Skin Picking Depression and its Effects

Skin Picking Depression and its Effects

Skin Picking Disorder or Compulsive Skin Picking (CSP) is defined as a habitual picking of skin lesions or excessive scratching, squeezing, or picking of unhealthy skin.

Initially, it is perceived to be a result of poor hygiene but they are unaware that there are neurological repercussions connected with this condition.

This condition manifest itself during a person’s teen years, up to his or her 20’s. This usually happens when the person is coping with depression or anxiety but yet he or she is not fully conscious that the skin is already being picked. Individuals who are suffering from skin picking disorder frequently have co-existing psychiatric disorder. The common psychological disorder connected to this condition is OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Skin picking depression is caused by high levels of stress, anxiety, or depression resulting to the urge to constantly pick the skin. Scratching or skin picking, for some people, it provides a feeling of relief or pleasure. However unconscious skin picking may lead to minor scrapes to obliteration of the skin itself. Bleeding, bruising and infections are very common. It affects an individual’s social life and relationships because skin picking leads to permanent disfigurement. Sufferers will try to conceal the skin damage cosmetically or wearing thick clothing. In severe cases, the sufferers become recluse themselves to avoid people seeing them in such conditions.
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Skin-picking depression can be treated immediately. The treatment, however, is dependent on the level of awareness of the patient to the problem.

Skin-picking depression is treated with psychotherapy because it is stemming from a psychological disorder. Two approaches of this treatment are Habit Reversal Training and Exposure and Responsive Prevention.

OCD or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder medications are used to treat skin-picking depression. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, which include fluxetine, setraline, and paroxetine are the drugs that are utilized for CSP.

Research also suggests that therapy to combat depression is a successful method to counteract skin picking. Alleviating neurotic excoriation is not a difficult process. Better get a consultation with a psychiatrist or psychologist first.

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Skin Picking Disorder and its Causes

Skin Picking Disorder is a compulsive urge to pick the skin in different parts of the body until that part is mutilated and obliterated. This is a disorder where a person picks their skin over and over, which is often bad enough to cause tissue damage. This disorder is also a cause of concern because it affects the day-to-day activities and social esteem of a person. Since this is a form of self-mutilation, the situation is very grave considering the one afflicted is not aware that what he or she is doing may lead to permanent tissue damage.

There are a lot of causes for skin picking disorder. Since psychiatrists classify this behavior as an impulse control disorder, it is probably caused by a combination of environmental and biological factors. Dermatillomania sufferers are known to possess symptoms of depression and anxiety. The exact root cause of this behavior is still a mystery.

What are the reasons why people with skin picking disorder continue their behaviors? Perhaps, people can elaborate as to why they keep on doing so. One is to soothe them when they are stressed. Many people feel a need for self-soothing and find ways to feel better when they pick skin. The nervous system is relieved and relaxed once skin picking is achieved. Another is for stimulation. If the person is idle or bored, chances are they would pick their skin to achieve stimulation. It can help them focus on their tasks, otherwise, they will be distracted.

Treatments for skin picking disorder. Even though more research is needed on treatments, some research suggests that CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy may help with this condition. It is a treatment where the old habits have to be replaced by new and constructive habits. Another form of therapy that can help is the ACT or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Researches also believe that toxicology can help in treating skin picking. Fluovamine, fluoxetine, and escitalopram are included in this kind of medications.

The treatments for skin picking are mentioned above. However due to ignorance and apathy, people still have no idea what are the effects of compulsive skin picking.

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Understanding Why Picking Skin Off Lips

Skin picking off lips may be brought about by a variety of reasons. There are a lot of reasons why people would stop and peel the skin off lips to the point of bleeding. Climate may be viewed as the cause why people pick skin off lips. Other causes of skin picking off lips are stress and anxiety, with its initial symptoms starting during childhood.

Almost everyone in their life may have experienced dry chapped lips. This may be brought about by overexposure to extreme weather. Extreme weather can be defined as chilling cold of winter, and the slow cooked burns of summer. Under both conditions, the lips have a tendency to peel. The normal reaction is to let the body to heal itself without exacerbating the situation. To counter act the dryness; they employ a chap stick or a lip balm.

People who are picking skin off their lips have no idea why they do this. Some answer it is out of boredom why they do it while some wants to smoothen the part of the lips that is parched. Picking skin off lips may have an underlying psychological explanation that needs to be examined and deciphered.

The habit of excessive picking, scratching off skin is defined as Compulsive Skin Picking. Other doctors call it the following: pathological skin picking, neurotic excoriation or dermatillomania. This behavior happens mostly in the subconscious that is why people are not aware they are picking skin off their lips. Psychiatrists classify this as an impulse control disorder.

Psychiatrists also observe that picking skin off lips is related to obsessive-compulsive behavior. It is a responsive action brought about by stress and anxiety. Picking skin off lips may be a stress reliever but they are unaware that they are pulling the skin already.

To treat this condition, it is important that the patient must know the level of awareness of his or her skin picking. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and drug therapy may be needed to treat this condition.

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Picking Skin Around Nails and its Causes

Compulsive skin picking disorder is not limited to certain parts of the body, it extends to a lotof parts as well. It also includes biting and picking skin around nails on the hands and at times, the feet. Onychophagia is called the continuous biting, chewing and picking of skin around the fingers and cuticle areas. Children as well as adults are affected by this common oral compulsive habit.

Sensitivity to pain by the bitten fingertips are one of the effects of picking skin around nails. This occurs usually at the place the skin meets the edge of the nail. Hangnails are those broken skin around the cuticles. Broken and loose distended skin particles are often painful when hit by other objects. They are often removed through the use of nail clippers and tweezers. If they are improperly removed, chances of complications may occur.

They are susceptible to microbial and viral infections. This may be caused by the transportation of bacteria that are buried under the surface of the nail or by pinworms from the anus region then straight to the mouth. The social interaction of a person is greatly affected because of the low-self esteem brought about permanent disfigurement. Another compounding situation is that if a person has OCD, he or she will continue picking until it leads to further skin tissue damage. It’s a vicious cycle because the damage skin will entice the person to keep on biting and chewing.

Treatment for people picking skin around nails are a dime a dozen. Usually, the suggestion is to replace this bad habit by discouraging it and employing a more constructive and better habit.

The other types of treatment are behavioral therapy. This treatment is a resort used when other treatments have failed. To unlearn the habit of nail biting, habit reversal training is employed. Stimulation control therapy concentrates on the cause of the picking and tries to address it immediately.

What matters is diagnosing and treating the disorder.

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Prevent Skin Picking

A common affliction is skin-picking but this is the weirdest type among the list of disorders. Hundreds and thousands of people around the world suffer from dermatillomania. A person may have to review all aspects of his life if he or she has a skin picking disorder. It may cause a person to be detached from society and become a recluse in the house to avoid office, work and other social engagements. On the physical aspect, skin picking may lead to permanent disfigurement, and infection. Luckily, there are various treatments to stop skin picking. Skin-picking disorder can be controlled and stopped by following the treatments listed below.


• Figure out what is the cause that urges the person to pick his or her skin. Jot down or make notes of the situations that lead you to pick your skin. Take the case when a stressful situation arise and the person picks his or her skin, it is better to jot this down so next time one can avoid similar stressful situations to prevent picking.

• Learn how to control emotions and stress. Try to learn breathing techniques and exercises. One can combat stress and anxiety through meditation or inhalation of fresh air.

• It is also important to make sure the hands don’t remain idle. Due to boredom, skin pickers are unaware that they are already picking their skin. Try to utilize your hands for different activities such as knitting or holding stress balls. On the other hand, keeping your nails short will make it harder to pick your skin and it will help reduce the risk of skin picking infection.

• Talk to someone. Stay positive. Take Action. Asking and looking for help from a close friend or parents can give you the support and encouragement you need to become aware when you are unconsciously picking. Believing also in one self can bring miracles to address this issue. It ‘s time to take action against skin picking because this is the key to permanently stopping it. Once one can stop, then the next step is treatment for the disorder.

A long process of skin picking treatments may result to simple techniques to cope with the problem. Better consult a doctor if one has dermatillomania.

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Coping with Skin Picking

Another name for Compulsive Skin Picking is Dermatillomania. It is a form of self-mutilation described by habitual behavior of damaging one’s own skin. Scratching, picking and squeezing characterize these behaviors. Depression, anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder is related to this disorder.

Living with this disorder is very sad and at the same time difficult. A lot of people find it disturbing as well as embarrassing that is why it isn’t often addressed but statistics show that this may affect a lot of people. Skin-picking support can be found in a lot of places, even in websites.

Online skin-picking support group is there to address not only CSP but also other disorders that cause this. Going to these websites will help you share your personal experiences, evaluate your condition and get support during times of need, illness and treatment. The support group is crucial during the stages of recovery of a patient from his or her mental health condition.

You can also get advice from forums in a skin picking support websites. Ask questions to fellows who also suffered and recovered from dermatillomania. It is suggested that to combat the causes of CSP, such as stress, anxiety and depression, it is better to take medications and cognitive intervention. A good support group will not leave the sufferer feeling alone and uneasy. One does not need to go through this alone; there are counselors and friends who would be there for support. Another viable option is to go online and connect with anonymous people by sharing experiences and asking inquiries.

Since compulsive skin picking can cause both physical and psychological complications, you must at least tell someone from your family or friends about your condition so that they can guide you along the way. There are also professionals such as psychiatrists and psychologist who offer their services online, sometimes it’s even free, at no cost.

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How to Deal with Dermatillomania?

Dermatillomania affects 5 percent of the population. It occurs to both men and women and may start as early as childhood. Nowadays this habit is easily noticed because psychiatrists have diagnose this as a form of impulse control disorder resulting to self mutilation. People who have are afflicted yearns to scratch without them being aware of it, and usually it leads to tissue damage and scars.

This condition can turn for the worse in one's life. It can interfere with relationships, work and general happiness. Some people don't consider CSP as a disorder that is why they don't seek treatment. To add to that, they don't know where to seek help. Fortunately, there are some psychological treatments and medication that helps skin picking disorder.

Medication. OCD medications are also used to treat CSP. This includes antidepressants or SSRIs. These drugs may take several weeks before they become effective. There is no guarantee that the result would take a 180 degree turn. A 65 percentile improvement is already considered a passing grade. Medication however should not be considered as the only treatment but also an aid in therapy.

Psychotherapy. Skin picking disorder also consider the use of cognitive-behavior therapy. There are different approaches or techniques involved in this skin picking treatment. One is Competing Response; it is a technique intended to give the person an alternative activity than picking. They would give the skin picker toys, stress balls or stuff that would keep the hands busy. The four-step approach technique of Habit Reversal training is another form of treatment where a person is taught to relax, breath and feel centered. It also involves muscle exercises. Self-monitoring, social support and stimulus control accompanies this kind of approach.

Natural Remedies. Other people prefer taking vitamin B inositol to reduce the yearning to pick and pull. Vitamins is broken down to deal with serotonin in the brain.

These skin picking treatments are all temporary means of helping someone to defy the desire to pick. The urge become weaker over time when it is often resisted. Once the urge eases, so doe the necessity for skin treatments. Keeping the hands busy is a helpful treatment. There are various finger toys that are available in the Internet, one of them is a koosh ball.

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