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Post by Runs In The Family on Aug 30, 2007 21:34:12 GMT -5
I have been picking since my mid twenties. I am fortyseven now and I have a head full of scabs right now. I picked scabs on my legs as a kid...tore at my toenails..pick zits on my face and scabs on my face still and when I was married, I had a small pen knife and I would carefully peel one layer of skin from my lower arms. It was a challenge to see how big a piece of skin I could pull off.
My family has a long history of OSD and depression. The OCD is on my gather's side of the family. It was just recently that I learned that my father picked at his scalp too. I had no idea. I know about trying to pull the scab out whole, pulling the little bits out of your hair that are stuck to the strands of hair, going to the hairdresser and lying...I told him medication I was taking broke down my scalp. Told a friend I hit my head when she looked down and saw a big pit in my head from digging out a scab. I know about trying to be discreet and hoping no one realizes that you are picking sores on your head. It is all so clandestine and frustrating and yet I can't seem to stop. I too swear that I will leave them alone when I wash my hair, but I am right back at it.
I see it as a form of self abuse. A way of feeling something other than the depression or the sadness or the not measuring up. When I started in school, I was studying in the second hardest program in the school and I wanted to be up there with all the good students. In the end, I failed because they didn't count our last semester into the class standings, so I was one of two in our class who didn't graduate with honors. I was devastated. I have no idea why my father picked except that he was a full blown sufferer of OCD. He was ritualized. Maybe if I didn't pick, I would be in the bathroom washing my hands all day. I don't know.
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Post by scalppicker325 on Sept 1, 2007 18:45:07 GMT -5
wow it's a relief that people have my same probem...my sister and I thought we were the only ones doing that. The wierd part is I have creamy stuff on my scalp, and my hair is completely clean and my scalp gets rinsed well. I pick my scalp at school, flakes do not get everywhere-but its still embarrassing. its a habit. My sister has a couple of reddish bumps about the size of a pimple and they constantly have dry flakes, right after she picks them, the flakes are back again the next day. Does anyone else have that problem?
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Post by OLD MAC on Sept 2, 2007 22:05:42 GMT -5
Interesting to me that your forty seven.i have been waiting for another person my age.I too am forty seven.I however pick my face.Have been for seven years.Started out as adult acne.I am convinced brought on by stress.I too peel the the skin.I am very scarred.I have been trying so hard to stop.I have got better but still do it.Very strange.I seem to have high tolerance for pain.Been on topical steroids way to long.Have no idea how I could be of any help to you other than to let you know there are other freaks out here wondering what the hell.
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Post by dave28 on Sept 6, 2007 15:37:22 GMT -5
The sad thing is... reading all these replys, I found myself picking and just thought to myself how sad that is that I can't even stop when I'm reading about how people want to stop! haha meee too! How retarded... We all need to knock it off....but it feels soooo good. I can't stop...I gotta get that last piece...its not a good piece if its not all soft and bloody... crap...did I say that outloud? oops! Scary! |
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Post by dave28 on Sept 6, 2007 15:43:08 GMT -5
...I'll be sitting next to my wife and all of a sudden I get hit and the words knock it off yelled at me... ....then realize I'm making this clicking sound with my nail and the scab on my scalp... ....how freaking sick for her...I love doing it, but I hate the fact that I do it near her and don't even realize it... ...crap I need to knock it off...we all would be better off....  |
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Post by em on Sept 8, 2007 20:37:25 GMT -5
as many have said... this is my first time even typing "scalp picking" on google and im amazed that so many people have the same problem. i experience the pleasure, the neurotic way we HAVE TO get the scabs out and it drives me absolutely crazy until i get them out. I have two sisters who do the same thing.. none of us have ever been diagnosed with anything psychological. I HAVE A SOLUTION THAT MIGHT WORK FOR SOME OF YOU*************... maybe you have tried this... but whenever i have put fake acrylic nails on, I find it almost impossible to pick my scabs. I'm forced to let them heal and then the obsession pretty much goes away... at least for a while. the edges of the fake nails is actually thick and kind of rounded, so you can't dig into the scalp very easily to get an edge of the scab. it is frustrating at first when you want to get the scabs so bad... but after a few days i feel extremely relieved and at peace with my scabs healing. hope this might help someone.
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Post by Pete on Sept 10, 2007 7:55:54 GMT -5
I'm another 47 year old and have been picking for many years now since my teens. I have tried all the shampoos and nothing has worked, has anyone tried hypnotherapy? I think most of the compulsion to itch is psychological, I don't even know I'm doing it most of the time until I've drawn blood.
I think I'll call a hypnotist and try it.
What have I got to lose.
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Post by zimin0902 on Sept 11, 2007 20:52:37 GMT -5
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Post by guest1712 on Sept 13, 2007 0:51:20 GMT -5
i can't believe this forum exists! i am so relieved i'm not the only one who does this!
this is really gross..but does anyone else eat their scabs after they've picked them off? that's the high point of picking for me, if i accidentally drop one without getting to bite it or chew it, i get kind of upset
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Post by pete on Sept 13, 2007 8:09:58 GMT -5
Yes, I eat them too and get frustrated if I drop one. I want to stop though. I get a friend to cut my hair because I'm too embarrassed to go to a hairdresser. I tell him it's psoriasis, but I don't tell him I pick the scabs. None of the shampoos I've used work, should I go to a dermatologist? I'm going to try hypnotherapy soon.
Pete
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Post by crusty lament on Sept 19, 2007 15:42:48 GMT -5
doing some sort of picking for about 51 years. at times I can stop but life falls apart and start again. when I work at it I can stop. pressing down on the scab seems to help me but its so hard not to pick off those crusty body creations.
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Post by Ashley on Sept 29, 2007 7:24:11 GMT -5
I have been doing this as long as I can remember, though, I realized that since I took off my Fake Nails (acrylics) it has gotten SO much worse. I think it just feels better to pick with your natural nails. I am going to get my acrylics back on so I can stop this picking for goo d- it is so gross and it hurts! I just read the post about the dangers, too and that makes so much sense - your body is constantly having to heal and re-heal the scabs. I also color my hair and when my colorist puts the color on it burns like H--l!! SHe has asked me what is wrong and I told her I got bitten by something but she muct think it 's wierd it never goes away! I also tried the neosporin and that helped so I am going to try that , again with the fake nails and hopefully stop for good!
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Post by Dee13 on Oct 1, 2007 8:31:36 GMT -5
I use hair dye from a health food store more natural. Your hairdresser may agree to use it if you ask her.
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Post by Blah on Oct 1, 2007 22:09:18 GMT -5
Wow, I'm so relieved to know I'm not the only one doing this. Scabs on the head are just so annoying! It's just like they HAVE to come off, so you keep picking and picking!!! I thought I'd be the only one doing this and I think it's disgusting. It's so hard to stop!  |
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Post by ASF on Oct 6, 2007 22:27:04 GMT -5
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