
- Acceptance and commitment therapy: This therapy method helps people change behaviors like skin picking by accepting negative feelings that fuel the behavior. Mindfulness and other positive coping mechanisms also play a role.
- Stimulus control: This therapy involves making changes to your environment to help curb skin picking.
In addition to therapy, there are some strategies that people with skin picking disorder can use to help manage their condition. These include:
- Putting Clear-it or acne ointment on sore spots to attend to the physical discomfort by doing something positive.
- Using sensory strategies such as exercise, face-stimulator, touch-toys/fiddle toys, and face-care routine.
- Thinking about different levels of picking, such as "A" spots, "B" spots, and "C" spots, to help identify which spots are better off left alone.
- Using others decisions as a guide by talking to non-pickers to help grasp the idea that there are other choices besides picking at a spot that is sore.
It is important to note that skin picking can be a very dangerous behavior, capable of manifesting some very serious life-threatening or near-fatal conditions. Therefore, it is essential to seek professional help if you or someone you know is struggling with skin picking disorder.
