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[livsmama]

I pick my scalp. The scabs on my scalp. I have two or three places at a time that are scabs and hurt much of the time because as soon as I stop, they get a scab which I then can pick. According the my resources, this is called Dermatillomania. The solution is thus: The recommended treatment for Skin Picking Disorder is with a trained

Comments

[twohalves]

D and I both do this. He is much 'worse' about it than I am, but I totally get it b/c I do it too. I never, ever pick scabs anywhere else on my body. But my scalp? It is so satisfying in that moment...until after it is picked, and then I'm sorry. Yes, once they are all healed up, there is nothing to pick and it stays healed for a long time. I try not to do it at all. I used to do it a lot. Now maybe I find myself doing it once or twice a year

[livsmama]

you know I love to begin again :) Yeah, I am into mindfulness. I try but then I have to try again.

Oh! if you and J and D want to go see the best movie ever (where nothing *really* bad happens) go see Inside Out. I cried, Olivia cried, Xavier cried, Justin cried! only Lennon, who is 8 didn't cry.

But it is so so so good and you fell good at the end.

Thanks for your words and your support. You are great!

[dandelion_diva]

Dude! I do that too!

I would say I've never met anyone else who does it, but how the hell would I know? :)

I hope you have good luck stopping.

I used to do it a *lot* when I was younger, but now it is at a manageable stage, especially since I often wear my hair in two tight braids. Thus, the hair is close to my scalp and makes picking more difficult.

[livsmama]

yeah braids totally help. or pigtails where I can twilr the hair instead of picking the scalp :)

[gwendally]

I used to have trichotillonania, where I would pull out hair until I had a smooth bald spot, and then rub that.

It was about concentrating, focusing, ignoring outside stimuli. Also, OCD.

I mostly just outgrew it, but I think there was an element of CBT because I remember just starting to notice that I was doing it without judgement, and trying to pin down why it was working for me. Because, here's the thing, at some level it WAS working for me, or else I would already have stopped. Because it wasn't like bald spots was the look I was going for.

I still sometimes rub that spot and it usually means that I want someone to turn off the TV or turn down their music.

I also sublimated it some with tweezers - I chase down every errant eyebrow hair and kill it. Much more socially acceptable to have plucked eyebrows than bald spots.

mania

[coconuthead]

Maybe if every time you catch yourself doing it, you force yourself to sing,
"She's a maniac, maniac on the floor
And she's dancing like she's never danced before"

And the rest of it.

That would make me want to stop even more...
I don't know. Maybe?

[cravatica]

I'm just commenting my support here, I see you. I hear you. Thanks for sharing this with us. With mindfulness, it will get better. You can do it!

I bite the hell out of my cuticles. I would like to stop doing that. I also bite the inside of my cheek. Usually I don't bite it until it bleeds but sometimes I do. My cuticles often bleed. I don't know how to stop.

Maybe I will try what midgettroyani wrote in the comments here. Maybe I can stop along with you!