Finger picking out of control

[longbay]

Cannot believe I'm actually asking people about this but I've picked my fingers & nails all my life (30yrs). I do it till they are very sore and often bleed. It's a disgusting habit and I hate it but I cannot stop it. When I'm feeling very anxious about things then I'll pick at my feet and make them sore.
I also grind my teeth at night and have to wear a gum shield to protect them.
Does anyone else do this? Has anyone managed to stop it?
Doctors have suggested relaxation techniques, AD's, Yoga etc.
I don't want to take AD's, and I'm not very open minded about yoga type stuff.

Look into Mindfulness

?CBT xx

have you tried something like just wearing gloves for a while so that you can't do it? or would the urge be too strong and you'd take them off?

cbt is a good idea, but you'd wait forever to get it on the NHS

Hi there, as you have had the problem for a long time I would go to your GP and request a referral to a Psychologist for Habit Reversal Training, which can be very successful with this, or the Psychologist may suggest a different treatment, possibly CBT, but either way the GP is not specialised enough for this - ask for a referral to a Psychologist. It is treatable with the right kind of input.
Looking into Mindfulness is also a good suggestion

Thanks for all your suggestions. I think I'll try the GP again.
I tried gloves which has helped when I'm at home in the evening but I pretty much do it all day everyday. It would be too embarrassing to wear them at work. Having said that it's probably just as embarrassing when people see the disgusting state of my fingers!

Try something that would speed up the healing of the fingers affected, like ointment applied overnight, plus a nail cream (Burts Bees cuticle cream helps promote nail growth and strength), plus lots of moisturiser for your hands and especially around the nails. As soon as you see some improvement, get your nails done at a salon.

I do this and hate it ... it seems particularly bad at the moment so I'm promising myself a manicure if I can get a grip and let them heal. I try to stop one finger at a time, so starting with my left hand I'll stop biting my little finger but can nibble the others, then once that finger has healed I try to keep it un-bitten and move on to my ring finger and so on ...

I wish I could stop. I do it without realising sometimes.

I've had it suggested that hypnosis would/could stop the problem , but can't afford to do it at the moment.

Occasionally i use nail scissors to 'tidy' them up. This inevitably leads to me butchering them even more. I know what I am doing is bad but cannot stop. I know that using scissors or tweezers to pull at the skin or 'dig' the cuticle isn't a good thing to do. I never let my husband see that I do that.
Does anyone else go a bit over the top like this?

Yes. I do it too. My ring finger is hideous at the moment. I can't seem to stop myself at the moment though.

Have you tried doing it in front of a mirror? Aversion approach...
Or getting a set of false nails you can put on yourself? This can be a help in visualising how your nails and fingers could look when you've conquered the habit.
There's hypnosis, which can help greatly in changing habits.

Plus vitamin B6, which can enhance mood. Or yoga, which can enhance mindfulness, reduce stress, make you conscious of your own centre.

Wearing gloves tonight. Too little too late though. Fingers are raw. Thumb is worst. Hosting my DD's party tomorrow. God knows what people will think if they see my hands.

I do this - kind of thought I was the only person who did, I can on here to post something else but then saw this and had to post to you. It's mainly my right thumb, I've managed to restrict it to. when I've gone a bit far, or sometimes to stop myself going to far, I smother the area in sudocream and put a plaster over the top. It really helps to get it healing and moisturised overnight.

If I'm really trying not to do it (which I am at the moment) I keep putting handcream on instead, if the skin doesn't get dry it's harder to do it. Get started with plasters though. Get it cleared up and then get some rescue remedy.

If I knew how to stop, I'd tell you I promise, but as I'm sitting in the office on ther verge of tears, I'm not going to be much help there :)