Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.
i have a question about a behavior that i do.....i have athlete's foot, or at least i used to have it, and i also have a lot of dead skin on the heels of my feet and the balls of my feet.....i pick the bottom of my feet....i'll take nail clippers and just pick and rip skin off......it's gotten to the point where i don't even realize it anymore until i start bleeding...i can look at my feet and look where i'm ripping the skin off, but it doesn't register in my mind to stop....i just think,"oh yeah, picking my feet, okay"....i don't know why i do it, it just happens.....is this OCD???? there's no thought process to it or anything, i just kind of realize i'm doing it when my feet bleed....i'm confused as to why i do this.....i started doing it when i was young, like 5th grade i think....maybe a grade or two younger.....any ideas???
i am so sorry you are struggling with this....i have ocd but also have had problems with skin picking,mostly my feet,and badly,but my finger nails and cuticles as well.
It is, far as i know,is still classified in the DSM V as an ocd spectrum disorder called dermatillomania.( i really should look it up though,or certainly ask my pyschiatrist tommorow to tell me what it is now called,because if i remember correctly,it now has a new name)
(although the label,to me,matters less than just how to stop doing it)
i also suffer from trichotillmania (hair pulling).
my medication has helped with my ocd,but not so much with my skin picking or hair pulling.....
what i have found helps so much,is after a bath or shower,i use a pumice stone brush which has one side that removes dead skin and callouses,and on the other side,a smooting tool.
then,i put a really nice lotion on my feet,and put my socks on right after i do this.
when my skin is softer,i find that i don't get into the this sort of (what it is like for me anyway) "zoned out" place where i will pick them,use tools to do so,and also just study them.....i'm aware when i do it,yet,oddly enough,still get into that zoned out place,and i just can't seem to stop.....
when i was much younger i would pick them until they would bleed and be painful to walk on.....i don't get to that point anymore,thankfully.
taking the time and care to take care of the skin on my feet,has become for me a very self nurtering time for me....
and i am on a waiting list for a therapy group for both this and my hair pulling,led by a pyschiatrist who specializes in both these behaviours.
i encourage you to seek help,and i just want to let you know how much i admire your courage in posting here about this,i have always had a problem admitting to anyone that i do this,even on online forums....
i don't know if i have made sense here,helped,or reassured you ( it is hard for me to post things on forums because of my ocd,but i felt very compelled to respond to your post,as i empathize with you a great deal.
i do believe medication,and certainley behaivoural therapy are important things to seek out,as i so know how distressing this is...
and,in the least of things,please know you are not alone in this,and i truly believe we can overcome it....
i'm glad to hear you are working with a therapist,and i think it would definitly be good to bring this up in your session.....
i'm glad that what i said helped a little....
thank you for your friend request by the way,always nice to have new friends :)