What is it?
Dermatillomania is a skin picking disorder causing people to pick, scratch, or dig into their skin. It leads to skin damage, guilt, anxiety, and interferes with daily life.
Types:
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Automatic: Unconscious picking, often due to stress or boredom.
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Focused: Intentional picking to remove blemishes, aware of behaviour.
Causes:
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Biological: genetics, serotonin imbalance, brain reward system issues
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Psychological: stress, anxiety, depression
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Environmental: trauma, neglect, coping mechanism
Symptoms:
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Repetitive skin picking → bleeding, scarring, infections
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Tension before picking, relief during, shame after
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Avoiding social activities, preoccupation with blemishes
Who is affected?
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Mostly adolescents and young adults, more women than men
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Often co-occurs with OCD, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, BDD
Effects:
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Physical: skin damage, pain
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Emotional: guilt, shame, anxiety
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Social: isolation, time-consuming habits
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Financial: spending on treatments
Treatment:
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CBT: change thoughts & behaviour, manage triggers
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HRT: replace picking with healthy actions
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Medication: SSRIs may help
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Self-help: diary, stress-reduction, fidget tools
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Support groups: encouragement & shared experiences
Tips for Support:
- Avoid judgment, encourage help, offer positive distractions, be patient
Key Takeaway:
Dermatillomania is a serious mental health condition. With proper therapy, self-help, and support, people can manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
MBH/PS