Skin Picking Disorder: What is it and how to break this habit?

Skin picking disorder is a mental illness that causes people to compulsively pick at their skin, often resulting in damage.

The habit can be a symptom of anxiety, depression, or OCD. While there's no cure for the condition, you can learn how to break it with help from a therapist and possibly medication.

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What Is Skin Picking Disorder? How Can You Break This Habit

Skin picking disorder is a mental illness

Skin picking disorder is a mental illness. It's not a choice, laziness, or willpower. People who suffer from skin picking disorder don't want to do it; they most likely feel ashamed and embarrassed by their habit and want nothing more than to stop picking at their skin, but simply can't.

It may be difficult for those without the disorder to understand; for them, these actions feel like an addiction that controls actions, despite any kind of negative consequences that come from doing so (such as infection).

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It is similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

The skin picking disorder is not a skin condition. It's a mental health condition that affects people with OCD tendencies.

It's similar to other behavioral compulsions such as hair pulling or nail biting; people who pick their skin may feel compelled to do so and can't resist the urge. They feel anxious if they don't pick at their skin, even though they know that what they're doing isn't helpful, rather the opposite.

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The symptoms can be intense, including damage to skin

The act of skin picking can be physically painful, causing bleeding and infection. It can also cause permanent damage to the skin. Many people who experience this disorder have scars on their faces, arms, and legs from picking at their skin for years.

The symptoms of skin picking disorder are often mistaken for acne and other skin disorders, which can lead to feelings of shame or embarrassment about having them. That may result in more picking, as it's a way to relieve anxiety about how you look.

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Skin picking can be triggered by stress and anxiety

The most common trigger for skin picking is stress and anxiety. When you're stressed, it's easier to feel that your skin is dirty or disgusting, which can lead you to pick at it even more.

You may also experience stress when you're under pressure from schoolwork or work obligations. This type of pressure can make it difficult to relax and find peace in life out of fear for performance. Failure to perform in such situations can trigger anxiety and depression, leading to the skin picking disorder.

Another way that stress affects the body is by causing physical symptoms such as frequent headaches and stomach aches, lack of sleep, fatigue during the day, increased heart rate at night time due to effects on blood pressure.

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How to break this self-destructive habit

Talk to a therapist or psychologist: If you're experiencing significant distress due to skin picking, it may be worthwhile to seek help from a mental health professional.

A therapist can help you come up with strategies that can be most effective in breaking your habit and managing any underlying issues that may be contributing to it (depression, anxiety, etc).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Also called habit reversal training (HRT), it can help allay the effects of the skin picking disorder and help you heal from it in the long run.

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Takeaway

If you're worried about yourself or someone you know, there are ways to break the skin picking habit.

The first step is to talk with a therapist who can help you develop a treatment plan that works for your needs. You can also read books on the topic or visit support groups online, where other people with the disorder can offer their advice and guidance.