[Vulture]

Wow... made me realize I do this to the back of my thighs when I'm in bed. I realize after a while but only when my legs are already bleeding

[jessfirmin]

thank you guys for sharing your stories, it means a lot to know that there are other people out there with this.

[FrightRat]

I can understand how you feel..
I know a person with trichotillomania (which is basically the same thing, but with hair pulling instead of the skin picking).
I know how hard it is to stop doing this... She's been struggling with it for ages. :(

I'm picking at my back ocasionally, but I don't think it's severe enough to say that I have this disorder.

[Rat Death]

Aww, thanks for sharing, hon! I hope you manage to get yours under control!

I didn't realize it was an actual disorder, either. I've been compulsively picking for almost as long as I can remember and I've got little scars all over the place. Sometimes I can "be good" for a period of time, but I always break eventually.

[silintli]

I have this. Actually, let me boot up my webcam.

It started when I was in elementary. I guess maybe 5th grade? I can't trace it back to any event or anything. It may be interesting to note that I do have eczema, and when I get stressed out, my eczema gets worse, so then I'm more tempted to pick at it. I have tried everything short of tranqing myself or cutting off my fingers. It's such a subconcious action, like breathing. I'm aware of it, but don't feel like I have the power to stop it. Sometimes I even wake up in the morning with new wounds. Yes, I do it in my SLEEP. The only thing that helps is to find something else to do with my hands. I carry lotion on me. I have like 20 bottles all over the house so they are easy to reach. If I apply lotion when I catch myself starting to pick, it helps calm me down because the rubbing motion keeps my hands busy, and also makes my skin greasy so it's harder to get a grip on my skin and rip bits off. I also carry my Nintendo DSI and a pen and paper almost everywhere. I just have to keep my hands BUSY.

These pictures were taken today, a few minutes ago even. My car broke down recently in a strange town in the middle of the night and I got jumped by a gang of 5-6 men, so I've been... a little nervous. I escaped without harm, but it's pretty scary for me to think about. Half of them were trying to undress me and the other half were trying to steal my catalytic converter. BTW I'd like to give a huge shout-out to this site. My only weapons were a hammer, and hacksaw, and a knife I managed to take from the group, and thanks to this site I knew exactly where to hit with the hammer if it came down to it. It did not, but it was comforting to know I had the option.

It is really too bad, because I was finally in control and healed up with no open wounds before that night. I'm finally calming down though. I'm taking millions of bubble baths and going through lotion at an alarming rate.

One thing that separates me from the people in this thread is that I wear it with pride. Well, maybe pride is not the right word. It is something I do to myself, and if people ask about it or point and stare... well. I kind of have it coming, don't I?

PS don't mind my messy room. I am moving in a month and finding it hard to get motivated to clean when I'm about to pack up and leave. That's reasonable.

TL;DR: I do this when I'm stressed. Luckily for this thread, I have been stressed.

[jessfirmin]

bringing this back because, well, if anything its gotten worse with the start of college, again, almost entirely my back, with a good bit of scarring to my arms and upper legs. i have since been to a dermatolagist and am treating the acne but the picking and scratching is still bad.

[Missa]

*hugs*

I can't imagine, I have severe anxiety which sometimes manifests in me picking my cuticles, face, and biting my lip so bad they bleed. But it's not constant.

[nibby888]

I'M A PICKER ,NOT FROM THE HISTORY CHANNEL. IT'S REALLY WEIRD ABOUT THE OLD SCABBY. BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I MISSED MY VERT LANDING I KNEW I HAD AT LEAST A COUPLE WEEKS OF FRESH PICKING'S. I STILL HAVE THE SCAR'S,DON'T DO IT . BUT I STILL LOVE POPPING A NICE BLACK HEAD.

[Trekka]

I don't want to self-diagnose, but I believe I may have this also. I find stuff to pick, even when there's nothing there. I find it extremely relaxing and feel that it does relieve stress.

[nibby888]

HATE TO SAY IT YOUNG LADY, BUT MUST . WHAT WAS YOUR SITUATION THAT BROKE YOU DOWN WITH YOUR ANXIETY . MISSA SOUNDS LIKE A YOUNG LADY THAT ACTUALLY WANTS TO HELP YOU. I'M A MALE THAT SHOULD NEVER BE GIVING ADVICE TO TOSH.0. ANXIETY IS FOR REAL ,DON'T POST PICTURES YOU WANT THE WORLD TO SEE.GOOD LUCK