I thought I might start a thread for people living with chronic body-focused repetitive behaviours including trichotillomania (hair pulling), excoriation (skin picking) and morsicatio buccarum (chewing the inside of the mouth). I have lived with the latter two for as long as I can remember, even as a very young child. I can go for long periods of time without a flare up, and have noted stress and anxiety to be significant triggers for me. It's something that not many people talk about. It might just seem like an irritating habit but living with it can sometimes get a bit miserable - living with constant sores in my mouth is uncomfortable, and the more jagged the sores, the more I chew so it's never ending. I also persistently pick the skin around my finger nails in the same way, to the point where it bleeds and I am still not able to stop if I can see or feel an edge or it isn't perfectly smooth.
I was wondering if anyone has managed to break the cycle permanently and can share some tips?
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.
Mental health
Body-focused repetitive behaviours
28 replies
TheMostHappy · 20/04/2021 20:55
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.