to really enjoy picking the skin around my fingers, oh nom nom

[discorabbit]

it's really quite fun

I do the picking thing but not eating.

When I was about 13 I picked the skin on the balls of my feet so much, I had to tape cotton wool onto my feet so I could walk to school.

I am also a bugger for pulling strands of hair out, one by one, it is especially satisfying if it is one of those really thick, dark, course ones.

I think it is a mild form of self harm as it causes mild satisfaction / pleasure while doing it,

I pierced my own ears with a sewing needle aged 14, my mum went ballistic!

i think the whitehead squeezing is a mild self harm thing. I think skin picking is just boredom/anxiety. Does no one agree how annoying those little flappy bits you can't get are???? Bain of my life sat at my desk!!!

I always make DP squeeze the tiny bumps on my arms. It's agony, but I also love it. backs out slowly aswell

I do this too. I like it when it bleeds because then it'll scab and then I can pick that

I mutilated my feet with picking too shaky when I was at school. I dreaded PE because our teachers kept threatening a verucca inspection. I had no veruccas just bleeding, scabby, cracked, picked feet. I grew out of it mostly

I don't know how people can NOT pick. DH has really rough hands. He touches my skin and it's like being sandpapered or he touches my clothes and you can feel all the dry bits sticking to the fibres; bits begging to be picked. But he won't let me and it doesn't bother him at all

Eew...

OUCH

eggsy I always have tweezers, a pin and nail clippers to hand so I can get all the little bits. It's like self-surgery. God, I'm wrong.

I do this, pick and eat the skin around my fingernails. I also pick at my toenails - had to take a course of antibiotics last year as my toe got horribly infected.

I love picking at stuff. After I had chickenpox as a child, I had 3 scabs in my hair for years that didn't heal because I just kept picking at them. The feeling of dragging the scab through my hair felt really nice.

(wonders why she hasn't ever utilized bathroom instruments in the picky skin quest....)

ridiculous that i find toe picking disgusting. i have a really big fear of ingrown toenails, even though i've never had one.

Absolutely disgusting.
It can get infected too- good.
If I saw you doing this I would heave. You are a pig.

YANBU, I can't leave it alone.

YABU to enjoy it.
I do it too but I hate the fact that I do - can't seem to stop!
My thumbs suffer the most - they were lovely until about 2 weeks ago and then suddenly I massacred them both again. No idea why. :(

I can't abide hangnails - so they get bitten off. My nanna used to do it too, but not my Mum or anyone else in my immediate family.

I have this habit sooooo bad. DH hates it!
My fingers are so sore at the minute I've been doing it that much (have a difficult 4 week old so awake 20 hours a day).

I found the only thing that stops me is when I have acrylic nails on. My fingers clear up but a week after having nails taken off, I start again. Oddly enough, I don't bite y nails, just around them??

You're very right eggsy

Squeezing my arm spots is definitely related to my anxiety level. I find myself doing it when DH pisses me off (or, more accurately, when I have pissed him off)

Apparently coconut oil can make the arm spots disappear entirely.

Seeing all this written down makes me feel less alone but even more disgusted with myself for having such an awful habit. I've been thinking about how to stop, I have managed to stop several times but then something stressful happens and its back to the vicious cycle. Would love to try hypnotherapy to try and break the habit

I do this too. There are forums on this website where you can get help if you want to.

Thanks Tickled that is a useful link

I am a terrible nail/skin picker.....however, my DS seems to have inherited my very annoying habit and I will tell him off for doing!!

I can't believe there is a special website. I'm guilty if picking my fingers until they bleed, its worth it in the long run though because then you get a nice scab to pick .....

Wow thats an interesting link. I do know that I pick the skin around my fingers when I am anxious and I ultimately want to make it bleed. I have had this habit for as long as I can remember. I didn't have the best first 4 years of life so I can't say I am surprised that it started when I was young and creeps up every now and then.

Its just so satisfying though.

I didn't know anyone else did this! Very satisfying when you get a big thick chunk on your thumb. Yanbu.

My daughter does this, after suffering quite sustained bullying at school, her self esteem was so low, she was pulling her hair out too, I think it is awful and always try to stop her, it is a hard habit to beat. The bullying stopped but the habit continues.

Another picker here, I have eczema as well and end up picking at any dry bits, my elbows get really dry and I should just leave it Aline but no I itch and pick at it and it gets really sore. Every now and then I manage to leave it alone long enough it clears up and then something yriuggers a flare up and the whole cycle starts again.

I do this. I am VU to do it though as it hurts, sometimes bleeds, and looks vile.

I do this too, but I don't eat it. I hate myself for doing it though, because my hands look awful. I just can't stop.

I squeeze my upper arm spots too, so my arms are red, blotchy and scarred.