I am a nail bitter I can chew them down to almost nothing. Sometimes the pinky nails can get chewed down to nothing and there no nail left. I had to tape my pinky nails up just so they could grow back. I hate the feeling of edges of my nails being uneven and rough. So i will run them on my jeans and other things to smooth them out then I biting them more.
I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU & AGAIN I LOVE YOU. NOo one believes me in my family that its real. They just think IM GROSS or CRAZY! So i thanm you so much Dr. Ive been waiting for years for someone to touch on this subject! SO IMPRESSIVE!!!
Me too. I can get pretty carried away pinching my face with my nails and doing damage while half awake. Sometimes I'll destroy days of healing that I finally got away with in 1 night falling asleep.
More than the fact that I'm an apparent freak, I'm concerned that the Google algorithm somehow KNEW that I'm a freak in this exact way. I did not search this video or subject, or anything related to it.
Maybe they can see us via our cameras in laptops??? nah, paranoid thinking. I have been on a lot of sites related to my bipolar, maybe RUclips knows mental disorders and nervous habits such as these go hand in hand. It is kind of scary.
@@anastasiamurawski6179 - I have tape over my camera, so that couldn't be the case for me... not that I'm paranoid or anything. Your comment doesn't appear publicly, by the way.
@@Brakathor I've that's a good idea, though I'm not worried too much about it. What do you mean, you can see my comments but no one else can?? is that what you mean by saying my comment doesn't appear publically? sorry if u think I'm a freak.
Having lip biting mentioned as even a small part of this video feels so validating. I’ve struggled with that for my entire life. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop.
Same :( Even when I forcefully stop myself, there's often times when I just zone out and do it automatically. Then I suddenly snap out of it and realize ive been biting my lip skin to the point of bleeding. So not fun :(
I noticed that I do it more when I’m tired or bored. It’s like a self-soothing behaviour but I can recognise it now and actively try and train myself off it.
That's good Ira🙁 I still skin pick when I'm anxious (98.9% of the time) It's summer here and I have been wearing a jacket (in 98 degree heat) to hide the wounds😥
@@stephaniebaker2960: been there; it's the worst feeling. I get so fricking mad at myself! But then i barter with myself "ok. Just a bit. I won't mess it up this time", and of course i mess it up...
@@The_Tiffster Something BAD triggers me to wreck my skin. Ex. I can be on the phone/and start getting stressed. I look down and I'm scratching my arms until they bleed. I can't stop and I don't have OCD. I'm left with scabs so I wear long sleeves in 98 degree weather😪 It's sad/it's a vicious cycle🙁P.S. I used to have beautiful skin btw🤷♀️ P.S.S. This is not "self-soothing to me". It's extreme anxiety😪
I talked to a doctor about my dermatillomania when I was younger and he said to just stop the habit and nothing could be done. Currently, I'm studying to be a psychiatrist to do something about this issue- wish me luck.
I have been treated the same way for years and I'm plain sick of it. I'm writing a book on how to fix it using non-traditional methods and without having to track your progress! Stay tuned 😊
@ferret it's horrific isn't it? I can't wait to release my works and free people like me from having to deal with this condescending crap! We're not broken, we're not ill, and we're not sick. We are uncommon and awesome types of people, who have uncommon responses to stress and boredom, and it's high time we are treated with the respect we deserve! 😊 All the best to you in your endeavours as well!
I'm a big skin picker, I have dark spots from picking at stress acne all along my jawline. I'll definitely be bringing this up with my therapist. Thank you for putting a name to it so I can better articulate this issue with her. I've had coworkers catch me picking, and my parents of course, and they tell me to just "stop it". Like "gee, something I've never tried before." 🙄
This compulsive behaviours are considered a early sign of potential B12 deficiency. One does not need to be really deficient to manifest ocd behaviors. I would sugest see a doctor and considering taking supplements in pills of grass-fed dessecated liver or eat the beef liver if you can, or even see to supplement B12 in synthetic forms (those sometimes are not as effective) after talking to your doctor.
@@dsoul1305 I usually have problems with it. Late 2021, my pcp put me on b12 because I was kind of low, and then it went to 4000, so they told me to stop taking it every day, and just do weekends, but I stopped altogether. I do have to see her again for another physical soon, so I'll bring it up
@@ringo567 My therapist suggested to just be mindful about it, and pay attention to how I'm feeling when I start picking, but we had like 4 minutes left of the session, so it was rushed. I did wind up cutting my nails down to as short as they can go, which means for now I can't pick. I'm willing to pass along any tips my therapist comes up with to help combat this if you'd like
I started picking all over my body since I was a child it’s more like an obsession to make my skin smooth. Once I see a scab or a bump I pop the bumps I try to smooth it by picking pieces off. If a scab heals over it I pick off pieces til I get to raw but semi healed portion of the skin.
Me too, I just thought it was all normal. I've done this since who knows how long. The fact that it can be brought to attention makes me happy. Kinda crying now🥲😁
My father used to film me picking my scabs. I think he was trying to shame me to get me to stop. It didn’t work. All I know is that it is more than anxiety that causes it . I honestly get lost in the process I don’t even realize I’m doing it and there is nothing going on around me that would make me anxious. So I don’t think there is a release of anything I just do it even when I don’t mean to.
Exactly this for me. It doesn't feel good per say, but the smoothness is the "goal..." I'm doing it less though, because I've gotten quite a bit of professional help about it, and I did (and am still doing) a helluvalotta work on myself in my journey.
Same.... I'm happy when I do it then I realize I see scars I'm making. Then I stop but then I can't help but do it again. I love picking off skin and scabs... the bigger the pieces, the happier I am.
I run my hands over my arms unconsciously feeling for uneven skin or bumps and pick the impurity out. If there's not a visible impurity, it's not satisfying and I have to find a visible impurity. But rubbing my hands over my skin causes the impurities. It's a viscous cycle, I hate it. Especially when I catch myself doing it in front of people.
I do that too and then wind up at the dermatologist who gets upset because it’s just a pickers nodule. I want to know what it was that I originally picked at to start the focus of picking that area.
Looking for the “perfect” piece of skin to pick or spot to pop is so difficult to avoid. I had no idea that other people did this as well, I’ve had people refer to me as disgusting before over this, so thank you so much for this video I feel less alone!
I do the exact same thing and thought that there was just something randomly wrong and weird about me, but now I understand more about it and will try harder to stop. I hope you have a wonderful day/night!
I used to get bullied for doing it because I had a bald spot from it, so I completely understand where you are coming from with that! You are not at all alone
You're not alone. When my anxiety starts I start picking my skin for blackheads. Even family members catch me doing it. I had no idea it was a type of disorder. I do have some scarring on my arms
@@shamma2982 yeah I do too. I didn't even realize 'till I saw a notification pop up that someone had commented, and I then realized "oh, I'm picking at myself once again" Do you have any ideas on how you may be able to stop or gradually stop yourself from doing this?
I'm 75, and I'm just about a hermit because I pick my face constantly. Then I pull off the scabs... leaving scars. I thought I was the only one, and I always feel so ashamed of myself. Good vibes to all, I'm glad you're out there...
I've always had skin picking and hair pulling, however it seems to have gotten worse in my 40s (I'm in my late 40s now). If I have more stress, the problem gets worse, but it never goes away completely.
Me too!! I have absolutely NO idea why RUclips recommended this to me, but I've been struggling with that for years without knowing why, and I had no idea so many other people do too (and her description was scarily accurate) :o
It really did, especially since this is stuff I've been doing since I was around 7 years old. Luckily, my experience with trichotillomania has lessened in severity over the years (although I do still worsen during times of high anxiety) Skin picking has been pretty constant though. Will say, being a high anxiety child with these disorders and having parents yell at you to "Just stop picking/pulling" only made it worse.
I still remembered how mentally stressful and humiliating it was as a little kid to feel addicted to plucking my hair without realizing that trichotillomania was a thing. And then realizing that my eyebrows were completely gone…and knowing that I’d be yelled at for it, even though I was helpless at the time to resist it. I still remember the night before a doctors appointment, about a year after I thought I had gotten over it, I plucked one of my eyebrows clean without realizing. My dad got frustrated and asked me “why can’t you pull out your mustache hair instead?” That stung a lot. I wish I had access to this knowledge when I was younger, even just to know I wasn’t alone. It’s gotten much better with age, but still I feel the urge from time to time.
that was a really nasty thing for your dad to say, I'm sorry you went through that I'm an eyebrow plucker too, I manage it by allowing myself to pluck ONE small section of eyebrow, a few hairs every few nights, hairs grow quickly there, and people assume I have a scar there or it's an aesthetic choice
@PunkPineapple I can assure you if it were that easy I'd have stopped plucking them a long time ago, I've been plucking for about two decades and have had very minimal success in reducing it I have a mole under my eyebrow that acts as a focus point for my plucking, I CANNOT leave it alone no matter how hard I try, I get the mole checked regularly by a doctor and I'm hoping to eventually have it removed to reduce the temptation but so far the mole is considered benign and the doctor doesn't want to remove it unless it shows signs of becoming cancerous you don't go through twenty years of plucking without going through some trial and error, controlled plucking is what works for me, it's the only thing that works for me, moving to the eyebrow also successfully kept me away from my eyelashes completely which I considered a higher priority for protection thank you for the concern but please maybe don't go with the caps lock yelling right out the gate? and also maybe consider that sometimes people have tried everything and have to settle with what they can
i remember being scolded for picking off half of one of my eyebrows. And then i just felt bad bc I knew I looked stupid bc of what I did. After that I stopped picking my eyebrows and started ripping my hair out until I made a large bald spot along my hairline instead😀
It kinda feels good I’m not alone in this. I never opened up about this to anyone and just thought I was a disgusting person. I’m so glad I was informed on this. Thank you
I remember starting to pull my hair out at 9...didn't know I wasn't alone until 23. I was so ashamed, so happy that many out here now can feel safe with more ways to understand this disorder.
I've gotten better over the years, stopping myself from picking my skin and biting the inside of cheeks, lips and hands. But it definitely gets bad when stress is high, it makes me feel better knowing others also experience this.
I am 28. I've chewed on the inside of my mouth for as long as I can remember. I have no idea I am doing it but my mom ALWAYS tells me to stop doing it.
I never knew these were actual disorders. I've been getting better about them both, but when I'm highly stressed, I'll pluck my hair out or pick at my face or hands. Thank you for educating us!!
For anyone out there, what helped me was: - have your actual skin in check, as i developed this because of very thick scabs forming on my scalp, which i obsessively piicked away from the scalp to look cleaner (dandruff looks better than bigger scabs). - i put on dreadlocks. This assures i have less access to the scalp, but that i can always pull on them for relief, but since pulling involves more hairs at once, it doesnt do as much of a bald spot. The added weight also gives a constant pull which is perfect. Note: this doesnt completely get rid of the impulse, but it guides it into something more constructive, since if if it gets bad and i pull too many hairs in either direction (usually out of the dreadlock but still attached to the scalp), i can always use it as an excuse to redo the dreadlock, giving my hands something constructive to do while still pulling the scalp. - use honey on the sores/scabs/imperfection of your skin. Honey relieves the itchyness which might trigger the action, and its a nice repellent because it makes you associate the 'skin-touching' with something umpleasant as the stickyness of the honey, so you catch yourself mid-act if youre being absentminded. Its also a perfect antiseptic and hydratant so it leaves your skin healthy (perfect for acne also). Please upvote this so everyone sees!
Over the past five years or so, I've been picking at random scabs or imperfections on my scalp. I'm honestly not sure what they are or where they came from, but there's at least two spots that have been there for five years now, so they're obviously not just an ingrown hair that turned into a scab or something. Sometimes when it's really hot I'll consider shaving my head again, but then I remember that it would probably look pretty weird now with all these picking spots everywhere :(
@@coalblooded if its something localized, and not the whole scalp, it might be a fungus, make sure to have it checked out! Another thing it could be is something more nefarious (like a skin cancer). Also, try to wash the spot with neutral water and a BIT of soap if its greasy, then apply honey on it and try not to pick it for a week (including not washing it). If that doesnt help, please do see a doctor (well, do that anyways). How often do you shampoo? If you do it every day, that might also be a reason. Human hair actually isnt supposed to be washed that often, with soap at least (just water is fine), but around once a week or twice at most. But in america and other places, there has been inculcated this idea that you need to shampoo every day or youll be disgusting, which is actually the reason why scalps are greasy or too dry: the daily shampoo!
I've been fighting this since I was very young. I'm 46 now and still have the issue. I've worn wigs, clip ins . I've gone completely bald. Now my hair is very short and I hate having short hair but don't have money for clips or a wig. Sigh..... I've always struggled. I'll do good but....... I guess I'll fight this forever.
I have been picking at acne and scabs since the third grade. 13 years later and I still haven’t been able to stop. My entire face, both my shoulders, and ass cheeks are riddled with scars and dents from picking for hours. I avoid mirrors or else I’ll just hyper focus on any and all acne or bumps. It’s to the point that I hate leaving the house or doing /the thing/ with my partner because I look like a damn drug addict. Especially with how bad my face is. Reading these comments has brought me to tears as I finally don’t feel alone with the struggle of a heavily scarred body from this compulsion.
Oh my gosh, I have the exact same picking problem and the same areas you do. My body is also scarred. Can't wear certain things otherwise people do stare. It sucks. Especially when you see others with perfect skin. But you know what, and I say this for everyone here, there is still a beautiful soul underneath all the scarring.
I struggle with hair pulling, lip picking, popping pimples, biting on the insides of my checks. I hate it. I wanted to cry watching this because hearing someone say out loud what I struggle with gives me so much relief. I'm not alone. My struggle is validated.
Biting the inside of my cheek .... I didn't even know others had that problem. It's so bad I had to buy two different mouth washes to help with the soreness and healing. Orajel is a god send. I wish I could stop. 😓
I bite the inside of my cheeks too. Chewing at my lip and also I pull at my eye brows. I used to chew my finger nails when I was young. My parents tried to make me stop by putting nasty stuff on my nails. I bit them anyway. But years later eventually I stopped. The cheek biting and eyebrow pulling I do in public. I look like an idiot, an attractive guy with crazy nervous ticks. I don't go out anymore.
I also bite my cheeks. Aside from that, I also pull my eyelashes, but my fingers (chew and eat the skin around my nails), pop pimples, pick acne until it scars, etc. 🙃
I have keratosis pilaris which creates small build ups of sebum under the skin and makes hard little white bumps that are unnoticeable to most but they are so obvious to me. I've been picking at my skin due to this my whole life and it's so hard to stop. I wear long sleeves as much as possible to hide it. Talking about this as a compulsive behaviour is making it easier to understand why I do it and it's good to know I'm not alone with this problem.
You can try to reverse this by taking a little things into consideration. To better skin quality you need vit. A and omega 3 at least. There are few studies showing a correlation between diet and keratosis pilaris. Increasing essential fatty acid intake by consuming more coldwater fish such as sardines, mackerel, and salmon may lessen the rash. Bovine beef liver and this fishes are also packed with other essential nutrients that can treat that. As I imagine that you are young and not willing to eat this things on a regular base, maybe try grass-fed dessecated liver pills and good quality fish oil in pills. This most likely can help with the compulsion to pick on it as well since there is correlation of ocd behaviour and lack of B12 and liver and sardines have a good ammount of it. It worked for me, but as long as I'm consuming this foods.
Me too. I have them on my upper arms & my thighs. I don’t pick them unless one gets like a black head. Then I scratch it until it’s gone. Ugg. But I don’t pick any other time. Castor oil is making mine go away. I can barely feel them now. I just started a couple weeks ago too. I found this video & had to watch because my boyfriend is always picking his body. He always says there’s a bump or something itches. And he pulls his eyebrow hair. Half his eyebrows are gone. He gets scabs everywhere. Even on his head! He is always picking or scratching. Every time I tell him to stop picking, he says I’m not. I’m like really? I just saw you do it. What did I just make it up?! So annoying. I told him I think he has this condition. Whatever it is. I haven’t watched the video yet but I’m familiar because I read about it before. I’m going to watch it now & probably send it to him. Maybe it will bring him some form of education, help & relief. Crossing fingers!! And toes!!
damn this shit got me crying, everyone thought i was weird for pulling my hair out but i couldn’t stop or help it. im stilling struggling with it and have been for years not matter how much i stop doing it for a period of time i fall back and do it again. it’s getting rlly tiring sick of ppl asking me “why do you have hairs missing” and “what happened” bc it’s not easy saying it
I’m sorry you’re going through this, it’s not easy having these kind of disorders that are hard to explain to others. I hope this video brought you some peace that you’re not alone and there is nothing to be ashamed of!
It was very random coming across this video but I constantly pull my split ends apart and pull hairs out sometimes, and the thing she said about pulling it until you get the root out just right was insane to hear cuz I do this often.
do you thinlk buying a cheap wig from like a dollar store and using that to pull out the hair would help? and legit bring it with you everywhere you go and who cares with what ppl think. bc it help you idk tho
I feel like this self-sabatoging disorders are our anxiety-ridden brains trying to 'ground' ourselves (i.e stopping a panic/anxiety attack or spiraling before it starts)
This is exactly what I think. I used to scratch at my skin until I drew blood in a trance like state to calm down, now I do it with any bump on my body.
Hearing her explain every little detail with hair pulling is exactly how I do it... this video made me feel so less alone in beginning to deal with my OCD
Oh geez I've been pulling on a lot of my chin hair and the small hairs around my face since middle school. I did pick up on my eyebrow hair and eyelash hair but thankfully I stopped doing. I haven't really diagnosed myself as I feel it's more of a habit though
I have relapsed with hair pulling from my scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes after going pull free for 3 years. I look like an alien rn but I feel so helpless :( I mourn my hair how it was and the stress triggers in my life have gotten worse + are constantly present so I keep pulling even now when there's new hair growth... please send prayers to me so I try my best to control my urges. I pray for my fellow hair/skin pullers/pickers ❤️
Developed skin picking as an adolescent and often picked at my scalp until I bled. Was told by my doctor at the time that it was "just a bad habit" and "have you tried just NOT doing that?" This led to a lot of even more negative behaviors and self-loathing because I thought I just lacked discipline or was fucked up, and it wasn't until much later in life that I realized skin picking is actually a disorder. Thanks for the video!
To be fair, she described my case of skin picking/biting nearly perfectly. However, the only difference between mine and the disorder is that I don't do it out of stress or anxiety, I know pretty well it's just a bad habit. That's probably why it's hard for doctors not associated with mental assessment to really tell if it's a disorder or bad habit, because they don't know if something triggers them to do it or if they just do it of their own accord. Best leave it up to professionals like this to give you info!
I often pick at my scalp rn in my life and I don't even know where it's come from. Sometimes I'm able to stop myself from doing it for periods but then I go right back into it, I don't even know where I developed this 😭
@@thewintermole I thought "bad habbit" just me my scalp. One time a friend said she saw me driving . I have a common car so I asked her how she knew it was me. She said I was fiddling with my hair. I'm 72 been a problem forever. Oh dear.
I did this during a short amount of time for I used to have psoriasis because of stress… well this is only anecdotal compared to what I did with the rest of my body however I never told anyone about it out of fear. My parents kinda are aware cause they saw the scars (on my face mainly) but they only made fun of me and belittled me.
My career as a waxing therapist really helped me with this behavior. I’m still pulling hair but not mine and I get paid. My clients always happy with my work!
I would love to become an esthetician for this exact reason, mess with other people's skin all day and extractions but not my own! Have you ever watched Jada Kennedy's vids?? They are superb 👌
I plucked my hair on top of my skull during my youth. (I am 80 yrs old now). It gave me a biggish bald spot there. Everybody in my life found it irritating but I couldnt stop! it really soothed me, The habit disappeared by itself in my late twenties. I never thought it might have been a form of OCD. Many thanks for this information Dr. Marks!!
The way in which Dr. Marks has described Trichotillomania has to be one of the best descriptions I've heard. Especially touching on how gratifying it is in the moment. People seemed to misunderstand that It never really hurt me when I would pull out hair. Instead it brought relief akin to scratching a mosquito bite.
Oh my God YESSSSS I just put the tweezers down for this but it always starts off as an itching sensation and I end up pulling the hair out and it feels soooooo soothing and comforting for me and the scratching too. My dad used to work on his eyelashes and he would sometimes even let me go at his hair/lashes with the tweezers....
I completely understand this! It actually sums up what I feel when I pull out the hair. I love this explanation because it shined light on my thoughts, but it didn't make me feel like a freak for getting satisfied from this.
@@KatinakittykatPatterson I get this incredibly annoying itching sensation on my eyelashes ; I can't scratch the itch so only pulling gets it away. First time I've felt validation in how I feel on the subject, this video is important for people like us!!
Ok literally same, it feels so relieving when I pick an eyebrow hair from the root, and when I get all the blackheads on my face even if my face is red and bumpy from all the picking, it just really soothing
I never knew this was an actual thing and I thought it was just my weird little behaviour. After reading these comments,I feel a bit better now that I know I'm not alone :] I will try to stop picking at my skin,I'll search up methods and ways to help. I'll record down the areas that I pick at and how they're doing everyday or so. Wish me luck!
mine is not focused on my body though ive been listening to internal body movements but im into mental. im obsessed with my thoughts like i cant listen to my negative thoughts. its too much ive become paranoid of what i hear having a negative message. ii disect my stream of thoughts and i focused on negative ones trying to solve them. it has become a routine it feel my personality become so boring
I always pick at my skin, especially pimples or any other "anomaly", which makes it worse and makes me pick at it even more. Anyway, my face looks like shit.
If you have scars on your face get a microneedling facial. I used to have acne scars from popping pimples and after this facial my skin is 90% clearer. I know how it feels to have marks on your face. The treatment is a little pricey but it’s worth it for the self confidence!! Good luck to you
I had trichotieromania, scalp picking, for 20+ years. I read a few dermatology research papers that used NAC. I started NAC 18 months ago and the behaviour stopped in 2 weeks. It has not come back. I love your videos!
Skin picking is so frustrating. My parents used to say when I was trying not to pick my skin I seemed like a drug addict who was suffering withdrawals. If you skin pick or hair pull you are not alone and help is out there. Take care ❤️
@@abbym7851 I'm so sorry to hear you've struggled too, you are not alone. I will say that what has made an immense difference with my OCD is going through ERP therapy (expose response prevention), if you are still struggling I highly recommend it
Why was the trichotillamania so accurate? I rip out my eyebrows and eyelashes, I love the feeling of eyelashes, I love the little white bits of eyelashes, I love brushing eyelashes/brows against my lips. Honestly amazing how accurate this was. Even my therapist didn’t explain as well! In fact she kinda just brushed over it like it was no big deal and nothing to be concerned over :/
I pull on my eyelashes sometimes too, and when I do, I don’t want to rip them all out, just tug on all of them- top lid then bottom lid, on both eyes (I cannot just do one lid)- whenever one gets picked I brush it against my lip! But my main thing is probably skin picking, when I’m idle I find myself roaming over skin (through my hair and scalp, my face, neck, behind my ears, back) and just pick at anything seemingly poppable that can be picked at. But then my non-idle moments I’m at the bathroom mirror popping any pimple-like thing on any reachable part of my body for like an hour at a time. I did that way more when I was a preteen and left huge scabs on my face, now I don’t pop as hard so scabs don’t happen as often.
I picked my nose a lot as a child that graduated into nail biting and hair pulling as I got older. I have never talked to anyone about this because I'm worried they'll be as disgusted with me as I am with myself. I honestly never thought about what I have been doing as a control thing. Looking back that makes a lot of sense. It even gives me a similar calm to what self harm used to
You are NOT DISGUSTING. I would hold you and cry with you if I could. I have dermotillania (skin picking) as well. We are not gross, we are stressed and so very anxious. Remember, we are worth getting better. Please remember.
I’ve been skin picking for years and have actively avoided watching this video. I’ve damaged my legs and my private area because I try to pick in places ppl won’t see. I was attacked in 2018 and haven’t been able to control it since. Due to the pandemic I work from home and literally pick all day. It’s terrible 😢 I wouldn’t wish this on a soul. I have yet to find a therapist to really help me with this and now with all the damage I feel super ashamed. Thank you for making this video to help me understand myself a bit more. I won’t stop trying, until I stop picking.
I've done it to for yrs, and honestly I think or thought I did have it somewhat under control,but I think I just tell myself that. Because I still do it all the time. I just don't know how to stop,so I tell myself it's not as bad as others so it's ok or things like that,but it's not.
@@michellemurphybrown9751 I do the same thing and have kinda given up talking to people about it. I literally can’t stop and I too have periods where I’m like okay I’m in control but really I’m not.
I feel gutted after watching this video, but slightly better after reading the comments - it's really nice to know you're not alone. I used to do both hair pulling and skin picking, but I've managed to stop pulling my hair out now. I started when I was a child, no real triggers I can think of, apart from possibly a high achieving father and sister, and me being much the youngest, and not very good at anything. I'm never likely to seek help for this, I can live with it, and it doesn't really impact my life, its just my secret part, that nobody else knows about.
the fact that this is the first time I've heard someone acknowledging my hair pulling so perfectly has me crying, I feel so validated rn because since I started that behavior no one has ever related to me and I always felt bad for doing it
I feel you. I used to get yelled at by my guardian as a kid for pulling my hair. I look for the very textured hairs at the back of my head. I would rip out alot of hair at the back, causing thinning and small spots and different lenghts of hair growing at different times. I still do it, I've been trying to stop. I don't really WANT to pull the hair out, because then I won't be able to find the same texture of hair. I just can't help that feeling of the hair running under my fingernail is really soothing. I also pick all the skin off my lips, nearly every day because they are dry and it feels nice while I'm doing it and hurts later. I've had people ask me alot why I'm always touching my hair like that and I also feel really happy to hear someone describe it perfectly. It sucks to feel out of control while doing it, but I'm glad I'm not the only one
@@io_lio_io YESS I do exactly the same and I remember being laughed at bc of that in high school, now I still do it too but not as frequently as I used to back then, and my hair has suffered the consequences :( I'm still trying to cover the bald spots and I've just realized why my hair is so thin rn when it used to be thicker
I felt like she was reading me perfectly, and I’ve never been diagnosed with OCD, ADD or ADHD. I do however, suffer from anxiety and depression, though the two doctors I’ve seen can’t decide which is more prevalent. I’ve always picked at scabs, even as a child. Like, I don’t eat them, but just the knowledge that the scab is there irritates me to no end because my skin isn’t as smooth and beautiful as I want it to be. I also scratch at my skin when it doesn’t really itch. But if my hand or arm start itching and scratching won’t help, I’ll resort to biting.
I have the exact same experience. Covered in tiny spot like scars from picking my arms and legs because of ‘lumps’ on skin which I believe are proteins. Love to pull hairs out (thankfully not on my head or eyebrows, but on my legs and eyelashes). I’ve not been diagnosed with OCD, but I also have severe anxiety, panic disorder and depression.
@@kerigordon2092 its strange maybe I've googled it or sumin? I'm getting better and there growing back, had too get steroid cream at one point. Its stress infact I think I know what its linked too now. Need too chill lol
Yup for me it was plucking eyebrows. Recently the habit has been thankfully dying down. I finally put a stop to it and my eyebrows finally have their tips again. The right brow was worse than my left, but in about two more weeks it should be fully healed. This habit formed in high-school for reference of how long it's been. You get anxious or nervous and start plucking. You'll feel a specific texture of hair and want to pluck that one, so in your madness you pluck everything around it trying to get that one hair. The only advice I can give people who suffer from this is you really do need to catch yourself doing it and stop. Praying helped for me, but whatever you think will support you, you need to do. It's a nervous tic response so you just need to acknowledge and redirect the relief somewhere else. Maybe try lightly scratching or petting instead of plucking, that's what I end up doing instead when I just "need" to relieve that stress. Overall the urge to touch the eyebrow is there, but I no longer pluck. Best of luck to you all.
52 yr.old woman here. Life long picker, still have scar from chicken pox when I was 5. No Dr. has EVER explained this to me. Thank you so much. Very grateful.
I had chicken pox twice. So have both my kids. My 1st batch in my teens, and the second batch in my early 20's. I remember sitting naked in the bathtub and picking every single one of them. Luckily because I got them in 2 batches neither case was very severe. I didn't really pick in my teens so it was only the second batch I really picked at. Weirdly my 1st lot in my teens seemed to affect the upper half of my body. The second lot the lower half. Abdomen, pubic area and legs. All of which are now covered in stretch marks now anyway so I suppose in a way for an obsessive picker whose had chicken pox twice I'm quite lucky not to have many pox scares.
So.I'm 14 and had chicken pox when I was literally 1 month i almost died I have no scars though But I I have mosquito scars somehow I would itch my bites till they release the and sca b over I still have scars from like 6 years ago I also pick at my nose usually without thinking about it I will pick at my nose till it starts cracking and bleeding and even then I will keep doing it my nose is infected currently and get I'm still picking at the other nostril
For the 14 yr old....have you tried elmers glue on your mosquito bites ? If u dot the glue on the bite as soon as you notice it then you can pick the glue off when it dries. I never had problems w mosquitoes but my sister did and the Elmers regular school glue worked wonders for her. Just make sure the glue is dry b4 you pick it off. Good luck 😊
I’m in tears. I needed to come across this video. I’ve been picking at my skin for I don’t even know how long without awareness of the negative emotions driving this habit. Fear of failure & non-acceptance causes a lot of anxiety for me. Thank you for sharing this information. 🙏🏾 I can heal from my past & let go of negative emotions.
You're so gorgeous don't ever feel alone or unloved. Remember your inner child, give it love as you would if they were right in front of you, embrace it and forgive each other. It'll all be ok i promise 💜
Same I was diagnosed with Trichotillomania And have been dealing with it since 2nd grade and it is SO hard to deal with Iv always felt stupid or weird because of it, hearing this and and seeing other people’s comments about it makes me feel better ❤️
I've found knitting really helps with my skin/nail biting as well as pulling on skin on my lips till they bleed. It keeps my hands occupied so I can't be tempted. It's not foolproof but it's helped immensely
I started crocheting and knitting for the same reason. Instead of reading books I listen to audiobooks and crochet/ knit. This was really a game changer. 🙂
I had eye surgery which i knew would result in essentially changing from nearsighted to farsighted. One of the surprises is a lot less skin picking, because i literally can't see the pores on my face or sebaceous filaments anymore.
The amount of times I've been told "stop picking your skin", "stop biting the skin off your lip", or "stop pulling out your eyelashes" (my most common) is astonishing to me
Same! Before I saw the video I was just biting my bottom lip. I stop when I taste blood and that’s how I realize that I was biting my lip. Same with cuticles and bumps. I’ll see blood and realize what I’m doing so I remind myself to stop. I have to get my nails done so I won’t pick at my face or body. It’s embarrassing when I move on to my husband’s back. He always says it’s time for you to get them redone. 🥺
@@jeanettey711 I bet you don’t even feel pain? Huh? For the longest time I thought I was going nuts. I’ve been like this since my teens. It sucks when you pick your face so much it looks like I’m on drugs. I don’t go out until it gets better. Ugh
Did the algorithm reunite us thricotillomaniac & Co? If you're reading this, I hope you remember this doesn't define who you are and who you could be. Keep fighting!!
@@emmajeanjumpinbean while I respect what the video is about i could never watch it while having the same illnesses they are talking about they would trigger me too muc
I’m still fighting and it just doesn’t seem to stop! I’m so blessed to have come across this channel. It’s so weird because it just popped up on my recommendations. Wish we could all make a group chat. I would be nice to talk to someone
i’ve struggled with trichotillomania so many years and i appreciate when people make content to educate. it’s too embarrassing for me sometimes to admit because people think it’s weird.
Honestly people thought I had cancer bc my head was so patchy as a child I’ve been doing that for as long as I could remember anything & now I do it without thinking it’s a struggle
It is embarrassing. I can’t even go to the hair dresser because I’m too ashamed of the holes on my head and afraid of their reaction or what they could say in front of other clients. Can’t let my boyfriend run his fingers in my hair either.
@@noanoa8991 this ! It’s hard guys I know it’ll get better. I just shaved my hair off so I can get out of the habit of pulling. My hair was so uneven and the spot that’s sensitive is on my crown it was like I had to do a combover with a fro but I feel good now without my hair and I’m excited to start fresh and hopefully my want for healthy hair will trump the desire to pull especially since it’ll be a long while before I would even be able to pull anything
Thank you for sharing on these types of behaviours. I experienced intense picking behaviour when I was suffering a drug addiction. I am covered in terrible scars and was hospitalized for a blood infection that almost killed me. I had so much shame about this and couldn't stop. After getting clean I have realized the behaviour was present before and now, only not to the same degree. I see now how this is something that is in my family also. I now have some information that gives me direction and a some peace of mind. Keep up the good work sharing on these issues, much appreciated
I pick at my skin in a mindless uncontrollable way for extended periods of time. I feel a release of sorts but, immediately shameful and stupid after. I won’t show my face without makeup. /makeup is actually one of the few things that keep my hands out of my face, along with avoiding mirrors and people who will point out my scarring and not get off the subject. When mask wearing became recommended for COVID precautions , I was so happy. I felt free (not having to wear make up and the social distancing). I don’t want to have to not wear a mask in public anymore.
I also first felt relieved by wearing a mask in the beginning to cover my skin without makeup. However since I am sweating below them, more pimples arise, which is triggering me more again... :-(
These disorders made me ugly. I’ve been so ashamed of myself all of my life. I will never feel beautiful and I fear for my little girl. I hope this ends with me. It’s so horrible.
I am so sorry you feel that way. It's good you can be honest about how you feel. I have a friend who is covered in scars from her mental disorders. She is learning to love her body again and accept these scars as part of her story. I hope that soon you will also feel beautiful and accept your body the way that it is.
I’m going through the same thing, you’re not alone. Beauty is subjective, and you are beautiful no matter what! Try to do little things everyday that make you happy, I love nature. Knowing you have the disorder means you can get treatment, even for your child if she needs it :)
I feel the same about my picking scars and thin hair from pulling but I try to look at it this way, I can not change what I've already done but I can control how I impact the world around me. Being kind, lending a helping hand, and treating others with dignity and respect impact the world in ways that just being pretty could never. And I can 100% honestly say that you are wrong. You are beautiful! Your honesty and willingness to share your vulnerabilities with the world are beautiful! Your shared insecurities let others who feel the same way know they are NOT ALONE! That they are not abnormal, or freaks. That they are beautiful!
I don’t know what to say, except I understand. I have been a skin picker since the age of 12. My body bears many scars. Unrelated, I also am a recovering alcoholic. I know what shame is. Please be loving and kind to yourself. Treat yourself as you would your daughter or anyone else you love. You deserve love and compassion from yourself. There is help and there are medications that can reduce impulses. Sending love to you. You deserve love. ❤️❤️
All of you who suffer from these afflictions, I just want to say that you are ALL beautiful in the eyes of Christ no matter what the world may say or what you may think. You are all beautiful daughters of Christ. God bless you all & I hope I haven’t offended any of you.
I’m truly wondering, I am the only one who says to themselves “this is the last one” when pulling my hair. But then the ‘last one’ becomes the 2,000th one?
@@masakasim8647 we might I think the first step is to accept that we have the urge and while it is harmful to us everyone has their ticks So yeah we should learn to not do it BUT first learn to not be hard on our selves if we give in to the urge What slightly helped me (but i lost it 😔) was like this little skill thing on german it's called akku pressur plätchen It has little spikes that are sharp enough to stimulate but not sharp enough to actually hurt you Really gotta buy a new one Maybe it helps you guys
I've been picking at my skin for maybe 7 years, and one thing that has helped my face exponentially was actually setting up a face care routine and sticking to it. I wash my face every night and use moisturizer. It has helped my face heal and stay clean. I know this will not be the same case for everyone though. For me, my face doesn't actually have bad breakouts, I used to make it look that way because of how often and badly I'd pick at it. So after taking care of my face, there have been way less scabs. I still pick at my face to be honest,, but thankfully I've stopped digging into it as much. I know having a face routine is normal for most people, but I never was able to commit to one until a year or so ago. If you are like how I was, I definitely recommend setting up a routine
Yeah I did this too, and I mean if I have pimples I still will pick it and pick on the scab, my issues is I also do it on my arms and chest too so the face care routine doesn't really help in those areas😅
@@Izzy-ec4qq yeah I'm the same too, I pick all over my body and not just my face, but I have personally felt more confident since I can get out of the house without a huge red spot on my face. Even small progress can feel like a lot sometimes!! I'm still thinking of ways to help out the rest of my body. But I wish you the best with dealing with this!!
@@HayleyTief I definitely get that, it really is hard to resist. Over the years I've been able to control it a bit better, even if it's because I've "gotten better" at picking and hiding it. But something that I do find helpful with really bad pimples or spots on my face that won't go away are those hydrocolliod patches that help break down acne. It helps with healing too
Scalp picker here. 🙋🏻♀️ I’ve had scabs on my head for so many years because it’s such a vicious cycle. I try to stop and let my scalp heal but when I get too stressed or anxious even sad/‘mad or even to help me fall asleep. 😢 I got staph infection as a teenager on my scalp from the picking. It was not fun. I wish I didn’t have this problem. Now my teenage daughter does it too. 😞
I'm sorry you've had to go through this. I've pulled for about 5 years now and just received a full head of hair but the urges are still there. I used to be so ashamed and embarrassed by it and to be honest I still am. I promise if you and your daughter have great communication and are not afraid to talk about it then you along with your daughter will start to feel better. For me, I got control of the pulling as I got older but I know everyone's experience is different. I hope you and your daughter find the relief and peace your looking for!
I do this too, honeslty didn’t even think it was an issue, mines all the time (TW:blood) I pick mine until most of my scalps bleeding and nasty I’m amazed I haven’t got an infection. I hope you can find a way to help ease the picking! ❤️
I have this same problem and have been dealing with it for years. I’m afraid of getting an infection though and my anxiety just makes the cycle worse. How did you know you had a staph infection?
Wow, I'm so happy to have found this channel and your comment. I always wondered why I do this.....It's so weird. Have you found anything to help you with this?
I've lived with hair pulling all my life and was made to feel so ashamed of it by my mother. I can control it a bit better now but wish I'd been diagnosed as a child and offered alternatives rather than be shamed for it.
I was subconsciously picking my skin when this got recommended to me and I am diagnosed with excoriation disorder. RUclips's algorithm sometimes does some great yet creepy moves.
I was literally thinking earlier about looking for ways to stop doing this earlier. I never did, just thought about it. My upper arms are a disaster right now and I need to stop.
@@voicetrainingbytris3458 I do it only on my nose and I have been doing it since I was 12. I am 39 now and still do it. I never knew so many people have this problem too. I thought I was alone. I need to stop too.
Me too...when i was 9 i was picking scabs on my legs and chewing them😶in my teenage years id bite the skin in the sides of my fingernails untill the bleed. I'm 31 now and have been scab picking my scout and flaking dangrive‼but not to where its noticeable. What helps me not do it as much I watch you tube videos of others doing it...it calms me down a bit❤
You are most definitely not alone! I wish people more openly talked about these kind of things so that ppl didn’t feel alone. There are sooo many of us.
I had no idea there were other people who compulsively pick at their skin until I learned about excoriation disorder. Thank you for getting the word out and letting people like me know we're not alone.
You're definitely not alone! Ive always been picking the skin around my nails, and my nail band basically doesn't exist anymore. During lockdown, I developed a very mild case of scalp psoriasis, where I get these dry patches of skin, that almost "lays on top" of my "regular" skin (being inside for a whole year, is apparently the perfect psoriasis trigger). It didn't take long before the entire left side of my forehead/scalp were picked clean to the point of bleeding and frequent infections. And I can't use anything but neutral/no perfume products on my face and scalp, without it becoming sore or itchy right away. I've found that fidget toys help, and being on vacation where I can't spend 30-40 minutes in the bathroom picking away, also helps. But other that that, I don't know what else to do. Worst thing is when you can see people are noticing it, or asks you to "stop picking" while I'm mid sentence.
I have eczema, I’ve had it all my life. Sometimes my hands get really dry and cracked, and I find myself picking and peeling at the dry cracked skin. Until it bleeds and hurts, it doesn’t bother me enough to stop though. I wash my hands a lot so that’s probably why they’re so cracked, plus I just have dry skin anyways. I also have some mild eczema on my scalp and seborrheic dermatitis sometimes, so I’m constantly picking at any scabs on top of my scalp that I feel. It’s like a habit formed ritual, I do it everyday, every night, multiple times a day. I thought it was something I solely did and didn’t realized others did the same. I’m embarrassed by it from ppl who don’t know me personally (my twin knows I have this issue) so I usually do it when I’m alone or in my own room. I’ve really tried to stop because I know it’s not good for my scalp or hair. I’ve been on a weight loss journey since Jan 4th and I’ve discovered healthier habits and cleaner eating has improved my skin and eczema/dermatitis. My scalp condition has really improved and it’s hard to find things to pick at, I also pick at my acne if I have problem spots (especially during hormonal times) but it too has improved. I feel anyone’s issues with this problem deeply, and I know how you feel. I hope we can all combat our deeper issues and solve these things! You aren’t weird or dirty and I hope nobody ever makes you feel bad about it, sometimes you don’t have a choice on how you deal with your problems. Just know I’m rooting for us all, we can do it!Its bizarrely relieving to find comfort in places like this, ppl who understand your problems because they do it too. What a weird community we have, but at least we aren’t judging each other. I hope you both can find relief and know it’s hard to break, so don’t feel bad if you fail a lot! I try to use a lot of “unscented” things when it comes to skin care, lotions and shampoos and conditioners. I felt like a lot of my doctors/dermatologists prescribed creams and lotions that just fix the problem temporarily. And they thin your skin. The deeper root of the issue is within your body, try to lessen the “junk foods” you eat and eat lots of fresh foods. I’m always looking for more advice on how to take care of myself, because sometimes it feels like I’ve tried everything! Take care of yourselves! 💖
Mega hugs - you're not alone!! Certain vitamins and supplements can help with skin health - I got bullied as a child as well and their nasty words are not worth holding on to! It's your journey and that's what matters. Your opinion of yourself (with humility of course!) is the most important.
I pick at my skin as well, any part I can reach...which is all of me as I'm freakishly flexible in certain ways. I have good days and bad days, and I never know what kinda day it's gonna be until it starts and I end up with pink/red marks, bleeding wounds, and scabs all over my body and face...good days are when it's started healing enough where my skin looks sorta clear and I haven't really picked much besides the ready-to-pop whiteheads. Just know you are not alone at all, and even though learning control takes time, it IS possible and you CAN accomplish anything you set your sights on, including stopping the picking. If you need resources on help, a few quick google searches will give you everything you need and if you need to talk to someone honestly...just message any random kind seeming person and ask if they have time to talk and help you feel safe in your skin, and that includes me. If you need help or to talk, message me or anyone you are comfortable with, but also remember you are a POWERFUL UNSTOPPABLE FORCE and you CAN do this!!!! I send love and peace!
I was called "moon face" jokingly one time because if my chickenpox scars. It was honestly one of those things I had gotten so used to being part of me face that I hadn't realized until then that it was something other people fixated on when they saw me.
It's almost like a coping mechanism. Pain or whatever it is a sensation strong enough to relieve anxiety. That relief feeds the need to pick deeper when in anxiety.
Most people think trich is about the distraction caused by pain. That couldn’t be farther from the truth! Pulling out a tiny hair doesn’t hurt. It’s the ritual of doing it that puts me in the “zone” which is peaceful.
It’s such a hard thing to live with. It feels so gross, shameful and confusing. I’ve picked and chewed at the skin around all my fingers since I was around four years old and now the skin is different colored and has a different texture. My case is definitely severe as I’ll bleed and still can’t bring myself to leave my hands alone even when they get sore. I’m so glad I found this video ❤️ most doctors have basically just shrugged me off and wished me luck. I’ll be looking into the specific therapies and supplements you mentioned. I’ve tried to overcome this my whole life (almost 24) and I just can’t do it alone! I’ve tried uncoupling without knowing it had a name but it’s not quite enough. Thank you ❤️
Hey! I have the same problem, I usually try to chew gum to avoid biting my fingers and as for picking I noticed that having acrylic nails really helps with skin picking. Since the nails are so dull and not as sharp as regular nails you’re less likely to pick at your skin.
Trichotillomaniac since 1978... except a Mohawk guy in the 80s thought I plucked my eyebrows (etc) to be cool, so I was no longer embarrassed by the habit; and so it doesn't affect me socially. Such an amazingly accurate and matter-of-fact description :) Thank you♡
I'll actually keep a "good hair" hid away, a thick one, with lots of texture, for days at a time. I'll grab it for sleep. But watching extraction videos helped me so much with relaxing for sleep.
I have a hair pulling texture thing, too. And now that I've gotten older, and started to go a little gray, I have to pull the gray hairs out because they are different than the others and I need to really check to make sure they are gray. I don't mind going gray, but I cannot stop myself from pulling them out.
Okay, I don’t know how RUclips knew to suggest this to me, but this makes me feel so much better to see all these people in the comments say that they struggle with this too, and that I’m not alone in this. I think I started hair pulling in the fifth grade, but I didn’t know this extended to picking eyelashes and eyebrows, which I think I started doing even younger than that. I also didn’t know this extended to picking hair from animals, as sometimes my cat, who is very fluffy, will have a clump of loose fur visibly sticking out and I feel the need to pull at it. And with it extending to picking stuff from things, I used to be really into plucking all of the hair out of pipe cleaners until they were just wires.
I’m glad it’s a comfort! A little of my story: when I was at my worst I would pick the skin off of the bottom of my feet to the point they would be bleeding and it would hurt to walk. It was a miserable time. BUT with age and therapy it’s gotten so much better!
Everything you said was so true for me. I like to find the 'perfect hair' before puling (usually a thick textured grainy one) then I'll play with it in my fingers and eventually put it between my teeth like tooth floss. I find it calming and to be honest it is almost like a disassociate experience because I have to drag myself out of the day dream to say stop to myself
Omg yes. I have to find the perfect thick textured strand! But I play with it between my fingers and along my lips .. the dissociative dream state is exactly how I feel too! Very soothing but automatic shame and I hate going to the hairdressers.
You just described my entire school-age years. If the hair broke when trying to floss with it, it clearly wasn’t the right one and the cycle starts again.
It takes all my energy to pull myself back from the trance like state. The longest trance took almost 2 hours to myself out of. Thank you for sharing @MotherGod! I mostly feel shame when I wake from the trances - I have on average 5/6 trance episodes a day. I have 2 types of tweezers I carry in my bag. One with a side slanted tip, and the other with a straight tip. These I guard with my life. I panic when I can't feel for them in my bag. I routinely wake up and immediately reach for both tweezers on my bedside table. Like a zombie, I start picking at the thick textured hairs around my belly button, lower and upper abdomen. I divide hairs around those areas into thick and medium. Slanted tweezer is for the thick hairs and side slanted for the medium hairs. This I do 7 days a week 5/6 times each day. Weekends are difficult for me. Ive once spent a total of 8 hours (with bathroom breaks and the odd snack for fuel to keep going) picking each individual hair, alternating between tweezers feeling each individual hair slide smoothly with that tingling feeling as the hair tugs out of the follicle. It's so soothing, but exhausting.
Those were the best hairs! I used to always touch the root to my upper lip (like on the skin above my lip). It's cold and weird. I stopped pulling probably about 5-6 years ago now. When Dr. Marks was reminding me about how anxiety usually precedes hair pulling and I thought, "Oh damn, I'm doing so well! I'm under so much stress, but I haven't pulled!" Then I realized, I've gained about 10lbs and I'm treating my anxiety with food instead...
My friends would always tell me to stop biting my nails, but the thing is, I was never biting my nails. I was biting my skin off because it felt comforting to me, I always thought it was just a weird habbit because everybody has them. I’ve had OCD my whole life and really struggle with it when I’m anxious or stressed. Thank you for this video, it was very calming❤️
I feel the same. I always bite my skin and that’s why I feel very insecure about my fingers. It’s very hard to stop doing it. Sometimes I’ll be in class and start doing it. Then after a bit I would start bleeding. I’ve never been able to stop it completely. I feel much better that I’m not alone with these habits.
The way you described trichotillomania made me feel seen. I developed it in 5th grade (I'm not 23) and it got so bad I had to wear scarves to cover the bald spot. It's not noticeable anymore but I always feel like I'm on the precipice of starting again. Thank you, I've never had someone describe what I felt so perfectly.
There might be a genetic predisposition as well. I think that OCD is a much more common thing than is recognized. Actually, i think that it is inherent. I’ve even observed it in pets. If you can eradicate your compulsive behaviors, great. But i think the more realistic goal for most ppl is to moderate those behaviors enough that they don’t negatively impact your life.
Omg similar story here! I started in 4th grade and am now 24. It got so bad in middle school I was super bald near the front of my hairline and got bullied for it. I had to wear headbands to cover it i wish i wouldve thought of scarves. I still do it but definitely not to the degree it was.
I related so much both things she explained. Like the hair part was so accurate to me in middle school. I think it started around 6-7th grade and I just started to compulsively pull at the hair in spots around my part. At the time I really had no idea why I did it but it was just this irresistible compulsion to pull it. And just like she said I’d feel a slight satisfaction right after I pulled a strand from this specific part on my head, but only for a short time because then I’d realize what I was doing and feel ashamed. It took a bit but after a while my parents started to notice and asked me why I was doing it. I couldn’t explain to them why except it was just this uncontrollable urge I’d get sometimes. Looking back on it now, I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and stuff at that time so that probably had something to do with it. I don’t do the hair thing so much nowadays but I feel like I might have just replaced it with hyper-fixating on my skin, specifically on my face. Sometimes it feels like I can’t look in the mirror without spending way too long just scrutinizing my face and searching for pimples or bumps or scabs to pick off. Like I will end up zoning out, just doing it automatically once I look at myself in the mirror, and before I know it I’ve spent half an hour just hyper-focusing on trying to pick or get rid of every little blemish on my face. A lot of times it leaves me feeling anxious or jittery afterwards too. But god, it feels so nice to know that I’m not the only one that struggles with things like this, and you can try doing things to help. This video felt like she was just directly explaining my habits back to me the whole time.
I'm a therapist who also has excoriation disorder. When I was working with kids, I had a client who also had skin excoriation. I figured I was either the best or worst person to work with her. It turned out okay, because I was able to communicate to her parents what was going on for my client, and how reprimanding her was a bad idea. We also worked on replacement behaviors, and minimizing the shame shed internalized from her parents. For myself, I've engaged in harm reduction measures. Putting hydrocolloid patches over my acne has been a game changer. Because I get the satisfaction of seeing the extraction, and I can press on the spots I'd otherwise pick.
Wow! I can relate. I too work with Children and I have excoriation disorder. My client who had it, was biting and picking his fingers until nearly deformed. I do it and hate it. I bite my cuticles so badly that my fingers are starting to look like my student’s fingers. I have severe scarring now and I don’t know what to do about it!! I actually engaged less when I was doing a lot of cardio...you would think painting my nails helps but it doesn’t. I pick at the cuticles so the polish can be undisturbed. I do it while driving, too😔
I will try the patches too, seeing the extraction is most likely going to work for me. I always thought this stuff was a kind of auto aggresive behavior, i also bite my nails and scratch the skin on my head sometimes but if i cut myself all of it stops for sometime
I find that sewing or crocheting helps me. I like the repetition of sewing/crocheting and it's calms my mind. I'm about to make the biggest crochet blanket or about 5 handmade outfits right now, because my anxiety is high!
Thank you for this video! Like most in the comments, I felt like no one else had this problem. It somehow helps that it’s a real thing and I’m not alone
Always feels validating hearing this stuff. Used to pull out the loose hairs of my eyebrows and pull out my eyelashes that would come out. I now seem to have very little bottom eyelashes. I also skinpick my scalp as a stress response. I was absolutely ashamed of it when I was a child because I thought something was wrong with me due to the only intervention being an elementary counselor being like “why are you doing this? How about quitting cold turkey.” Which just fed into my shame about skin picking because I was 10 and had no idea why I even did it besides the fact that it help temporarily relieve my anxiety disorder and stress levels (enough that I wouldn’t have a meltdown, but I didn’t know that). You could really tell I was skin picking though because my scalp was absolutely filled with sores because I had to reach blood for the relief to come, which made me anxious about my peers finding out (bro one of my classmates pointed out my head was bleeding to the class around like sixth grade and I was mortified). Luckily since I’ve gone through puberty and gotten on birth control to help control hormones that I think contributed to triggering my anxiety disorder along with the regular puberty hormones, I don’t pick my scalp as much anymore. I definitely think I messed up my scalp to some extent though because now it has different needs than my hair, which makes it difficult sometimes when I develop dry flake patches that make me wanna scratch scratch scratch. I don’t pick at my eyelashes or eyebrows anymore except for when I have to bend them up from curling towards my eye and irritating it.
I hate when people say to just stop doing something like hair pulling. If it were that easy, we would have already stopped. I don't think anyone who doesn't have these compulsions can truly understand how it takes over your mind until you pull that hair or scratch/pick at that one spot. I'm glad you're making progress!
when i was younger i would pull out my hair searching for those white roots, and whenever i had a scab i’d pick it. i don’t pull my hair out anymore but i pick at my scalp so much. the smell of the sebum in my skin is what satisfies me tbh. this has been going on, on and off for years. used to be one single scab now i have a ton all over my scalp… i feel so much shame for it but i also don’t want to stop bc i get so much relief 🥲
I’ve been doing skin picking since I was a child. Yoga exercise and trying to keep my Skin clear helps. I don’t think I ever went a day without doing it. 😢
I'm literally crying at these comments. Trich has been such a difficult part of my life, and I think it will continue to be, but awareness is growing! We are not alone and it's okay to not be okay. Thank you for the educational video it is soothing.
@@jdijkstra8115 comforting knowing I’m not the only one that does this I have to make an effort every day to try and not pull hairs out making my beard uneven over time until it’s due for a shave
this video is so helpful! i’ve been struggling with picking my fingers for going on a decade now. i’ve genuinely lost sleep because i couldn’t stop picking. i’ve been told “it’s just a bad habit and you should stop” when i’ve always tried to tell them it’s more than a habit it’s a compulsion.
I for many years pulled the hair out of my head because of my anxiety and stress but now I have not pulled my hair out for over a year and I'm proud of it
had trichotillomania my whole life! I think it's something about the texture, I like to play with it in my fingers and twirl it into knots before pulling it out, and then I manipulate it. Thanks for the video!
same, i was 7 when i started pulling my hair out. haven’t been able to have long hair since my dad first shaved it off, and for years i didn’t have eyebrows either. i keep my head shaved now (easier to maintain). it sucks but this video was needed.
I never thought all these years that my picking skin on my lips, hands, body was a disorder. I do go through periods where I won’t pick my skin then something triggers it and then it takes months to stop because I’ll start doing it with out realizing it.
I sort of did know but was still shocked to hear it in this video! My skin-picking only began about 5 years ago after a very painful time in my life but it wasn’t healthy skin to start with. There were little breaks in the skin that attracted me to do it. I also chew the inside of my mouth when I’m feeling stressed or anxious or even, subconsciously, when I’m just watching TV. Sometimes to the point where my gums swell and my skin on the inside of my cheek is really raw. I hate myself for it and always tell myself never again. But it’s true, I’m unable to stop all these things! Also, as I was listening to the part about hair pulling, I remembered that i used to do that as a child!!!
Same here! I'm 19 now and I'm trying to stop picking my arms, face, chest, and back. It's so hard though because I want to stop but it feels like I can't :(
I would defiantly ask someone if it is a diagnosable disorder, because you may be able to find ways through therapy to cope with whatever is triggering you. There is a difference between just being "fidgety" and having one of these disorders, so monitor it and make sure to let someone know if you feel it is a problem. Good luck.
I had a huge problem with nail biting, skin picking and biting to the point I couldn't use my hands because I was bleeding so much. I also used nail clippers to cut of small pieces of skin for the same reasons. But recently, I got an anxiety ring, started painting my nails and tried to hide away my nail clippers until I actually need them. Also, I started bringing my hobbies to school or in general public spaces, so I have something to do with my hands, and it really helped me getting my anxiety under control. I'm so happy I can type this without my fingers hurting :)
I had no clue this were actual disorders. I’ve been skin picking for years and years. People would look at my sore fingers and on occasions even being infected and they’d asked me if doing that wouldn’t hurt. My answer every time is: of course it hurts and a lot! But I’m not able to stop doing it. This video clarifies me that I thought nail and cuticle bitting is not from only being nervous and/or anxious. Once a psychiatrist told me what I was doing was self mutilation and that made me stop skin picking for some time.
My friend used to pull her eyelashes out with tweezers and said the same. It hurt but she couldn't stop. One time she had none and dirt dead skin etc built up under eyelids and she had to have surgery. She stopped eventually and didn't even notice when, like giving up a habit.
My bro does this. He's a lot better now but lapses into it if stressed. He finds it rewarding despite it hurting. He's 35 btw! He tries to stop by doing gym exercises. Result is he is very buff with healthier looking fingers
@@gabrielpatten6939 omg, that’s literally what I do. Always biting on my lips or the inside of my cheek, and bite or pick at my cuticles. At least we know what it’s called now.
I also used to pick my skin on the underside of my feet a lot, it was a mild case but I gradually stopped it cause it started hurting a lot when walking.
i have extremely dry lips, and for as long as i can remember ive picked at them. i will often do it until they bleed, because i hate the feeling of uneven textures on my lips, but this just results in more chapping and uneven textures. i’ve noticed i usually only do it when i’m extremely focused on something, so i don’t worry too much about it. if i try hard to keep chapstick on hand at all times, i can break the habit, but it takes effort and i can’t be mindless about it..
I have this since I was a child and even lipsticks for healing didnt help, because it just got even worse with it. For about a year now I use skin- and baby creme for my lips and it actually helped, cause the healing process isn't dry anymore. Pls guys try this out!
I feel good picking my lips, I feel even better when I start bleeding. The pain feels good. I've been doing this since I was 6-7 and I'm in my late 20s now...
i know it’s wrong but i bite at my lower lip til it bleeds and pick at my thumbs and sometimes squeeze it when i know it’ll bleed… i’ve gotten better but i still catch myself doing it
It makes me feel good, too, and I also love the taste of blod. But the problem is that I can't stop. Even if I do for a while, when it starts to heal it is just too tempting
I was so surprised that you mentioned hypnosis. Thank you for at least acknowledging it. There's so much that can be done by a skilled hypnotist to help people with their mental health issues.
I’ve suffered from Trichotillomania since I was 10 (im 26 now) and I have to FIGHT ALL DAY EVERYDAY. I’ll always remember the kids in elementary commenting “you know you have a big bald spot right?” It’s definitely held me back from being my best self. A lot of my insecurities and self-hate has stemmed from my Trichotillomania as eventually I started believing myself to be a freak and ugly and weird. And it’s hard to not feel that way to this day. It really sucks because I love how I look with long hair but it’s literally a war inside my head to not pull it out. I hate it and it makes me hate myself. If you read this and also suffer from Trich, all I wanna say is you’re beautiful and you deserve to be happy just like everybody else.
I'm 30 now and I struggle once in a while, but not nearly as bad I have always had to try to cover my spots even looked up stuff on line that helps cover. I started at 13, but it does get better anytime I start I do something to keep me busy or go somewhere alot of people are so I won't do it it definitely helps. Or if ur hairs long tie it up. Positive vibes your way and find some music tht lifts ur energy stay positive and remember don't stress at the end of the day stressing isn't gonna help it makes it worse! U got this my hair looks alot better and I use rosemary and aloe vera and it helps for fuller hair or ginger 👍😊 prayers 🙏
Same, I'm 27 and mine got so bad that I had to shave off all my hair a few months ago. It has really helped cause I have more control now that I've stayed a long time without hair to pluck
I'm 15 and I'm indeed struggling from this. My parents dont get it, it's to hard to stop myself from pullin it. But because of pulling it out my hair started falling by itself. I dont know if this will be over. Will my hair grow back? I'm scared now.
I started developing trich when I was around 6-7, currently 14 rn. I'm somewhat worried that this will stay with me till I'm older, but it is what it is. I used to hate it and I was insecure about my bald spot so I always wore beanies at school. My own family even makes fun or always points it out so I was ashamed of myself. After learning that it was a disorder and not a bad habit, I felt good somehow because it's not really my choice and I don't have to blame myself for it. I wish my family understood that
@@kiako2538 I feel the same way and it sucks. I'm going through a lot of stress, and all I do is pull my hair. I also put goals for myself, but it just doesn't work out for me. My mom doesn't know that I pull out my hair, and I kept it a secret for 5 years. I tell her that I have alopecia. She even took me to the dermatologist, and my doctor told me that I actually have alopecia (which he's lying) I believe that I'm just living in a lie, and I know it, I just have to ask God for his help. I'll be praying for you too. But your hair will grow back. God bless you. And thanks for sharing. SK
I grew out my armpit hair so that I would leave my eyelashes and eyebrows alone. I had to wear eyeliner every day so you couldn’t see I had no eyelashes. I have gotten better. I hope everyone else finds peace
Someone noticed I didn’t have eyelashes one day in school back in the day when I had eyeliner on. I never thought anyone would ever be able to tell. I was so shook that I said I had a bad reaction to some mascara
I remember going into work on an off day and a well-meaning co-worker asked if I was okay, that I looked sick. I forgot to draw on the lash line. Oops. I get self-conscious when I have to look downward while talking with people when I suddenly remember how noticeable it is when you have a random patch of lashes and nothing around it. I still haven't mastered false lashes while bare.
I pick at my skin to a point where it bleeds and there are very evident scars and marks around my cuticle. Picking at my face has also led to acne being developed. I can't seem to stop and have been at it for as long as i can remember. Thanks for acknowledging and helping me understand it
Can you judge in which situations you do it? Do you have stress, inner turmoil, fears, worries or the like. I can't judge it exactly with me and even do it automatically in my sleep. It is so humiliating, my husband always grumbles with me and puts me under additional pressure. A vicious circle. I wish you a lot of strength, all the best for you.
These conversations are soo important to normalize, thank you for sharing your expertise at it. Since small I've always picked at scabs, specially those I'd get from mosquito bites, I wouldn't stop till it bleed and then I'd feel OK to see it scab and repeat, as an adult I still habe all those scars and they have caused me soo much pain to see, but now I still pick at my skin but found more unnoticeable areas. Never considered it to be the same behavior transformed to something else, but definerly something I'd want to bring up to a professional
I have done the same thing. Whether it was picking at or even peeling skin and if i had no spot on my i did it on whoever o was around. I have kept my nails cut down as short as they will go before they become painful to help discourage myself from doing it... I didnt know it was an actual disorder I just though i was strange.
I still do that exact same thing with bug bites. It should just take a few days or weeks for bites to heal, but mine take many months because I will not leave them alone. I also do that at night just before I fall asleep. I've heard that picking at scabs til their is pain releases endorphins in your brain as a reward and that's why people do that. I have to be entirely mindful to stop the behavior but I've had scabs last up to two years because I won't leave them alone. I cannot stand the bump, I want the surface flat.
i’ve had a habit of chewing the inside of my cheek ever since i could remember, and have picked at my fingers and lips for many years now and i’m just now learning that there is an actual term for it. I think the videos you make are so incredibly important, because so many people (like me) will go years and years not knowing why they do certain things or why their brain thinks in certain ways.
Omg I used to chew the inside of my cheek terribly to the point my mouth would be sore or when I was stressed out with school.i did it since I was a kid to maybe my late teenage years then I just stopped 1 day without reason & haven’t done it since & im in my thirties now…idk I just didn’t have a desire to chew my cheeks anymore but I still dabble on the lips every now n again tho 😬🙄😂
I’ve been struggling with trich since I was a child. The diagnosis felt like an inescapable label. It was so long (trichotillomania) and I’d never heard of it before. It felt like I’d been cursed. I picked strands with different texture. It started with my eyelashes until I had none. Then it moved to my scalp. But like she said in the video it’s hard to seek out the correct strand, and in attempting to pick that one strand or one stub I made many bald spots. Even worse, as it grew back, I’d pick out the tiny stubs. The spots would often connect and reveal much bigger hairless spots. I’ve gone to therapists who had a number of suggestions, all of which stressed me out more. I felt pathetic for not being able to control the compulsion. I hated going for haircuts. I hated the wind, for fear it might expose me. In some weird reverse psychology attempt, I never tied my hair because I thought that if I did something so consistent as to hide my problem people would automatically know something was wrong. I had a separate eyeliner specifically for my bald spots. I needed advance warning for going out so I could physically and mentally prepare myself. I couldn’t even talk about it without crying. These days instead of trying to completely erase the compulsion, I allow it- in moderation. I’ll pick hairs from my underarms, pubic area, or even my legs. These are all places I could be grooming myself anyways. The distribution of places I can pick actually lessens the instances of picking at all. I do still pick from my head but instead of bald spots the size of my palm, they’re hardly bigger than the tip of my finger. I’m really just typing this to let other people know, if you have this condition- you are not alone, you are not strange. It does get better. ❤️
I'm 48 and and this started when I was 6/7 yrs old. I don't know how this will ever stop for good. I do good for a while and it's game on and I want to hide away bc I hate this
I started at age 3. I used to pull my hair off, wrap it around my index finger to tickle my face while I sucked the two middle fingers. It stopped around age 6 when my mom got me hair growing shampoo. But then around age 8, i started getting dandruff and i I would pick at that… I kept this habit. Now I’m 39 and I have a balding spot on my scalp that is the latest area where i picked dandruff until it became an injury and then a scab. I pick it every day. I knew I had a disorder but not sure what it was called and super thankful I found this video.
My 12 year has been pulling his eye lashes an hair out of his scalp for 2 years now I told his doctor an they were saying it's probably stress from the pandemic, since that's when he started doing it
I've literally been bawling my eyes out for the last 10 minutes. I have struggled with this ever since I can remember and this is the first time in years that i genuinely believe I might be able to stop one day.
It’s truly interesting that our species struggle with so many peculiar habits or behaviors to help us cope with our issues or feelings. Even tho I don’t struggle with this specifically, I feel for you all who do, and know that it’s obvious you aren’t alone and that’s there so much help out there. I’m hopeful that you will find the root to your behaviors and work towards better habits 🤍
@@mariatomko4278 Bingo, you got that right! The reasons that push us to compulsions result from our disconnect from nature, and from all the stupid things we do every day that we don't need to do but that line some rich people's pockets. Imagine if you got to spend a week in a shack in the mountains, away from traffic and noise and social media. Do you think you would pick your skin or pull your hair as much? The root of all evil is consumerism.
WATCH NEXT: *Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder* ruclips.net/video/bYm8kdGmpeA/видео.html
What kind of doctor are you? & do you have an personal email for business enquiries?
I am a nail bitter I can chew them down to almost nothing. Sometimes the pinky nails can get chewed down to nothing and there no nail left. I had to tape my pinky nails up just so they could grow back. I hate the feeling of edges of my nails being uneven and rough. So i will run them on my jeans and other things to smooth them out then I biting them more.
Sounds similar to my bruxism I will bite my cheeks and tongue when I'm stressed and anxious
I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU & AGAIN I LOVE YOU.
NOo one believes me in my family that its real. They just think IM GROSS or CRAZY!
So i thanm you so much Dr. Ive been waiting for years for someone to touch on this subject!
SO IMPRESSIVE!!!
Crazy how I have bipolar and pulled my hair
i cant believe this random well-dressed lady just read me like this for 7 minutes straight I'm so hurt
😂😂😂
Same 🥲
I’m over here cowering in shame & appreciation 😭🤣
@@TheAmazinRaven1Yes! And for once, my appreciation overrides the shame.
yeah that was hard to watch for me too
i literally can’t sleep sometimes because i can’t stop my hands searching for any scab or bump or imperfections to dig at all over my body.
Same. 😣
@@lifemusic1980 me too
Me too. I can get pretty carried away pinching my face with my nails and doing damage while half awake. Sometimes I'll destroy days of healing that I finally got away with in 1 night falling asleep.
Omg i needed to see this. "Searching for imperfections" is EXACTLY what, how, I do it. I've got so many scars.
Ugh this is me too 🥺
More than the fact that I'm an apparent freak, I'm concerned that the Google algorithm somehow KNEW that I'm a freak in this exact way. I did not search this video or subject, or anything related to it.
…me too… wtf
Maybe they can see us via our cameras in laptops??? nah, paranoid thinking. I have been on a lot of sites related to my bipolar, maybe RUclips knows mental disorders and nervous habits such as these go hand in hand. It is kind of scary.
@@anastasiamurawski6179 - I have tape over my camera, so that couldn't be the case for me... not that I'm paranoid or anything. Your comment doesn't appear publicly, by the way.
@@Brakathor I've that's a good idea, though I'm not worried too much about it. What do you mean, you can see my comments but no one else can?? is that what you mean by saying my comment doesn't appear publically? sorry if u think I'm a freak.
Sameeee
Having lip biting mentioned as even a small part of this video feels so validating. I’ve struggled with that for my entire life. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop.
Yeah, I struggle with all things listed in that short bit, I feel so seen. Like it’s been a bad habit my entire life as well 😭
Bruh fr me to it’s not fun 😣
Never say it’s stronger than you are. Give yourself some credit and time and things will resolve albeit slowly.
Same :( Even when I forcefully stop myself, there's often times when I just zone out and do it automatically. Then I suddenly snap out of it and realize ive been biting my lip skin to the point of bleeding. So not fun :(
I pick at my lips. I've done it for at least 30 years.
I was listening to this video and I just realized I’ve been picking at my skin for like half the video
Lol same
For me it was my scalp
Yep same
Me too- worst part is that i pick the skin on my face
😢❤️ I feel you
I noticed that I do it more when I’m tired or bored. It’s like a self-soothing behaviour but I can recognise it now and actively try and train myself off it.
Yeah I do it to give my hands something to do usually out of boredom
Yeah me too, love pulling my eyebrows and eyelashes when bored! And I enjoy the feeling when I pull them out.
That's good Ira🙁 I still skin pick when I'm anxious (98.9% of the time) It's summer here and I have been wearing a jacket (in 98 degree heat) to hide the wounds😥
@@stephaniebaker2960: been there; it's the worst feeling. I get so fricking mad at myself! But then i barter with myself "ok. Just a bit. I won't mess it up this time", and of course i mess it up...
@@The_Tiffster Something BAD triggers me to wreck my skin. Ex. I can be on the phone/and start getting stressed. I look down and I'm scratching my arms until they bleed. I can't stop and I don't have OCD. I'm left with scabs so I wear long sleeves in 98 degree weather😪 It's sad/it's a vicious cycle🙁P.S. I used to have beautiful skin btw🤷♀️ P.S.S. This is not "self-soothing to me". It's extreme anxiety😪
I talked to a doctor about my dermatillomania when I was younger and he said to just stop the habit and nothing could be done. Currently, I'm studying to be a psychiatrist to do something about this issue- wish me luck.
I have been treated the same way for years and I'm plain sick of it. I'm writing a book on how to fix it using non-traditional methods and without having to track your progress! Stay tuned 😊
😉
@ferret it's horrific isn't it? I can't wait to release my works and free people like me from having to deal with this condescending crap! We're not broken, we're not ill, and we're not sick. We are uncommon and awesome types of people, who have uncommon responses to stress and boredom, and it's high time we are treated with the respect we deserve! 😊 All the best to you in your endeavours as well!
That dr was WRONG! Fire them now! There is hope even without therapy and/ or meds.
did you try hypnosis? i only use it to relaxe before going to bed, but it might work in that area
I'm a big skin picker, I have dark spots from picking at stress acne all along my jawline. I'll definitely be bringing this up with my therapist. Thank you for putting a name to it so I can better articulate this issue with her.
I've had coworkers catch me picking, and my parents of course, and they tell me to just "stop it". Like "gee, something I've never tried before." 🙄
This compulsive behaviours are considered a early sign of potential B12 deficiency. One does not need to be really deficient to manifest ocd behaviors.
I would sugest see a doctor and considering taking supplements in pills of grass-fed dessecated liver or eat the beef liver if you can, or even see to supplement B12 in synthetic forms (those sometimes are not as effective) after talking to your doctor.
@@dsoul1305 I usually have problems with it. Late 2021, my pcp put me on b12 because I was kind of low, and then it went to 4000, so they told me to stop taking it every day, and just do weekends, but I stopped altogether. I do have to see her again for another physical soon, so I'll bring it up
Same...
@@ringo567 My therapist suggested to just be mindful about it, and pay attention to how I'm feeling when I start picking, but we had like 4 minutes left of the session, so it was rushed. I did wind up cutting my nails down to as short as they can go, which means for now I can't pick.
I'm willing to pass along any tips my therapist comes up with to help combat this if you'd like
My mum always tell me to stop and it's like yeah like you haven't said that 10000 times and it still hasn't worked, danke
I started picking all over my body since I was a child it’s more like an obsession to make my skin smooth. Once I see a scab or a bump I pop the bumps I try to smooth it by picking pieces off. If a scab heals over it I pick off pieces til I get to raw but semi healed portion of the skin.
Me too, I just thought it was all normal. I've done this since who knows how long. The fact that it can be brought to attention makes me happy. Kinda crying now🥲😁
My father used to film me picking my scabs. I think he was trying to shame me to get me to stop. It didn’t work. All I know is that it is more than anxiety that causes it . I honestly get lost in the process I don’t even realize I’m doing it and there is nothing going on around me that would make me anxious. So I don’t think there is a release of anything I just do it even when I don’t mean to.
I do it too, especially while being focused on something. Would not realise I do if for hours!
Exactly this for me. It doesn't feel good per say, but the smoothness is the "goal..." I'm doing it less though, because I've gotten quite a bit of professional help about it, and I did (and am still doing) a helluvalotta work on myself in my journey.
me too! i think its the virgo in me but who knows!
I pick at my skin, it's like I'm trying to get rid of impurities on my body
Indeed, get the "bad" out
Same.... I'm happy when I do it then I realize I see scars I'm making. Then I stop but then I can't help but do it again. I love picking off skin and scabs... the bigger the pieces, the happier I am.
I run my hands over my arms unconsciously feeling for uneven skin or bumps and pick the impurity out. If there's not a visible impurity, it's not satisfying and I have to find a visible impurity. But rubbing my hands over my skin causes the impurities. It's a viscous cycle, I hate it. Especially when I catch myself doing it in front of people.
I do that too and then wind up at the dermatologist who gets upset because it’s just a pickers nodule. I want to know what it was that I originally picked at to start the focus of picking that area.
ugh same... major feeling of impurity....
Looking for the “perfect” piece of skin to pick or spot to pop is so difficult to avoid. I had no idea that other people did this as well, I’ve had people refer to me as disgusting before over this, so thank you so much for this video I feel less alone!
You are definitely not alone.
I do the exact same thing and thought that there was just something randomly wrong and weird about me, but now I understand more about it and will try harder to stop. I hope you have a wonderful day/night!
I used to get bullied for doing it because I had a bald spot from it, so I completely understand where you are coming from with that! You are not at all alone
You're not alone. When my anxiety starts I start picking my skin for blackheads. Even family members catch me doing it. I had no idea it was a type of disorder. I do have some scarring on my arms
@@shamma2982 yeah I do too. I didn't even realize 'till I saw a notification pop up that someone had commented, and I then realized "oh, I'm picking at myself once again" Do you have any ideas on how you may be able to stop or gradually stop yourself from doing this?
I'm 75, and I'm just about a hermit because I pick my face constantly. Then I pull off the scabs... leaving scars. I thought I was the only one, and I always feel so ashamed of myself. Good vibes to all, I'm glad you're out there...
Patricia, your words have given me confidence to go outside today, scabs and all
I've always had skin picking and hair pulling, however it seems to have gotten worse in my 40s (I'm in my late 40s now). If I have more stress, the problem gets worse, but it never goes away completely.
🤗🥰
@@gemmayoutube n
Is it hereditary, i pick at my genital hair and i peel my feet😢
Oh my god thank you. It's so hard to tell people why I can't just "stop picking," and telling me to stop makes it even HARDER to stop.
SO TRUE
It's humiliating when people point ot out. Makes me wanna hide under a rock.
@@amandapenniesuggs2409 Same, my mom does it all the time.
G* bb ;)
RIGHT?!! POINTING IT OUT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO DO IT MORE...
I don't know why this was on my recommended but I definitely have the hair pulling one which is scary how RUclips knows
Me too!! I have absolutely NO idea why RUclips recommended this to me, but I've been struggling with that for years without knowing why, and I had no idea so many other people do too (and her description was scarily accurate) :o
Yeah, same.
I've had it my entire life. 🤷🏾♀️ And many others. I know it's not normal but meh, life goes on.
Same with the skin picking. I appreciate RUclips concern but it is also scary.
Same, but I’m happy about it cause I’ve always bitten my lip and I’m glad to know why
Ummm it’s creepy how accurately she explained exactly what I do
Right that felt weird
It really did, especially since this is stuff I've been doing since I was around 7 years old.
Luckily, my experience with trichotillomania has lessened in severity over the years (although I do still worsen during times of high anxiety)
Skin picking has been pretty constant though.
Will say, being a high anxiety child with these disorders and having parents yell at you to "Just stop picking/pulling" only made it worse.
RIGHT! She's like "You have probably one hand while working and the other picking" I paused and went- Fudge.
I agree...
RIGHT?!!
I still remembered how mentally stressful and humiliating it was as a little kid to feel addicted to plucking my hair without realizing that trichotillomania was a thing. And then realizing that my eyebrows were completely gone…and knowing that I’d be yelled at for it, even though I was helpless at the time to resist it. I still remember the night before a doctors appointment, about a year after I thought I had gotten over it, I plucked one of my eyebrows clean without realizing. My dad got frustrated and asked me “why can’t you pull out your mustache hair instead?” That stung a lot. I wish I had access to this knowledge when I was younger, even just to know I wasn’t alone. It’s gotten much better with age, but still I feel the urge from time to time.
that was a really nasty thing for your dad to say, I'm sorry you went through that
I'm an eyebrow plucker too, I manage it by allowing myself to pluck ONE small section of eyebrow, a few hairs every few nights, hairs grow quickly there, and people assume I have a scar there or it's an aesthetic choice
I’m myself had to get my eyebrows micro bladed for the same thing.
@PunkPineapple I can assure you if it were that easy I'd have stopped plucking them a long time ago, I've been plucking for about two decades and have had very minimal success in reducing it
I have a mole under my eyebrow that acts as a focus point for my plucking, I CANNOT leave it alone no matter how hard I try, I get the mole checked regularly by a doctor and I'm hoping to eventually have it removed to reduce the temptation but so far the mole is considered benign and the doctor doesn't want to remove it unless it shows signs of becoming cancerous
you don't go through twenty years of plucking without going through some trial and error, controlled plucking is what works for me, it's the only thing that works for me, moving to the eyebrow also successfully kept me away from my eyelashes completely which I considered a higher priority for protection
thank you for the concern but please maybe don't go with the caps lock yelling right out the gate? and also maybe consider that sometimes people have tried everything and have to settle with what they can
I witnessed parents yelling at a child for compulsive behavior, it saddened me so much. : ( It's something so hard to control...
i remember being scolded for picking off half of one of my eyebrows. And then i just felt bad bc I knew I looked stupid bc of what I did. After that I stopped picking my eyebrows and started ripping my hair out until I made a large bald spot along my hairline instead😀
It kinda feels good I’m not alone in this. I never opened up about this to anyone and just thought I was a disgusting person. I’m so glad I was informed on this. Thank you
You are not disgusting. 🤗You are not alone.
I can relate to that. And no you’re not alone❤️
Same omg
I remember starting to pull my hair out at 9...didn't know I wasn't alone until 23. I was so ashamed, so happy that many out here now can feel safe with more ways to understand this disorder.
Same! We’re all in this together
I've gotten better over the years, stopping myself from picking my skin and biting the inside of cheeks, lips and hands. But it definitely gets bad when stress is high, it makes me feel better knowing others also experience this.
22 years old and still biting the inside of my cheeks and lips. Don’t realise I’m doing it even while typing this
I Love your name lol😛
I am 28. I've chewed on the inside of my mouth for as long as I can remember. I have no idea I am doing it but my mom ALWAYS tells me to stop doing it.
I chew on the inside of my cheeks and my tongue it goes away and sometimes comes back strong. It happens when my stress is high too
BITING THE INSIDE OF MY CHES WERE THE WORST
I never knew these were actual disorders. I've been getting better about them both, but when I'm highly stressed, I'll pluck my hair out or pick at my face or hands. Thank you for educating us!!
At one point it got really bad for my eyelashes, if u have a habit of picking at hair, go for the ends of your hair.
man
When she was talking about hair pulling, I was surprised how closely it aligned with what I do. My beard is patchy because I pick at it.
I didn’t know either
For anyone out there, what helped me was:
- have your actual skin in check, as i developed this because of very thick scabs forming on my scalp, which i obsessively piicked away from the scalp to look cleaner (dandruff looks better than bigger scabs).
- i put on dreadlocks. This assures i have less access to the scalp, but that i can always pull on them for relief, but since pulling involves more hairs at once, it doesnt do as much of a bald spot. The added weight also gives a constant pull which is perfect. Note: this doesnt completely get rid of the impulse, but it guides it into something more constructive, since if if it gets bad and i pull too many hairs in either direction (usually out of the dreadlock but still attached to the scalp), i can always use it as an excuse to redo the dreadlock, giving my hands something constructive to do while still pulling the scalp.
- use honey on the sores/scabs/imperfection of your skin. Honey relieves the itchyness which might trigger the action, and its a nice repellent because it makes you associate the 'skin-touching' with something umpleasant as the stickyness of the honey, so you catch yourself mid-act if youre being absentminded. Its also a perfect antiseptic and hydratant so it leaves your skin healthy (perfect for acne also).
Please upvote this so everyone sees!
Over the past five years or so, I've been picking at random scabs or imperfections on my scalp. I'm honestly not sure what they are or where they came from, but there's at least two spots that have been there for five years now, so they're obviously not just an ingrown hair that turned into a scab or something.
Sometimes when it's really hot I'll consider shaving my head again, but then I remember that it would probably look pretty weird now with all these picking spots everywhere :(
@@coalblooded if its something localized, and not the whole scalp, it might be a fungus, make sure to have it checked out! Another thing it could be is something more nefarious (like a skin cancer). Also, try to wash the spot with neutral water and a BIT of soap if its greasy, then apply honey on it and try not to pick it for a week (including not washing it). If that doesnt help, please do see a doctor (well, do that anyways). How often do you shampoo? If you do it every day, that might also be a reason. Human hair actually isnt supposed to be washed that often, with soap at least (just water is fine), but around once a week or twice at most. But in america and other places, there has been inculcated this idea that you need to shampoo every day or youll be disgusting, which is actually the reason why scalps are greasy or too dry: the daily shampoo!
Growing locs have helped tremendously
@@ReadyorNot811 im so happy it helped!
I've been fighting this since I was very young. I'm 46 now and still have the issue. I've worn wigs, clip ins . I've gone completely bald. Now my hair is very short and I hate having short hair but don't have money for clips or a wig. Sigh..... I've always struggled. I'll do good but....... I guess I'll fight this forever.
I have been picking at acne and scabs since the third grade. 13 years later and I still haven’t been able to stop. My entire face, both my shoulders, and ass cheeks are riddled with scars and dents from picking for hours. I avoid mirrors or else I’ll just hyper focus on any and all acne or bumps. It’s to the point that I hate leaving the house or doing /the thing/ with my partner because I look like a damn drug addict. Especially with how bad my face is. Reading these comments has brought me to tears as I finally don’t feel alone with the struggle of a heavily scarred body from this compulsion.
You are not alone... I’m the exact same! Anytime I see a mirror I HAVE to pick my face💀 So many scars!!
Oh my gosh, I have the exact same picking problem and the same areas you do. My body is also scarred. Can't wear certain things otherwise people do stare. It sucks. Especially when you see others with perfect skin. But you know what, and I say this for everyone here, there is still a beautiful soul underneath all the scarring.
Yo sameeee, can't wear nothing that shows my shoulders, back, or chest because it's all just scarred to hell
You might actually have parasites which can cause skin picking behavior. I'd look into it if I were you.
@@calamitychaela1994 It’s actually an ocd and anxiety thing for me 🙃
I'm just impressed with how she can explain something so good and for 8 minutes straight without needing to cut or edit any part.
She did edit tho. You can see some parts where it’s edited. But yes, she explained it perfectly
Cause she reads from a script just like everyone else, from pc screen. You know.
@@sinikivi4591 Actually, no. Not everyone reads from a script. Otherwise, there’d be no need for edits. The minimal editing is proof.
There are cuts.
Yes !! Amazing
I struggle with hair pulling, lip picking, popping pimples, biting on the insides of my checks. I hate it.
I wanted to cry watching this because hearing someone say out loud what I struggle with gives me so much relief. I'm not alone. My struggle is validated.
The inside of my cheek. OMG I had that habit really badly. I don't know how but thank goodness I grew out of doing that.
Biting the inside of my cheek .... I didn't even know others had that problem. It's so bad I had to buy two different mouth washes to help with the soreness and healing. Orajel is a god send. I wish I could stop. 😓
I bite the inside of my cheeks too. Chewing at my lip and also I pull at my eye brows. I used to chew my finger nails when I was young. My parents tried to make me stop by putting nasty stuff on my nails. I bit them anyway. But years later eventually I stopped. The cheek biting and eyebrow pulling I do in public. I look like an idiot, an attractive guy with crazy nervous ticks. I don't go out anymore.
I also bite my cheeks. Aside from that, I also pull my eyelashes, but my fingers (chew and eat the skin around my nails), pop pimples, pick acne until it scars, etc. 🙃
Same here. Craziness
I have keratosis pilaris which creates small build ups of sebum under the skin and makes hard little white bumps that are unnoticeable to most but they are so obvious to me. I've been picking at my skin due to this my whole life and it's so hard to stop. I wear long sleeves as much as possible to hide it.
Talking about this as a compulsive behaviour is making it easier to understand why I do it and it's good to know I'm not alone with this problem.
You can try to reverse this by taking a little things into consideration. To better skin quality you need vit. A and omega 3 at least. There are few studies showing a correlation between diet and keratosis pilaris. Increasing essential fatty acid intake by consuming more coldwater fish such as sardines, mackerel, and salmon may lessen the rash. Bovine beef liver and this fishes are also packed with other essential nutrients that can treat that.
As I imagine that you are young and not willing to eat this things on a regular base, maybe try grass-fed dessecated liver pills and good quality fish oil in pills. This most likely can help with the compulsion to pick on it as well since there is correlation of ocd behaviour and lack of B12 and liver and sardines have a good ammount of it. It worked for me, but as long as I'm consuming this foods.
I have them on my cheeks and forehead and I shred my face so bad that I can’t leave the house
same here !!!! kp + excoriation
Me too. I have them on my upper arms & my thighs. I don’t pick them unless one gets like a black head. Then I scratch it until it’s gone. Ugg. But I don’t pick any other time. Castor oil is making mine go away. I can barely feel them now. I just started a couple weeks ago too.
I found this video & had to watch because my boyfriend is always picking his body. He always says there’s a bump or something itches. And he pulls his eyebrow hair. Half his eyebrows are gone. He gets scabs everywhere. Even on his head! He is always picking or scratching. Every time I tell him to stop picking, he says I’m not. I’m like really? I just saw you do it. What did I just make it up?! So annoying. I told him I think he has this condition. Whatever it is. I haven’t watched the video yet but I’m familiar because I read about it before. I’m going to watch it now & probably send it to him. Maybe it will bring him some form of education, help & relief. Crossing fingers!! And toes!!
Same here
damn this shit got me crying, everyone thought i was weird for pulling my hair out but i couldn’t stop or help it. im stilling struggling with it and have been for years not matter how much i stop doing it for a period of time i fall back and do it again. it’s getting rlly tiring sick of ppl asking me “why do you have hairs missing” and “what happened” bc it’s not easy saying it
I’m sorry you’re going through this, it’s not easy having these kind of disorders that are hard to explain to others. I hope this video brought you some peace that you’re not alone and there is nothing to be ashamed of!
@@foxiroonie91210 yes its hard to describe. My mom makes fun of me for it but she's so apathetic so that's expected
You’re not alone I’ve suffered with this for 20yrs. I feel even worse/more shameful about doing this as and adult!
It was very random coming across this video but I constantly pull my split ends apart and pull hairs out sometimes, and the thing she said about pulling it until you get the root out just right was insane to hear cuz I do this often.
do you thinlk buying a cheap wig from like a dollar store and using that to pull out the hair would help? and legit bring it with you everywhere you go and who cares with what ppl think. bc it help you idk tho
I feel like this self-sabatoging disorders are our anxiety-ridden brains trying to 'ground' ourselves (i.e stopping a panic/anxiety attack or spiraling before it starts)
I believe you are correct.
My rate of picking behaviours is directly related to the levels of bad stress in my life.
I used to just call it my “anxiety thing” bcs it only happened when i would freak out
This is exactly what I think. I used to scratch at my skin until I drew blood in a trance like state to calm down, now I do it with any bump on my body.
Exactly
Or compulsive behaviours associated with Ocd perhaps
Hearing her explain every little detail with hair pulling is exactly how I do it... this video made me feel so less alone in beginning to deal with my OCD
Same! Just wish I could stop... Been pulling strands from the back of my head for as long as I can remember.
Oh geez I've been pulling on a lot of my chin hair and the small hairs around my face since middle school. I did pick up on my eyebrow hair and eyelash hair but thankfully I stopped doing. I haven't really diagnosed myself as I feel it's more of a habit though
Ty - please don’t feel embarrassed or shameful - we humans are complicated creatures. You got this!👍
I have relapsed with hair pulling from my scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes after going pull free for 3 years. I look like an alien rn but I feel so helpless :( I mourn my hair how it was and the stress triggers in my life have gotten worse + are constantly present so I keep pulling even now when there's new hair growth... please send prayers to me so I try my best to control my urges. I pray for my fellow hair/skin pullers/pickers ❤️
sending prayers to you..I understand 😢
You are in my prayers.
With God,all things are possible.
Developed skin picking as an adolescent and often picked at my scalp until I bled. Was told by my doctor at the time that it was "just a bad habit" and "have you tried just NOT doing that?" This led to a lot of even more negative behaviors and self-loathing because I thought I just lacked discipline or was fucked up, and it wasn't until much later in life that I realized skin picking is actually a disorder. Thanks for the video!
To be fair, she described my case of skin picking/biting nearly perfectly. However, the only difference between mine and the disorder is that I don't do it out of stress or anxiety, I know pretty well it's just a bad habit. That's probably why it's hard for doctors not associated with mental assessment to really tell if it's a disorder or bad habit, because they don't know if something triggers them to do it or if they just do it of their own accord. Best leave it up to professionals like this to give you info!
I did the same thing. Now I pick at my arms. Its embarrassing. Nobody would want to cut my hair cause they thought it was some kind of skin disease
I often pick at my scalp rn in my life and I don't even know where it's come from. Sometimes I'm able to stop myself from doing it for periods but then I go right back into it, I don't even know where I developed this 😭
@@thewintermole I thought "bad habbit" just me my scalp. One time a friend said she saw me driving . I have a common car so I asked her how she knew it was me. She said I was fiddling with my hair. I'm 72 been a problem forever. Oh dear.
I did this during a short amount of time for I used to have psoriasis because of stress… well this is only anecdotal compared to what I did with the rest of my body however I never told anyone about it out of fear.
My parents kinda are aware cause they saw the scars (on my face mainly) but they only made fun of me and belittled me.
My career as a waxing therapist really helped me with this behavior. I’m still pulling hair but not mine and I get paid. My clients always happy with my work!
Haha sis here for this!! But not mine and I get paid!!
I should get into this profession
That is awesome! Turning it into a career
I would love to become an esthetician for this exact reason, mess with other people's skin all day and extractions but not my own!
Have you ever watched Jada Kennedy's vids?? They are superb 👌
I’m doing this soon😭 tired of picking my own hair
“My child is fine”
“Ma’am your child could spend half an hour searching for and popping pimples”
Oh dang, just called me out 😳
i didnt know that was a bad thing...
Only half an hour?
I'm guessing that's not good *goes to sit in the corner*
Half an hour is an understatement
I plucked my hair on top of my skull during my youth. (I am 80 yrs old now). It gave me a biggish bald spot there. Everybody in my life found it irritating but I couldnt stop! it really soothed me, The habit disappeared by itself in my late twenties. I never thought it might have been a form of OCD. Many thanks for this information Dr. Marks!!
The way in which Dr. Marks has described Trichotillomania has to be one of the best descriptions I've heard. Especially touching on how gratifying it is in the moment. People seemed to misunderstand that It never really hurt me when I would pull out hair. Instead it brought relief akin to scratching a mosquito bite.
Oh my God YESSSSS I just put the tweezers down for this but it always starts off as an itching sensation and I end up pulling the hair out and it feels soooooo soothing and comforting for me and the scratching too. My dad used to work on his eyelashes and he would sometimes even let me go at his hair/lashes with the tweezers....
I completely understand this! It actually sums up what I feel when I pull out the hair. I love this explanation because it shined light on my thoughts, but it didn't make me feel like a freak for getting satisfied from this.
@@KatinakittykatPatterson I get this incredibly annoying itching sensation on my eyelashes ; I can't scratch the itch so only pulling gets it away. First time I've felt validation in how I feel on the subject, this video is important for people like us!!
Ok literally same, it feels so relieving when I pick an eyebrow hair from the root, and when I get all the blackheads on my face even if my face is red and bumpy from all the picking, it just really soothing
I thought I was the only one who did this knowing that it's not brings me comfort but also after watching this I know there's something wrong with me.
I never knew this was an actual thing and I thought it was just my weird little behaviour. After reading these comments,I feel a bit better now that I know I'm not alone :]
I will try to stop picking at my skin,I'll search up methods and ways to help. I'll record down the areas that I pick at and how they're doing everyday or so. Wish me luck!
Same. I wish you the best of luck!!!
I'll pray for you!! You can do this! God bless❤ You're not alone🙏🏽❤
mine is not focused on my body though ive been listening to internal body movements but im into mental. im obsessed with my thoughts like i cant listen to my negative thoughts.
its too much ive become paranoid of what i hear having a negative message.
ii disect my stream of thoughts and i focused on negative ones trying to solve them.
it has become a routine it feel my personality become so boring
SAME
@@theodorashokpeka di
I always pick at my skin, especially pimples or any other "anomaly", which makes it worse and makes me pick at it even more. Anyway, my face looks like shit.
Same here :/
Used to pick my face but now I pick and bite my nails so bad I have no nails to pick with anymore lol
I have a big bald patch on my head and put a wig on to cover it 😂 I am learning hrt with my therapist though
If you have scars on your face get a microneedling facial. I used to have acne scars from popping pimples and after this facial my skin is 90% clearer. I know how it feels to have marks on your face. The treatment is a little pricey but it’s worth it for the self confidence!! Good luck to you
Same
I had trichotieromania, scalp picking, for 20+ years. I read a few dermatology research papers that used NAC. I started NAC 18 months ago and the behaviour stopped in 2 weeks. It has not come back. I love your videos!
How many milligrams?
Congratulations
@@KarolG-b7g I have NAC powder. I use one scoop a day about 3 grams.
Oh my goodness!!! I will talk to my doctor about this.
What is NAC
Skin picking is so frustrating. My parents used to say when I was trying not to pick my skin I seemed like a drug addict who was suffering withdrawals. If you skin pick or hair pull you are not alone and help is out there. Take care ❤️
My parents say this too :(
@@abbym7851 I'm so sorry to hear you've struggled too, you are not alone. I will say that what has made an immense difference with my OCD is going through ERP therapy (expose response prevention), if you are still struggling I highly recommend it
Yep, I pull my hair out and have been accused of an addict. I pull until I find the perfect hair. Lol . It's weird I'll admit.
Oh my god mine too. It hurts me so bad, but it feels good to know I'm not alone
@@lairalarson7886 ❤️❤️❤️ Hang in there!! :)
when you mentioned finding a certain hair texture or seeing the root it made me feel so much less alone knowing that other people do the same thing
Yes! Totally. To hear that described in such detail, but without any judgment was very comforting to hear. I felt that I was not alone with this.
Same! I always thought it was just satisfying because I hate my body hair.
You're not alone lovely
I finally feel seen, I didn’t know other people did this too!
Same, girl. I've done this for years, looking for thr root. Makes me feel more understood.
Why was the trichotillamania so accurate? I rip out my eyebrows and eyelashes, I love the feeling of eyelashes, I love the little white bits of eyelashes, I love brushing eyelashes/brows against my lips. Honestly amazing how accurate this was. Even my therapist didn’t explain as well! In fact she kinda just brushed over it like it was no big deal and nothing to be concerned over :/
Yess! When the eyelash you pull out is darker than the rest of your eyelashes🤤🤤
@@jett3935 yessss! And how eyelashes feel thicker than other types of hair
Oh goodness I thought it was just me..
Same, its like I have to get enough hair from my eyebrows or lashes but I don't have a specific number, just a feeling I pulled enough...
I pull on my eyelashes sometimes too, and when I do, I don’t want to rip them all out, just tug on all of them- top lid then bottom lid, on both eyes (I cannot just do one lid)- whenever one gets picked I brush it against my lip! But my main thing is probably skin picking, when I’m idle I find myself roaming over skin (through my hair and scalp, my face, neck, behind my ears, back) and just pick at anything seemingly poppable that can be picked at. But then my non-idle moments I’m at the bathroom mirror popping any pimple-like thing on any reachable part of my body for like an hour at a time. I did that way more when I was a preteen and left huge scabs on my face, now I don’t pop as hard so scabs don’t happen as often.
I picked my nose a lot as a child that graduated into nail biting and hair pulling as I got older. I have never talked to anyone about this because I'm worried they'll be as disgusted with me as I am with myself. I honestly never thought about what I have been doing as a control thing. Looking back that makes a lot of sense. It even gives me a similar calm to what self harm used to
You are NOT DISGUSTING. I would hold you and cry with you if I could. I have dermotillania (skin picking) as well. We are not gross, we are stressed and so very anxious. Remember, we are worth getting better. Please remember.
I’ve been skin picking for years and have actively avoided watching this video. I’ve damaged my legs and my private area because I try to pick in places ppl won’t see. I was attacked in 2018 and haven’t been able to control it since. Due to the pandemic I work from home and literally pick all day. It’s terrible 😢 I wouldn’t wish this on a soul. I have yet to find a therapist to really help me with this and now with all the damage I feel super ashamed. Thank you for making this video to help me understand myself a bit more. I won’t stop trying, until I stop picking.
You’re not alone❤️
I've done it to for yrs, and honestly I think or thought I did have it somewhat under control,but I think I just tell myself that. Because I still do it all the time. I just don't know how to stop,so I tell myself it's not as bad as others so it's ok or things like that,but it's not.
@@michellemurphybrown9751 I do the same thing and have kinda given up talking to people about it. I literally can’t stop and I too have periods where I’m like okay I’m in control but really I’m not.
Sending hugs ❤
I feel gutted after watching this video, but slightly better after reading the comments - it's really nice to know you're not alone. I used to do both hair pulling and skin picking, but I've managed to stop pulling my hair out now. I started when I was a child, no real triggers I can think of, apart from possibly a high achieving father and sister, and me being much the youngest, and not very good at anything. I'm never likely to seek help for this, I can live with it, and it doesn't really impact my life, its just my secret part, that nobody else knows about.
the fact that this is the first time I've heard someone acknowledging my hair pulling so perfectly has me crying, I feel so validated rn because since I started that behavior no one has ever related to me and I always felt bad for doing it
Agreed
I hope you don’t feel alone (if you did) and I hope you get better 👏🏾
I feel you. I used to get yelled at by my guardian as a kid for pulling my hair. I look for the very textured hairs at the back of my head. I would rip out alot of hair at the back, causing thinning and small spots and different lenghts of hair growing at different times. I still do it, I've been trying to stop. I don't really WANT to pull the hair out, because then I won't be able to find the same texture of hair. I just can't help that feeling of the hair running under my fingernail is really soothing. I also pick all the skin off my lips, nearly every day because they are dry and it feels nice while I'm doing it and hurts later. I've had people ask me alot why I'm always touching my hair like that and I also feel really happy to hear someone describe it perfectly. It sucks to feel out of control while doing it, but I'm glad I'm not the only one
@@xoprettywinqsxo tysm I really appreciate it ♡
@@io_lio_io YESS I do exactly the same and I remember being laughed at bc of that in high school, now I still do it too but not as frequently as I used to back then, and my hair has suffered the consequences :( I'm still trying to cover the bald spots and I've just realized why my hair is so thin rn when it used to be thicker
I felt like she was reading me perfectly, and I’ve never been diagnosed with OCD, ADD or ADHD. I do however, suffer from anxiety and depression, though the two doctors I’ve seen can’t decide which is more prevalent. I’ve always picked at scabs, even as a child. Like, I don’t eat them, but just the knowledge that the scab is there irritates me to no end because my skin isn’t as smooth and beautiful as I want it to be. I also scratch at my skin when it doesn’t really itch. But if my hand or arm start itching and scratching won’t help, I’ll resort to biting.
I have ADHD and on spectrum and I pull out eyebrows. I'm getting better find it mad this was suggested as I've never searched for it???
I have the exact same experience. Covered in tiny spot like scars from picking my arms and legs because of ‘lumps’ on skin which I believe are proteins. Love to pull hairs out (thankfully not on my head or eyebrows, but on my legs and eyelashes). I’ve not been diagnosed with OCD, but I also have severe anxiety, panic disorder and depression.
@Mandz1888 Neither did I. It just showed up in my recommended the other day.
Wats making u feel better?
@@kerigordon2092 its strange maybe I've googled it or sumin? I'm getting better and there growing back, had too get steroid cream at one point. Its stress infact I think I know what its linked too now. Need too chill lol
Yup for me it was plucking eyebrows. Recently the habit has been thankfully dying down. I finally put a stop to it and my eyebrows finally have their tips again. The right brow was worse than my left, but in about two more weeks it should be fully healed. This habit formed in high-school for reference of how long it's been.
You get anxious or nervous and start plucking. You'll feel a specific texture of hair and want to pluck that one, so in your madness you pluck everything around it trying to get that one hair.
The only advice I can give people who suffer from this is you really do need to catch yourself doing it and stop. Praying helped for me, but whatever you think will support you, you need to do. It's a nervous tic response so you just need to acknowledge and redirect the relief somewhere else. Maybe try lightly scratching or petting instead of plucking, that's what I end up doing instead when I just "need" to relieve that stress. Overall the urge to touch the eyebrow is there, but I no longer pluck.
Best of luck to you all.
I'll pull on my eyelashes sometimes when I get the urge. I don't pull my nose hairs as much as I used to.
52 yr.old woman here. Life long picker, still have scar from chicken pox when I was 5. No Dr. has EVER explained this to me. Thank you so much. Very grateful.
26 and still have chicken pox scars too 🤧. I do not feel alone.
I had chicken pox twice. So have both my kids. My 1st batch in my teens, and the second batch in my early 20's. I remember sitting naked in the bathtub and picking every single one of them. Luckily because I got them in 2 batches neither case was very severe. I didn't really pick in my teens so it was only the second batch I really picked at. Weirdly my 1st lot in my teens seemed to affect the upper half of my body. The second lot the lower half. Abdomen, pubic area and legs. All of which are now covered in stretch marks now anyway so I suppose in a way for an obsessive picker whose had chicken pox twice I'm quite lucky not to have many pox scares.
Using lotion or raw coco butter really helps me. The more dry or scabby the area, the more likely I am to pick it.
So.I'm 14 and had chicken pox when I was literally 1 month i almost died I have no scars though
But I I have mosquito scars somehow I would itch my bites till they release the and sca b over I still have scars from like 6 years ago
I also pick at my nose usually without thinking about it I will pick at my nose till it starts cracking and bleeding and even then I will keep doing it my nose is infected currently and get I'm still picking at the other nostril
For the 14 yr old....have you tried elmers glue on your mosquito bites ? If u dot the glue on the bite as soon as you notice it then you can pick the glue off when it dries. I never had problems w mosquitoes but my sister did and the Elmers regular school glue worked wonders for her. Just make sure the glue is dry b4 you pick it off. Good luck 😊
I’m in tears. I needed to come across this video. I’ve been picking at my skin for I don’t even know how long without awareness of the negative emotions driving this habit. Fear of failure & non-acceptance causes a lot of anxiety for me. Thank you for sharing this information. 🙏🏾 I can heal from my past & let go of negative emotions.
I normally don't comment like this, and please let me know if it's creepy - But oh my god, you are so freaking pretty!
😍
I’m the exact same way. Started crying when I saw this suggested to me, when I’ve been praying for help!! 🙏💙💙💙
I already had cellulitis .... that was 2 years ago and still going
You're so gorgeous don't ever feel alone or unloved. Remember your inner child, give it love as you would if they were right in front of you, embrace it and forgive each other. It'll all be ok i promise 💜
Samee❤️
I have suffered with hair pulling since I was in 8th grade. Everything she said is SPOT ON. It’s nice to hear her talk, makes me feel normal in a way.
Same here. It's vindicating in a way, that you don't feel like you're entirely crazy.
Same I was diagnosed with Trichotillomania And have been dealing with it since 2nd grade and it is SO hard to deal with Iv always felt stupid or weird because of it, hearing this and and seeing other people’s comments about it makes me feel better ❤️
literally same
Same! so nice to see other folks dealing with this too (not that it’s good- but offers some comfort that I’m not alone)
@@gerenh6394 absolutely! I was always so embarrassed about it because NO ONE I’ve ever known has had it or fights the ocd of it.
I've found knitting really helps with my skin/nail biting as well as pulling on skin on my lips till they bleed. It keeps my hands occupied so I can't be tempted. It's not foolproof but it's helped immensely
❤
Yes I'm trying to crochet to stop
I started crocheting and knitting for the same reason. Instead of reading books I listen to audiobooks and crochet/ knit. This was really a game changer. 🙂
Oh wow, I wonder if it was knitting that helped me stop... Definitely it is great for keeping the hands occupied when watching tv or something.
I had eye surgery which i knew would result in essentially changing from nearsighted to farsighted. One of the surprises is a lot less skin picking, because i literally can't see the pores on my face or sebaceous filaments anymore.
The amount of times I've been told "stop picking your skin", "stop biting the skin off your lip", or "stop pulling out your eyelashes" (my most common) is astonishing to me
This is exactly my two problems! Picking and biting my lips and pulling my eyelashes out.
Same! Before I saw the video I was just biting my bottom lip. I stop when I taste blood and that’s how I realize that I was biting my lip. Same with cuticles and bumps. I’ll see blood and realize what I’m doing so I remind myself to stop. I have to get my nails done so I won’t pick at my face or body. It’s embarrassing when I move on to my husband’s back. He always says it’s time for you to get them redone. 🥺
I eye lash pick so much!
@@jeanettey711 I bet you don’t even feel pain? Huh? For the longest time I thought I was going nuts. I’ve been like this since my teens. It sucks when you pick your face so much it looks like I’m on drugs. I don’t go out until it gets better. Ugh
My mom 100% and I still do these things as an adult 😗
Did the algorithm reunite us thricotillomaniac & Co? If you're reading this, I hope you remember this doesn't define who you are and who you could be. Keep fighting!!
I agree i had no hair for literally years as a teenager because of this illness and I finally have my hair back so never give up
Yeah! I’ve been avoiding this video tho cuz I’m terrified it will trigger an episode
@@emmajeanjumpinbean while I respect what the video is about i could never watch it while having the same illnesses they are talking about they would trigger me too muc
I’m still fighting and it just doesn’t seem to stop! I’m so blessed to have come across this channel. It’s so weird because it just popped up on my recommendations. Wish we could all make a group chat. I would be nice to talk to someone
😿❤️
i’ve struggled with trichotillomania so many years and i appreciate when people make content to educate. it’s too embarrassing for me sometimes to admit because people think it’s weird.
Honestly people thought I had cancer bc my head was so patchy as a child I’ve been doing that for as long as I could remember anything & now I do it without thinking it’s a struggle
I struggle too have been doing it since I was 15 I wish it would go the F away !!
It is embarrassing. I can’t even go to the hair dresser because I’m too ashamed of the holes on my head and afraid of their reaction or what they could say in front of other clients. Can’t let my boyfriend run his fingers in my hair either.
@@noanoa8991 this ! It’s hard guys I know it’ll get better. I just shaved my hair off so I can get out of the habit of pulling. My hair was so uneven and the spot that’s sensitive is on my crown it was like I had to do a combover with a fro but I feel good now without my hair and I’m excited to start fresh and hopefully my want for healthy hair will trump the desire to pull especially since it’ll be a long while before I would even be able to pull anything
I am controlling myself from pickling my crown hairs.
Thank you for sharing on these types of behaviours. I experienced intense picking behaviour when I was suffering a drug addiction. I am covered in terrible scars and was hospitalized for a blood infection that almost killed me. I had so much shame about this and couldn't stop. After getting clean I have realized the behaviour was present before and now, only not to the same degree. I see now how this is something that is in my family also.
I now have some information that gives me direction and a some peace of mind. Keep up the good work sharing on these issues, much appreciated
I pick at my skin in a mindless uncontrollable way for extended periods of time. I feel a release of sorts but, immediately shameful and stupid after. I won’t show my face without makeup. /makeup is actually one of the few things that keep my hands out of my face, along with avoiding mirrors and people who will point out my scarring and not get off the subject. When mask wearing became recommended for COVID precautions , I was so happy. I felt free (not having to wear make up and the social distancing). I don’t want to have to not wear a mask in public anymore.
You can always wear a mask! I plan to keep them around for life now
i feel you 100%
I also first felt relieved by wearing a mask in the beginning to cover my skin without makeup. However since I am sweating below them, more pimples arise, which is triggering me more again... :-(
I can relate. I want masks to stick around forever.
@@blubbblubb6239 yeah I have the same issue
These disorders made me ugly. I’ve been so ashamed of myself all of my life. I will never feel beautiful and I fear for my little girl. I hope this ends with me. It’s so horrible.
I am so sorry you feel that way. It's good you can be honest about how you feel. I have a friend who is covered in scars from her mental disorders. She is learning to love her body again and accept these scars as part of her story. I hope that soon you will also feel beautiful and accept your body the way that it is.
I’m going through the same thing, you’re not alone. Beauty is subjective, and you are beautiful no matter what! Try to do little things everyday that make you happy, I love nature. Knowing you have the disorder means you can get treatment, even for your child if she needs it :)
I feel the same about my picking scars and thin hair from pulling but I try to look at it this way, I can not change what I've already done but I can control how I impact the world around me.
Being kind, lending a helping hand, and treating others with dignity and respect impact the world in ways that just being pretty could never.
And I can 100% honestly say that you are wrong. You are beautiful!
Your honesty and willingness to share your vulnerabilities with the world are beautiful!
Your shared insecurities let others who feel the same way know they are NOT ALONE! That they are not abnormal, or freaks.
That they are beautiful!
I don’t know what to say, except I understand. I have been a skin picker since the age of 12. My body bears many scars. Unrelated, I also am a recovering alcoholic. I know what shame is. Please be loving and kind to yourself. Treat yourself as you would your daughter or anyone else you love. You deserve love and compassion from yourself. There is help and there are medications that can reduce impulses. Sending love to you. You deserve love. ❤️❤️
All of you who suffer from these afflictions, I just want to say that you are ALL beautiful in the eyes of Christ no matter what the world may say or what you may think. You are all beautiful daughters of Christ. God bless you all & I hope I haven’t offended any of you.
I’m truly wondering, I am the only one who says to themselves “this is the last one” when pulling my hair. But then the ‘last one’ becomes the 2,000th one?
For me it's mostly pulling skin especially on my lips
Like my hands will be covered in blood but i still can't stop
Always say it's the last time lol
Noo you aint alone I HAVE THE EXACT SAME THOUGHTS never will i ever pull the last one :(
wishing us all the strength to fight our urges 😔❤️
@@masakasim8647 we might
I think the first step is to accept that we have the urge and while it is harmful to us everyone has their ticks
So yeah we should learn to not do it BUT first learn to not be hard on our selves if we give in to the urge
What slightly helped me (but i lost it 😔) was like this little skill thing on german it's called akku pressur plätchen
It has little spikes that are sharp enough to stimulate but not sharp enough to actually hurt you
Really gotta buy a new one
Maybe it helps you guys
@@heathermcginley807 read my above messages
Maybe it could help you
Positive attitude and acceptance is so important to heal from this. Thank you for being so professionally informative without taboo. ❤
I've been picking at my skin for maybe 7 years, and one thing that has helped my face exponentially was actually setting up a face care routine and sticking to it. I wash my face every night and use moisturizer. It has helped my face heal and stay clean. I know this will not be the same case for everyone though. For me, my face doesn't actually have bad breakouts, I used to make it look that way because of how often and badly I'd pick at it. So after taking care of my face, there have been way less scabs. I still pick at my face to be honest,, but thankfully I've stopped digging into it as much. I know having a face routine is normal for most people, but I never was able to commit to one until a year or so ago. If you are like how I was, I definitely recommend setting up a routine
Yeah I did this too, and I mean if I have pimples I still will pick it and pick on the scab, my issues is I also do it on my arms and chest too so the face care routine doesn't really help in those areas😅
@@Izzy-ec4qq yeah I'm the same too, I pick all over my body and not just my face, but I have personally felt more confident since I can get out of the house without a huge red spot on my face. Even small progress can feel like a lot sometimes!! I'm still thinking of ways to help out the rest of my body. But I wish you the best with dealing with this!!
I can't help but pick at my acne. It looks worse after than it would have if I had left it alone, but it's hard to resist.
@@HayleyTief I definitely get that, it really is hard to resist. Over the years I've been able to control it a bit better, even if it's because I've "gotten better" at picking and hiding it. But something that I do find helpful with really bad pimples or spots on my face that won't go away are those hydrocolliod patches that help break down acne. It helps with healing too
Do you mind sharing what your routine is? I was never taught this stuff so I have no idea where to even start
Scalp picker here. 🙋🏻♀️ I’ve had scabs on my head for so many years because it’s such a vicious cycle. I try to stop and let my scalp heal but when I get too stressed or anxious even sad/‘mad or even to help me fall asleep. 😢 I got staph infection as a teenager on my scalp from the picking. It was not fun. I wish I didn’t have this problem. Now my teenage daughter does it too. 😞
I'm sorry you've had to go through this. I've pulled for about 5 years now and just received a full head of hair but the urges are still there. I used to be so ashamed and embarrassed by it and to be honest I still am. I promise if you and your daughter have great communication and are not afraid to talk about it then you along with your daughter will start to feel better. For me, I got control of the pulling as I got older but I know everyone's experience is different. I hope you and your daughter find the relief and peace your looking for!
I do this too, honeslty didn’t even think it was an issue, mines all the time (TW:blood) I pick mine until most of my scalps bleeding and nasty I’m amazed I haven’t got an infection. I hope you can find a way to help ease the picking! ❤️
Yes it is a vicious cycle. Hope you and daughter can over come it.try tea tree oil
I have this same problem and have been dealing with it for years. I’m afraid of getting an infection though and my anxiety just makes the cycle worse. How did you know you had a staph infection?
Wow, I'm so happy to have found this channel and your comment. I always wondered why I do this.....It's so weird. Have you found anything to help you with this?
Without over sharing about myself I would like to say I suffer deeply from one of these disorders and found this helpful.
Same
@V C me too. I’ve caused myself so much trouble, I won’t go out now.
I've lived with hair pulling all my life and was made to feel so ashamed of it by my mother. I can control it a bit better now but wish I'd been diagnosed as a child and offered alternatives rather than be shamed for it.
I was subconsciously picking my skin when this got recommended to me and I am diagnosed with excoriation disorder. RUclips's algorithm sometimes does some great yet creepy moves.
I was literally thinking earlier about looking for ways to stop doing this earlier. I never did, just thought about it. My upper arms are a disaster right now and I need to stop.
i think i definitely have it but idk how to tell my parents...haha 😛
Yup - 15 minutes before I came across this, I was skin picking.
I know this is irrelevant but our cats are the same cat. Your cat looks exactly like mine
@@voicetrainingbytris3458 I do it only on my nose and I have been doing it since I was 12. I am 39 now and still do it. I never knew so many people have this problem too. I thought I was alone. I need to stop too.
This comment section makes me feel less alone battling OCD everyday
I've been battling it for 20 years, sweetie. You're definitely not alone!
Me too...when i was 9 i was picking scabs on my legs and chewing them😶in my teenage years id bite the skin in the sides of my fingernails untill the bleed. I'm 31 now and have been scab picking my scout and flaking dangrive‼but not to where its noticeable. What helps me not do it as much I watch you tube videos of others doing it...it calms me down a bit❤
I started at 4 years old, you are not alone. 🙏
DEFINITELY NOT ALONE!!
You are most definitely not alone! I wish people more openly talked about these kind of things so that ppl didn’t feel alone. There are sooo many of us.
I had no idea there were other people who compulsively pick at their skin until I learned about excoriation disorder. Thank you for getting the word out and letting people like me know we're not alone.
You're definitely not alone!
Ive always been picking the skin around my nails, and my nail band basically doesn't exist anymore.
During lockdown, I developed a very mild case of scalp psoriasis, where I get these dry patches of skin, that almost "lays on top" of my "regular" skin (being inside for a whole year, is apparently the perfect psoriasis trigger).
It didn't take long before the entire left side of my forehead/scalp were picked clean to the point of bleeding and frequent infections.
And I can't use anything but neutral/no perfume products on my face and scalp, without it becoming sore or itchy right away.
I've found that fidget toys help, and being on vacation where I can't spend 30-40 minutes in the bathroom picking away, also helps.
But other that that, I don't know what else to do.
Worst thing is when you can see people are noticing it, or asks you to "stop picking" while I'm mid sentence.
I have eczema, I’ve had it all my life. Sometimes my hands get really dry and cracked, and I find myself picking and peeling at the dry cracked skin. Until it bleeds and hurts, it doesn’t bother me enough to stop though. I wash my hands a lot so that’s probably why they’re so cracked, plus I just have dry skin anyways.
I also have some mild eczema on my scalp and seborrheic dermatitis sometimes, so I’m constantly picking at any scabs on top of my scalp that I feel. It’s like a habit formed ritual, I do it everyday, every night, multiple times a day. I thought it was something I solely did and didn’t realized others did the same. I’m embarrassed by it from ppl who don’t know me personally (my twin knows I have this issue) so I usually do it when I’m alone or in my own room. I’ve really tried to stop because I know it’s not good for my scalp or hair.
I’ve been on a weight loss journey since Jan 4th and I’ve discovered healthier habits and cleaner eating has improved my skin and eczema/dermatitis. My scalp condition has really improved and it’s hard to find things to pick at, I also pick at my acne if I have problem spots (especially during hormonal times) but it too has improved. I feel anyone’s issues with this problem deeply, and I know how you feel. I hope we can all combat our deeper issues and solve these things!
You aren’t weird or dirty and I hope nobody ever makes you feel bad about it, sometimes you don’t have a choice on how you deal with your problems. Just know I’m rooting for us all, we can do it!Its bizarrely relieving to find comfort in places like this, ppl who understand your problems because they do it too. What a weird community we have, but at least we aren’t judging each other. I hope you both can find relief and know it’s hard to break, so don’t feel bad if you fail a lot!
I try to use a lot of “unscented” things when it comes to skin care, lotions and shampoos and conditioners. I felt like a lot of my doctors/dermatologists prescribed creams and lotions that just fix the problem temporarily. And they thin your skin. The deeper root of the issue is within your body, try to lessen the “junk foods” you eat and eat lots of fresh foods. I’m always looking for more advice on how to take care of myself, because sometimes it feels like I’ve tried everything! Take care of yourselves! 💖
Thank you for this post! When I was young, I thought something was wrong with me for "pulling" knowing I'm not alone helps.
I'm crying in my bathroom. I never thought that my skin picking meant something bigger. Was always made fun of having "creater skin" as a kid
Mega hugs - you're not alone!!
Certain vitamins and supplements can help with skin health - I got bullied as a child as well and their nasty words are not worth holding on to! It's your journey and that's what matters. Your opinion of yourself (with humility of course!) is the most important.
I'm so sorry :( Perhaps you can try seeking help from a counsellor or a therapist? You're strong, hope this helps!
I pick at my skin as well, any part I can reach...which is all of me as I'm freakishly flexible in certain ways. I have good days and bad days, and I never know what kinda day it's gonna be until it starts and I end up with pink/red marks, bleeding wounds, and scabs all over my body and face...good days are when it's started healing enough where my skin looks sorta clear and I haven't really picked much besides the ready-to-pop whiteheads. Just know you are not alone at all, and even though learning control takes time, it IS possible and you CAN accomplish anything you set your sights on, including stopping the picking. If you need resources on help, a few quick google searches will give you everything you need and if you need to talk to someone honestly...just message any random kind seeming person and ask if they have time to talk and help you feel safe in your skin, and that includes me. If you need help or to talk, message me or anyone you are comfortable with, but also remember you are a POWERFUL UNSTOPPABLE FORCE and you CAN do this!!!! I send love and peace!
What does that mean?
I was called "moon face" jokingly one time because if my chickenpox scars. It was honestly one of those things I had gotten so used to being part of me face that I hadn't realized until then that it was something other people fixated on when they saw me.
It's almost like a coping mechanism. Pain or whatever it is a sensation strong enough to relieve anxiety. That relief feeds the need to pick deeper when in anxiety.
yes very true
Been doing this since 10. Have OCPD
@@vishva8kumara now we are on the path of healing... big virtual hug your way
Yea. I notice I usually do it during school times and not as much during the summer.
Most people think trich is about the distraction caused by pain. That couldn’t be farther from the truth! Pulling out a tiny hair doesn’t hurt. It’s the ritual of doing it that puts me in the “zone” which is peaceful.
It’s such a hard thing to live with. It feels so gross, shameful and confusing. I’ve picked and chewed at the skin around all my fingers since I was around four years old and now the skin is different colored and has a different texture. My case is definitely severe as I’ll bleed and still can’t bring myself to leave my hands alone even when they get sore. I’m so glad I found this video ❤️ most doctors have basically just shrugged me off and wished me luck. I’ll be looking into the specific therapies and supplements you mentioned. I’ve tried to overcome this my whole life (almost 24) and I just can’t do it alone! I’ve tried uncoupling without knowing it had a name but it’s not quite enough. Thank you ❤️
Same here, I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
thought i was the only one! never met anyone that does it as severe as i always have
You’re not alone 🖤
Have you ever tried a heavy metal detox? If not give it a shot.
Hey! I have the same problem, I usually try to chew gum to avoid biting my fingers and as for picking I noticed that having acrylic nails really helps with skin picking. Since the nails are so dull and not as sharp as regular nails you’re less likely to pick at your skin.
Trichotillomaniac since 1978... except a Mohawk guy in the 80s thought I plucked my eyebrows (etc) to be cool, so I was no longer embarrassed by the habit; and so it doesn't affect me socially.
Such an amazingly accurate and matter-of-fact description :) Thank you♡
I'll actually keep a "good hair" hid away, a thick one, with lots of texture, for days at a time. I'll grab it for sleep. But watching extraction videos helped me so much with relaxing for sleep.
omg this is what I do. I know the texture of those hair especially if it is really curly, I really need to pull it out.
wow I thought I was the only one
Same here! I used to collect them and when it didn't feel as good to the touch anymore, I'd throw them away.
I have a hair pulling texture thing, too. And now that I've gotten older, and started to go a little gray, I have to pull the gray hairs out because they are different than the others and I need to really check to make sure they are gray. I don't mind going gray, but I cannot stop myself from pulling them out.
Same! It brings me so much comfort that I'm not the only one that does this.
Okay, I don’t know how RUclips knew to suggest this to me, but this makes me feel so much better to see all these people in the comments say that they struggle with this too, and that I’m not alone in this.
I think I started hair pulling in the fifth grade, but I didn’t know this extended to picking eyelashes and eyebrows, which I think I started doing even younger than that.
I also didn’t know this extended to picking hair from animals, as sometimes my cat, who is very fluffy, will have a clump of loose fur visibly sticking out and I feel the need to pull at it.
And with it extending to picking stuff from things, I used to be really into plucking all of the hair out of pipe cleaners until they were just wires.
Frl 😂 cuz I’m picking on my lashes rn
Same
Me too
I’m glad it’s a comfort!
A little of my story: when I was at my worst I would pick the skin off of the bottom of my feet to the point they would be bleeding and it would hurt to walk. It was a miserable time. BUT with age and therapy it’s gotten so much better!
Same here
Everything you said was so true for me. I like to find the 'perfect hair' before puling (usually a thick textured grainy one) then I'll play with it in my fingers and eventually put it between my teeth like tooth floss. I find it calming and to be honest it is almost like a disassociate experience because I have to drag myself out of the day dream to say stop to myself
Omg yes. I have to find the perfect thick textured strand! But I play with it between my fingers and along my lips .. the dissociative dream state is exactly how I feel too! Very soothing but automatic shame and I hate going to the hairdressers.
You just described my entire school-age years. If the hair broke when trying to floss with it, it clearly wasn’t the right one and the cycle starts again.
It takes all my energy to pull myself back from the trance like state. The longest trance took almost 2 hours to myself out of. Thank you for sharing @MotherGod! I mostly feel shame when I wake from the trances - I have on average 5/6 trance episodes a day. I have 2 types of tweezers I carry in my bag. One with a side slanted tip, and the other with a straight tip. These I guard with my life. I panic when I can't feel for them in my bag. I routinely wake up and immediately reach for both tweezers on my bedside table. Like a zombie, I start picking at the thick textured hairs around my belly button, lower and upper abdomen. I divide hairs around those areas into thick and medium. Slanted tweezer is for the thick hairs and side slanted for the medium hairs. This I do 7 days a week 5/6 times each day. Weekends are difficult for me. Ive once spent a total of 8 hours (with bathroom breaks and the odd snack for fuel to keep going) picking each individual hair, alternating between tweezers feeling each individual hair slide smoothly with that tingling feeling as the hair tugs out of the follicle. It's so soothing, but exhausting.
I choose the same type of hair, but because I hate them and I dont want them in my head hajaj
Those were the best hairs! I used to always touch the root to my upper lip (like on the skin above my lip). It's cold and weird. I stopped pulling probably about 5-6 years ago now. When Dr. Marks was reminding me about how anxiety usually precedes hair pulling and I thought, "Oh damn, I'm doing so well! I'm under so much stress, but I haven't pulled!" Then I realized, I've gained about 10lbs and I'm treating my anxiety with food instead...
I really appreciate suppliments at the end. This whole video was strikingly helpful. Thank you.
My friends would always tell me to stop biting my nails, but the thing is, I was never biting my nails. I was biting my skin off because it felt comforting to me, I always thought it was just a weird habbit because everybody has them. I’ve had OCD my whole life and really struggle with it when I’m anxious or stressed. Thank you for this video, it was very calming❤️
I feel the same. I always bite my skin and that’s why I feel very insecure about my fingers. It’s very hard to stop doing it. Sometimes I’ll be in class and start doing it. Then after a bit I would start bleeding. I’ve never been able to stop it completely. I feel much better that I’m not alone with these habits.
I used to do this too but now I have braces and it prevents me from doing it subconsciously
Ya’ll ain’t alone. Ever feel like people are staring at your hands?
Is it the skin on the side of your fingers next to the fingernails?
Omg me too to this day
The way you described trichotillomania made me feel seen. I developed it in 5th grade (I'm not 23) and it got so bad I had to wear scarves to cover the bald spot. It's not noticeable anymore but I always feel like I'm on the precipice of starting again. Thank you, I've never had someone describe what I felt so perfectly.
There might be a genetic predisposition as well.
I think that OCD is a much more common thing than is recognized.
Actually, i think that it is inherent. I’ve even observed it in pets.
If you can eradicate your compulsive behaviors, great. But i think the more realistic goal for most ppl is to moderate those behaviors enough that they don’t negatively impact your life.
Omg similar story here! I started in 4th grade and am now 24. It got so bad in middle school I was super bald near the front of my hairline and got bullied for it. I had to wear headbands to cover it i wish i wouldve thought of scarves. I still do it but definitely not to the degree it was.
I related so much both things she explained. Like the hair part was so accurate to me in middle school. I think it started around 6-7th grade and I just started to compulsively pull at the hair in spots around my part. At the time I really had no idea why I did it but it was just this irresistible compulsion to pull it. And just like she said I’d feel a slight satisfaction right after I pulled a strand from this specific part on my head, but only for a short time because then I’d realize what I was doing and feel ashamed. It took a bit but after a while my parents started to notice and asked me why I was doing it. I couldn’t explain to them why except it was just this uncontrollable urge I’d get sometimes. Looking back on it now, I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and stuff at that time so that probably had something to do with it. I don’t do the hair thing so much nowadays but I feel like I might have just replaced it with hyper-fixating on my skin, specifically on my face. Sometimes it feels like I can’t look in the mirror without spending way too long just scrutinizing my face and searching for pimples or bumps or scabs to pick off. Like I will end up zoning out, just doing it automatically once I look at myself in the mirror, and before I know it I’ve spent half an hour just hyper-focusing on trying to pick or get rid of every little blemish on my face. A lot of times it leaves me feeling anxious or jittery afterwards too.
But god, it feels so nice to know that I’m not the only one that struggles with things like this, and you can try doing things to help. This video felt like she was just directly explaining my habits back to me the whole time.
I'm a therapist who also has excoriation disorder.
When I was working with kids, I had a client who also had skin excoriation. I figured I was either the best or worst person to work with her. It turned out okay, because I was able to communicate to her parents what was going on for my client, and how reprimanding her was a bad idea. We also worked on replacement behaviors, and minimizing the shame shed internalized from her parents.
For myself, I've engaged in harm reduction measures. Putting hydrocolloid patches over my acne has been a game changer. Because I get the satisfaction of seeing the extraction, and I can press on the spots I'd otherwise pick.
Wow! I can relate. I too work with Children and I have excoriation disorder. My client who had it, was biting and picking his fingers until nearly deformed. I do it and hate it. I bite my cuticles so badly that my fingers are starting to look like my student’s fingers. I have severe scarring now and I don’t know what to do about it!! I actually engaged less when I was doing a lot of cardio...you would think painting my nails helps but it doesn’t. I pick at the cuticles so the polish can be undisturbed. I do it while driving, too😔
Covering those areas I like to pick is a massive help.
I will try the patches too, seeing the extraction is most likely going to work for me. I always thought this stuff was a kind of auto aggresive behavior, i also bite my nails and scratch the skin on my head sometimes but if i cut myself all of it stops for sometime
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I find that sewing or crocheting helps me. I like the repetition of sewing/crocheting and it's calms my mind. I'm about to make the biggest crochet blanket or about 5 handmade outfits right now, because my anxiety is high!
Thank you for this video! Like most in the comments, I felt like no one else had this problem. It somehow helps that it’s a real thing and I’m not alone
Always feels validating hearing this stuff. Used to pull out the loose hairs of my eyebrows and pull out my eyelashes that would come out. I now seem to have very little bottom eyelashes. I also skinpick my scalp as a stress response. I was absolutely ashamed of it when I was a child because I thought something was wrong with me due to the only intervention being an elementary counselor being like “why are you doing this? How about quitting cold turkey.” Which just fed into my shame about skin picking because I was 10 and had no idea why I even did it besides the fact that it help temporarily relieve my anxiety disorder and stress levels (enough that I wouldn’t have a meltdown, but I didn’t know that). You could really tell I was skin picking though because my scalp was absolutely filled with sores because I had to reach blood for the relief to come, which made me anxious about my peers finding out (bro one of my classmates pointed out my head was bleeding to the class around like sixth grade and I was mortified). Luckily since I’ve gone through puberty and gotten on birth control to help control hormones that I think contributed to triggering my anxiety disorder along with the regular puberty hormones, I don’t pick my scalp as much anymore. I definitely think I messed up my scalp to some extent though because now it has different needs than my hair, which makes it difficult sometimes when I develop dry flake patches that make me wanna scratch scratch scratch. I don’t pick at my eyelashes or eyebrows anymore except for when I have to bend them up from curling towards my eye and irritating it.
I hate when people say to just stop doing something like hair pulling. If it were that easy, we would have already stopped. I don't think anyone who doesn't have these compulsions can truly understand how it takes over your mind until you pull that hair or scratch/pick at that one spot. I'm glad you're making progress!
I've tried so hard to stop. But it's like all this tension is just released. It feels so good after I do it. Ugh.
when i was younger i would pull out my hair searching for those white roots, and whenever i had a scab i’d pick it. i don’t pull my hair out anymore but i pick at my scalp so much. the smell of the sebum in my skin is what satisfies me tbh. this has been going on, on and off for years. used to be one single scab now i have a ton all over my scalp… i feel so much shame for it but i also don’t want to stop bc i get so much relief 🥲
realizing i do the same things just hit me like a truck - i thought it was a random habit i’d picked up for no reason
I’ve been doing skin picking since I was a child. Yoga exercise and trying to keep my
Skin clear helps. I don’t think I ever went a day without doing it. 😢
Same
Read my comment. I totally understand
Same here
Same...
That's interesting. In what way does yoga help?
I'm literally crying at these comments. Trich has been such a difficult part of my life, and I think it will continue to be, but awareness is growing! We are not alone and it's okay to not be okay. Thank you for the educational video it is soothing.
I legit thought I was the only one I do it with my beard so much that sometimes people call me “twiddles”
Pray to Jesus and he will help you Pray to Jesus!
@@christiangamer3669 i pray that i have Jesus' long hair so i could pull it all out one by one. 🙏
@@Grinchillah Same here man! Just had to shave again. But we're not alone. Beardbro's unite!
@@jdijkstra8115 comforting knowing I’m not the only one that does this I have to make an effort every day to try and not pull hairs out making my beard uneven over time until it’s due for a shave
this video is so helpful! i’ve been struggling with picking my fingers for going on a decade now. i’ve genuinely lost sleep because i couldn’t stop picking. i’ve been told “it’s just a bad habit and you should stop” when i’ve always tried to tell them it’s more than a habit it’s a compulsion.
I for many years pulled the hair out of my head because of my anxiety and stress but now I have not pulled my hair out for over a year and I'm proud of it
Congratulations!!!!! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
How did you stop?
good job! thats amazing!
Congratulations!
Well done. One day at A time. Wishing you well
had trichotillomania my whole life! I think it's something about the texture, I like to play with it in my fingers and twirl it into knots before pulling it out, and then I manipulate it. Thanks for the video!
same, i was 7 when i started pulling my hair out. haven’t been able to have long hair since my dad first shaved it off, and for years i didn’t have eyebrows either. i keep my head shaved now (easier to maintain). it sucks but this video was needed.
I never thought all these years that my picking skin on my lips, hands, body was a disorder. I do go through periods where I won’t pick my skin then something triggers it and then it takes months to stop because I’ll start doing it with out realizing it.
It happens exactly the same way with me
I sort of did know but was still shocked to hear it in this video! My skin-picking only began about 5 years ago after a very painful time in my life but it wasn’t healthy skin to start with. There were little breaks in the skin that attracted me to do it.
I also chew the inside of my mouth when I’m feeling stressed or anxious or even, subconsciously, when I’m just watching TV. Sometimes to the point where my gums swell and my skin on the inside of my cheek is really raw. I hate myself for it and always tell myself never again. But it’s true, I’m unable to stop all these things!
Also, as I was listening to the part about hair pulling, I remembered that i used to do that as a child!!!
Indeed, almost like I'm possessed. I'll begin doing it subconsciously, and before I know it I have a hole in my skin :/
Same here! I'm 19 now and I'm trying to stop picking my arms, face, chest, and back. It's so hard though because I want to stop but it feels like I can't :(
I would defiantly ask someone if it is a diagnosable disorder, because you may be able to find ways through therapy to cope with whatever is triggering you. There is a difference between just being "fidgety" and having one of these disorders, so monitor it and make sure to let someone know if you feel it is a problem. Good luck.
I had a huge problem with nail biting, skin picking and biting to the point I couldn't use my hands because I was bleeding so much. I also used nail clippers to cut of small pieces of skin for the same reasons. But recently, I got an anxiety ring, started painting my nails and tried to hide away my nail clippers until I actually need them. Also, I started bringing my hobbies to school or in general public spaces, so I have something to do with my hands, and it really helped me getting my anxiety under control. I'm so happy I can type this without my fingers hurting :)
Thanks for sharing
I had no clue this were actual disorders. I’ve been skin picking for years and years. People would look at my sore fingers and on occasions even being infected and they’d asked me if doing that wouldn’t hurt. My answer every time is: of course it hurts and a lot! But I’m not able to stop doing it. This video clarifies me that I thought nail and cuticle bitting is not from only being nervous and/or anxious. Once a psychiatrist told me what I was doing was self mutilation and that made me stop skin picking for some time.
My friend used to pull her eyelashes out with tweezers and said the same. It hurt but she couldn't stop. One time she had none and dirt dead skin etc built up under eyelids and she had to have surgery. She stopped eventually and didn't even notice when, like giving up a habit.
My bro does this. He's a lot better now but lapses into it if stressed. He finds it rewarding despite it hurting. He's 35 btw! He tries to stop by doing gym exercises. Result is he is very buff with healthier looking fingers
I cant believe I'm NOT the only person that does this. I compulsively peel the loose skin on my lips, and dig into my cuticles
@@gabrielpatten6939 omg, that’s literally what I do. Always biting on my lips or the inside of my cheek, and bite or pick at my cuticles. At least we know what it’s called now.
I also used to pick my skin on the underside of my feet a lot, it was a mild case but I gradually stopped it cause it started hurting a lot when walking.
i have extremely dry lips, and for as long as i can remember ive picked at them. i will often do it until they bleed, because i hate the feeling of uneven textures on my lips, but this just results in more chapping and uneven textures. i’ve noticed i usually only do it when i’m extremely focused on something, so i don’t worry too much about it. if i try hard to keep chapstick on hand at all times, i can break the habit, but it takes effort and i can’t be mindless about it..
I do this as well. It wasn't until a few months ago I finally figured out that it was a stress response from 30 years of narcissistic abuse.
Yes, I knew everyone did it at some point but to me I do it so often that just before it heals I pick it again
Girrrllll same. Before bed trying putting aquaphor healing ointment. It's changed my life!!! I put it on before bed and sometimes during the day.
SAMEEE this popped up while I was picking my lips, I want to stop but I just can't stand the texture
I have this since I was a child and even lipsticks for healing didnt help, because it just got even worse with it. For about a year now I use skin- and baby creme for my lips and it actually helped, cause the healing process isn't dry anymore. Pls guys try this out!
I feel good picking my lips, I feel even better when I start bleeding. The pain feels good. I've been doing this since I was 6-7 and I'm in my late 20s now...
Same same and same except I'm in my early 20s
i know it’s wrong but i bite at my lower lip til it bleeds and pick at my thumbs and sometimes squeeze it when i know it’ll bleed… i’ve gotten better but i still catch myself doing it
Medicated lip balm helps heal the little cuts and makes it less tempting to pick since it keeps the lips super moisturized and prevents dry spots
I do this to, I bite my lips all the time
It makes me feel good, too, and I also love the taste of blod. But the problem is that I can't stop. Even if I do for a while, when it starts to heal it is just too tempting
I was so surprised that you mentioned hypnosis. Thank you for at least acknowledging it. There's so much that can be done by a skilled hypnotist to help people with their mental health issues.
I’ve suffered from Trichotillomania since I was 10 (im 26 now) and I have to FIGHT ALL DAY EVERYDAY. I’ll always remember the kids in elementary commenting “you know you have a big bald spot right?” It’s definitely held me back from being my best self. A lot of my insecurities and self-hate has stemmed from my Trichotillomania as eventually I started believing myself to be a freak and ugly and weird. And it’s hard to not feel that way to this day. It really sucks because I love how I look with long hair but it’s literally a war inside my head to not pull it out. I hate it and it makes me hate myself. If you read this and also suffer from Trich, all I wanna say is you’re beautiful and you deserve to be happy just like everybody else.
I'm 30 now and I struggle once in a while, but not nearly as bad I have always had to try to cover my spots even looked up stuff on line that helps cover. I started at 13, but it does get better anytime I start I do something to keep me busy or go somewhere alot of people are so I won't do it it definitely helps. Or if ur hairs long tie it up. Positive vibes your way and find some music tht lifts ur energy stay positive and remember don't stress at the end of the day stressing isn't gonna help it makes it worse! U got this my hair looks alot better and I use rosemary and aloe vera and it helps for fuller hair or ginger 👍😊 prayers 🙏
Same, I'm 27 and mine got so bad that I had to shave off all my hair a few months ago. It has really helped cause I have more control now that I've stayed a long time without hair to pluck
I'm 15 and I'm indeed struggling from this. My parents dont get it, it's to hard to stop myself from pullin it. But because of pulling it out my hair started falling by itself. I dont know if this will be over. Will my hair grow back? I'm scared now.
I started developing trich when I was around 6-7, currently 14 rn. I'm somewhat worried that this will stay with me till I'm older, but it is what it is. I used to hate it and I was insecure about my bald spot so I always wore beanies at school. My own family even makes fun or always points it out so I was ashamed of myself. After learning that it was a disorder and not a bad habit, I felt good somehow because it's not really my choice and I don't have to blame myself for it. I wish my family understood that
@@kiako2538 I feel the same way and it sucks. I'm going through a lot of stress, and all I do is pull my hair. I also put goals for myself, but it just doesn't work out for me. My mom doesn't know that I pull out my hair, and I kept it a secret for 5 years. I tell her that I have alopecia. She even took me to the dermatologist, and my doctor told me that I actually have alopecia (which he's lying) I believe that I'm just living in a lie, and I know it, I just have to ask God for his help. I'll be praying for you too. But your hair will grow back. God bless you. And thanks for sharing. SK
I grew out my armpit hair so that I would leave my eyelashes and eyebrows alone. I had to wear eyeliner every day so you couldn’t see I had no eyelashes. I have gotten better. I hope everyone else finds peace
Someone noticed I didn’t have eyelashes one day in school back in the day when I had eyeliner on. I never thought anyone would ever be able to tell. I was so shook that I said I had a bad reaction to some mascara
@@ana_bearr9424 the trick was to try and stay as far away from people as possible and to only ever look them face on 😂
Im 49, tried the armpit/leg hair trick but it didn't work. I still pull out my head hair
I remember going into work on an off day and a well-meaning co-worker asked if I was okay, that I looked sick. I forgot to draw on the lash line. Oops. I get self-conscious when I have to look downward while talking with people when I suddenly remember how noticeable it is when you have a random patch of lashes and nothing around it. I still haven't mastered false lashes while bare.
the way she explained how playing with the roots and hair strands made me gasp. i didn’t know this was common and it was spot on
I'm literally awestruck at how accurately she explained it
Superb, I think she has been watching me!🙀
I pick at my skin to a point where it bleeds and there are very evident scars and marks around my cuticle. Picking at my face has also led to acne being developed. I can't seem to stop and have been at it for as long as i can remember. Thanks for acknowledging and helping me understand it
Can you judge in which situations you do it? Do you have stress, inner turmoil, fears, worries or the like.
I can't judge it exactly with me and even do it automatically in my sleep. It is so humiliating, my husband always grumbles with me and puts me under additional pressure. A vicious circle. I wish you a lot of strength, all the best for you.
It's just something that provides a kind of relief. I think a chemical is released. It's good that you know now, and you can work on it.
Omg had the same issue. I still ruin my nails but am tryna get out of it. I use my bracelet and am gonna buy a fidget toy lol
These conversations are soo important to normalize, thank you for sharing your expertise at it. Since small I've always picked at scabs, specially those I'd get from mosquito bites, I wouldn't stop till it bleed and then I'd feel OK to see it scab and repeat, as an adult I still habe all those scars and they have caused me soo much pain to see, but now I still pick at my skin but found more unnoticeable areas. Never considered it to be the same behavior transformed to something else, but definerly something I'd want to bring up to a professional
I have done the same thing. Whether it was picking at or even peeling skin and if i had no spot on my i did it on whoever o was around. I have kept my nails cut down as short as they will go before they become painful to help discourage myself from doing it... I didnt know it was an actual disorder I just though i was strange.
I still do that exact same thing with bug bites. It should just take a few days or weeks for bites to heal, but mine take many months because I will not leave them alone. I also do that at night just before I fall asleep. I've heard that picking at scabs til their is pain releases endorphins in your brain as a reward and that's why people do that. I have to be entirely mindful to stop the behavior but I've had scabs last up to two years because I won't leave them alone. I cannot stand the bump, I want the surface flat.
i’ve had a habit of chewing the inside of my cheek ever since i could remember, and have picked at my fingers and lips for many years now and i’m just now learning that there is an actual term for it. I think the videos you make are so incredibly important, because so many people (like me) will go years and years not knowing why they do certain things or why their brain thinks in certain ways.
Omg I used to chew the inside of my cheek terribly to the point my mouth would be sore or when I was stressed out with school.i did it since I was a kid to maybe my late teenage years then I just stopped 1 day without reason & haven’t done it since & im in my thirties now…idk I just didn’t have a desire to chew my cheeks anymore but I still dabble on the lips every now n again tho 😬🙄😂
I do this!
Same it heals quickly so can start at it again also a spot finder (sometimes its just a blocked pore. X
Same I do it too
I think I do it mostly in public when I feel uncomfortable or when I experience a bored like sensation
@@JhaneTheLady mines when I get bored
I’ve been struggling with trich since I was a child. The diagnosis felt like an inescapable label. It was so long (trichotillomania) and I’d never heard of it before. It felt like I’d been cursed. I picked strands with different texture. It started with my eyelashes until I had none. Then it moved to my scalp. But like she said in the video it’s hard to seek out the correct strand, and in attempting to pick that one strand or one stub I made many bald spots. Even worse, as it grew back, I’d pick out the tiny stubs. The spots would often connect and reveal much bigger hairless spots. I’ve gone to therapists who had a number of suggestions, all of which stressed me out more. I felt pathetic for not being able to control the compulsion. I hated going for haircuts. I hated the wind, for fear it might expose me. In some weird reverse psychology attempt, I never tied my hair because I thought that if I did something so consistent as to hide my problem people would automatically know something was wrong. I had a separate eyeliner specifically for my bald spots. I needed advance warning for going out so I could physically and mentally prepare myself. I couldn’t even talk about it without crying.
These days instead of trying to completely erase the compulsion, I allow it- in moderation. I’ll pick hairs from my underarms, pubic area, or even my legs. These are all places I could be grooming myself anyways. The distribution of places I can pick actually lessens the instances of picking at all. I do still pick from my head but instead of bald spots the size of my palm, they’re hardly bigger than the tip of my finger. I’m really just typing this to let other people know, if you have this condition- you are not alone, you are not strange. It does get better. ❤️
I do the exact same thing! I feel u
I'm 48 and and this started when I was 6/7 yrs old. I don't know how this will ever stop for good. I do good for a while and it's game on and I want to hide away bc I hate this
I started at age 3. I used to pull my hair off, wrap it around my index finger to tickle my face while I sucked the two middle fingers. It stopped around age 6 when my mom got me hair growing shampoo. But then around age 8, i started getting dandruff and i I would pick at that… I kept this habit. Now I’m 39 and I have a balding spot on my scalp that is the latest area where i picked dandruff until it became an injury and then a scab. I pick it every day. I knew I had a disorder but not sure what it was called and super thankful I found this video.
Omg I thought I was the only person that did this!!!!!
My 12 year has been pulling his eye lashes an hair out of his scalp for 2 years now I told his doctor an they were saying it's probably stress from the pandemic, since that's when he started doing it
Gosh everyone, I'm sorry this happened to us. May we all be blessed with healing, love and light.
I've literally been bawling my eyes out for the last 10 minutes. I have struggled with this ever since I can remember and this is the first time in years that i genuinely believe I might be able to stop one day.
Me too 😔I want help
Just reading the comments has helped me so much. Just knowing others are going through the same thing!!!!
You will and you can 💕💓💞
I’ve been doing it for twenty years. I don’t let it bother me. It’s satisfying and better then smoking crack
That’s amazing!! Me too gurl
It’s truly interesting that our species struggle with so many peculiar habits or behaviors to help us cope with our issues or feelings. Even tho I don’t struggle with this specifically, I feel for you all who do, and know that it’s obvious you aren’t alone and that’s there so much help out there. I’m hopeful that you will find the root to your behaviors and work towards better habits 🤍
🤍🤍🤍 beautiful heart, thank you. Many blessings!
It's not just humans. When birds are stressed they will pull their feathers out.
Not surprising when most humans live so differently than nature intended
@@mariatomko4278 Bingo, you got that right! The reasons that push us to compulsions result from our disconnect from nature, and from all the stupid things we do every day that we don't need to do but that line some rich people's pockets.
Imagine if you got to spend a week in a shack in the mountains, away from traffic and noise and social media. Do you think you would pick your skin or pull your hair as much? The root of all evil is consumerism.
Thank you❤️
I love Tracy , she brakes things down without judgement
I sense a lot of judgement from her other videos