Skin picking

Always been a skin picker, diagnosed adhd last year. I recognise all of what you are saying. No advice, but I've massively reduced picking since starting to vape. Not a solution I'd recommend but it works for me. I have some rare and serious health conditions that means picking my skin and acquiring an infection could kill me very quickly. To me, the risks of vaping were smaller in comparison.

Another ADHD picker here. No answers but solidarity! Keeping my hands busy used to help but since having kids I've been unable to focus on knitting/crochet for long.

Adding my voice to the fellow ADHD skin pickers.
i haven’t found a solution yet. I paint my nails and pick them, i tweezer my leg hairs, but still seem to revert to picking.

I’ve always picked. I have ADHD too

I do this with my lips. Pick them, bite them, suck the blood out. When I'm tired, stressed or nervous. It's kind of gross but I don't know how to stop, other than distraction. If you catch yourself doing it, move your hands onto something else tactile. Something silly like a crossword, sewing, knitting, dusting, even washing your hands. I don't think it means you necessarily have ADHD or OCD or whatever. I do think I have the former but I don't think the NHS are keen to diagnose adults.

That should have said skin picking not skincare 😅

Thank you for post.

I wasn't aware this was linked to adhd and asd.

My son (8yo) was diagnosed with asd in 2022 and is awaiting adhd assessment. We got a kitten in June which scratched him and he is still picking the same scabs/scars and reopening them.

My two year old also picks cuts on her hands. She scratches them over and over. It must really hurt. We have concerns that she also has asd.

Any tips for kids skincare

@Kebba I have a few of these now, took me ages to find something that clicked rather than the spinning.

myconquering.com

Do you have a link for the clicky ring please?

I do it too. Have done for 20 years. Mainly my face but also my back nd chest. Causes me much embarrassment and I have lots of scars. I hate it

I didn't find the spinny rings helped, but clicky rings do. I think the clicking is similar to picking so maybe try something that clicks.

I pick my fingers and feet until they bleed. They get so sore. I also bite the skin on the inside of my mouth. I'm another one who loves picking peeling sunburned skin! I've been trying to keep my nails short to keep me off my fingers but I can still go at my feet. I am mostly aware that I'm doing it but can't stop. I don't think I'm ND in any way.

I've been looking at picking stones, spinny rings etc. Not sure how they would work though

I pull my hair out.

Have wondered for the past few years if I have ADHD. Interesting

Like others have said, it's dermatillomania. For as long as I can remember, like primary school age, I've picked at my lips until they bleed/are really sore. I also pick at the skin around my thumbs, will cause hangnails and with pick at any sort of imperfection on my skin which obviously causes more. I've had anxiety for years, and am generally introverted/struggle with social settings. I've wondered about ADHD myself.

I do this with my feet and toenails. I need to stop. It’s anxiety related I think. Not aware of having ADHD.

Me too. I've gone through phases of having enormous raw bits of skin, bigger than 50p coins on my thighs and still picked then even though it's excruciating. I'm diagnosed BPD since the age of 19 but now in my 30s I really think I was misdiagnosed. I have so many behaviours that point more to ADHD.

Yes also picked at lips

Anyone do this with feet? Asking for friends

I can recommend covering picking areas with micropore tape or putting plasters over the tip of your picking nail. At the very least it can heal a bit.
That said I have tape across a small area on my arm that started before covid.

I am a terrible picker, not neurodivergent as far as I know but am very anxious!
Teen DD is autistic though and picks her head to the point she is in agony, if she wears acrylic nails then she can't pick, even had to get a doctors note for school to say she has to have her nails done 😅 as you can imagine that went down well with a mainstream high school.....

I do it too. Don't think I have adhd but I do have ocd.

I’ve always done this. My thumbs and my feet. I’ve just kind of accepted it as it would take a lot of effort to stop, but then it’s not affecting other parts of my life. It’s a relief to see I’m not the only one tbh!! I have always felt like it was just another way I was weird.