OCD Turned Into Skin Picking

I was diagnosed with OCD in 1994 or 95; I can't actually remember. Over the years I've been on different kinds of medication. I was on Luvox for a while, but that didn't help. I'm currently taking generic Zoloft 100mg day. I've got so many triggers, it's tough to get a handle on my anxiety, so I start to pick, dig cut my nails and the areas around them. It's so bad sometimes they bleed and I've got to use Bacitracin and bandage them. This skin picking started around 2016. It's not fun at all. I was in a very fulfilling job, but my coworkers constantly bullied me; I'm pretty sure that's why I started to pick my skin. It would get so bad, the skin picking, I would be in the bathroom for almost an hour picking and cutting skin. The OCD the years manifested in the usual way: counting, ordering, re-checking, etc, but I NEVER picked my skin. The most days I've gone without picking is about 7 days. It's such a viscous cycle. I am a spiritual person and pray very much asking God to help me stop the skin picking, cutting, digging etc. Nothing yet, so I keep praying. After I've made my fingers raw and bloody, then bandage them, I put on disposable gloves and that helps me not do more damage. But when I take the gloves off, I pick again if my fingers look or feel like they are not smooth and of course this just prolongs the healing process I'm generally content and get my responsibilities completed, but CANT STOP HURTING MY FINGERS. It really sucks. I know I should not pick and I tell myself if I do I won't be able to pet my cat, build my Lego sets, and run my fingers though my beard. I know that sounds funny, but I guess it's a nervous habit. ( I do have an awesome beard) I just want to stop picking. I can deal with the OCD, but the skin picking really messes up my life. Its strange that I know I'm picking and it's bad, but I just can't stop. Once the blood comes, it seems to tell me, look what you did now you better stop, and I usually do. I guess I just want other people to know they are not alone. I've tried fidget toys and they don't work for me. I don't want to increase the Zoloft to 150mg but will if that's the only answer. I would love your opinions and suggestions. And your prayers would be great also. I think that's what I need; a miracle.

Littleduckling

Date posted: 1y

I deal with skin picking too. Have been since 2014 but never really addressed it in therapy.. I’m not sure if it’s a compulsion of mine or just a separate nervous tick. I do it all over, but especially on my face which is incredibly embarrassing and apparent to those around me. I also stop at blood and immediately regret. when the anxiety is bad the shame of doing it in public is overcome by the anxious desire. You are not alone! Well get through this.

MyMia

Date posted: 24w

OCD

Good morning to all. I have OCD and have had it since high school. However, I was not formed diagnosed until 2003, when I was 45 . I have a psychiatrist and Licensed therapist, and have been on Zoloft/sertraline ever since. Currently I have to have cataract surgery in a few weeks and I am very anxious about the whole thing. Of course this has been a trigger for my OCD and dealing with it the best I can. Any thoughts ?

Medicine2021_

Date posted: 14w

Suicidal OCD and harm OCD

I’ve recently been struggling a lot with OCD. I have had OCD for a long time I just didn’t realize it until more recently. About seven months ago I developed panic attacks one day randomly at work. I thought I was having a heart attack and went to the hospital where they told me it was just a panic attack and I assumed I would snap out and be better within a few days. However it didn’t. Here’s where it gets scary, I was staying at my then boyfriends house while dealing with blurry vision, anxiety attacks everyday, and more (unsure of what was going on). But at some point I saw my bfs (pew pew 🔫) on his table and it sent me into an anxiety attack after sudden thoughts that I was going to hurt myself with it. I begged him to put it away when I’m not looking so I didn’t know where he put it. He did. These thoughts lasted for about four days but began to go away. (I thought that was it and I would be back to normal). Unfortunately though I ended up moving back in with my family when we couldn’t get my panic attacks under control in time for me to get back to work and pay bills. However, coming home brought up a lot of trauma from when I was kid. My anxiety got worse but I didn’t have those thoughts again. About two and half months ago though, I got sick and went to the hospital where they gave me steroid pills and a steroid shot but sent me into some kind of psychiatric event. Ever since then though, I have been suffering from harm OCD, I have had moments of intense anger that I usually have to completely walk away and go on my own because of how intense they are, and it feels like it’s getting worse. Today I felt fine until about and hour and half ago where I started to dwell on the fact that my suicidal thought was influenced by my OCD and at the moment my OCD is at the worst it’s been. This caused me to get suddenly really depressed and I started crying thinking about how I can’t handle this. I then saw a post talking about how suicide rates are high for people with this form of OCD and it made me question if I am mentally strong enough to pull through this. I fear that at times I’m getting worse. I have good days but I have a lot of bad days. Unfortunately this sent me into such a bad panic attack I went over to my nanas crying about how I can’t deal with this. I took a 0.25 mg Xanax which helped calm down the panic attack portion of it but my brain is still uncomfortably active. I guess I just need hope. I’m so saddened by this. It’s like my life took a total 360 in 10 months and got even worse since the steroid shot. Idk what to do about it. I can’t stop the spiral. I talk to two different therapist weekly and start more next week, making it 5 times a week. I feel no improvements…

gmoney22

Date posted: 5w

Skin picking

Does anyone have any good tips on how to reduce the urge to pick your skin? I wasn’t aware that this was something often associated with OCD until my therapist told me about it. I regularly engage in skin picking especially on my face and it has made my acne even worse and lead to scarring. I don’t want to continue doing it but sometimes I just do it without even realizing I’m doing it.

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OCD Turned Into Skin Picking

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