Small tips

[Jean]

These are just a few little things that have helped me. I keep a small piece of velcro (the hard, plastic part) in my purse, in the car, pieces all over the house. When I'm tense, I rub my thumb on the plastic nubs of the velcro. It's weirdly soothing, and I don't want to pick.
Also, Benadryl Cream. I keep tubes of it everywhere. Every time I start feeling around for bumps or scabs, or if I feel the slightest itch, I rub in the Benadryl and the urge to pick goes away.
Basically, whenever I find something that works, I buy ten of that thing and put them within reach everywhere so that I don't have to get up and go in the other room for them. Just walking into the next room would give me time to pick.
I want to thank everyone on this sight. I remember crying when my therapist told me that other people had this same problem. I thought I was the only one in the world. It helps so much to be honest about it.

[Canuck]

Thank you, Jean, for your tips and welcome to our board! I absolutely love the velcro idea -- looking stimulation for our hands, I think, is a major cause of a lot of our problems. It's very easy to let my hand creep onto my face when I'm reading or doing homework or the like. With velcro in my hand...maybe not. I'll have to give it a try and let you know how it worked out!

[to jean from new member cindi]

you are definitely not alone, as i have also learned just today! and i love your velcro/benadryl ideas. thank you so much!
cindi

[OboeThumb]

Hi! I'm brand new and a finger picker, especially on my right thumb. Thank you for the tips!! I'm definitely going to try the velcro and Benadryl.
The only stuff that's helped me so far has been band-aids and Nexcare waterproof tape. The tape is especially good if, like me, you don't like the icky feeling of a wet band-aid after hand washing (another OCD?). The tape seals well and bends with the knuckles. Let me know how it works. Love, OT

[Canuck]

OboeThumb said:

like the icky feeling of a wet band-aid after hand washing (another OCD?).

Naw. It's just sort of a soggy, goss sensation.

[Icyblackkat]

I love the velcro idea, deffinetly something I have to try.
I've never heard of doing that before, how did you learn about using velcro?
Also wanted to tell you that when I first heard I wasn't the only one with this problem I bawled too

[OT]

Canuck said:

Naw. It's just sort of a soggy, goss sensation.

Don't I know it! I've resorted to wearing those disposable latex gloves or rubber gloves for washing dishes and stuff.

How's the skating going? I think skating is fascinating to watch, I try not to miss any of it on tv. I never learned how to do it.

Oops, getting off topic. Where's a good place to get this velcro? Craft stores? Thanks again, all.

[Oboe Thumb]

That previous post was actually me, not a Guest. I'm still a bit confused about posting...

[Jean]

I got the velcro idea because my behavioral modification therapist suggested I rub light-weight sandpaper on my skin whenever I want to pick. I was at the drug store buying six bottles of lotion when I saw the velcro and realized I wasn't going to have to drive to a hardware store.
Something else I discovered recently that has helped a lot...I use an emery board to smooth out the roughness caused by scabs. I follow this immediately with some lotion. Then, when I run my hands up and down my arm, I don't feel those impossible-to-resist bumps.
I've gotten in the habit of using the emery board on all existing scabs each morning and night before I put on my lotion.
And Smarties! I buy a huge bag full of those little candies called Smarties. Whenever I want to pick, I promise myself I can have a roll of Smarties if I can make it for ten minutes without picking. I may get cavities, but at least they don't show.
Thanks to everyone who writes on this site. I have battled this as long as I can remember. I started cognitive behavioral therapy (combined with 300mg of Wellbutrin a day) fourteen months ago. Since then, I have only had two episodes that lasted longer than a day or two. I'm just coming out of the second one now. Knowing that I can go for months on end without a single scab makes it easier to stop once it starts.
I urge anyone who's considering cognitive therapy to go ahead and try it. I had tried everything imaginable in the past. It's the only thing that has worked.

[OT]

Jean, yay you! ;D Keep up the great work! And thanks again for sharing what works!

I got fake nails to stop picking, and I'm still doing it. Should I get rid of them? (Another of my problems is spending, so it would be great not to have to maintain the nails...)