| Dermotillomania, or Compulsive Skin Picking (CSP) can | | | | some form of skin injury or disease. As the wound or |
| affect anyone at any time. It is a condition that can | | | | injury to the skin begins the process of healing, a scab |
| seriously affect the individual's personal and working | | | | forms which can often feel quite itchy. This may cause |
| life. | | | | the person to pick or scratch, and this in turn prevents |
| What may start as an apparently innocent behaviour - | | | | the wound from completely healing. And this leads to |
| an attempt to deal with minor irregularities and skin | | | | even more itching and picking as more scabbing takes |
| imperfections - can rapidly transform itself into a | | | | place. |
| compulsion that leaves the person feeling confused | | | | The medical response to chronic skin picking, |
| and powerless. | | | | dermotillomania, is often to prescribe one of the |
| The individual who consistently picks at his or her skin | | | | Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such |
| can spend long periods engaged in this activity and this | | | | as Prozac. Though this approach has had a degree of |
| can have a truly negative impact on their work and | | | | success, it works only on the symptoms. It does |
| social relationships. | | | | absolutely nothing about the underlying causes or |
| In severe instances, this often poorly understood | | | | drivers. |
| condition can result in severe skin damage leading to | | | | Other approaches include CBT or Habit Reversal |
| actual disfigurement. | | | | Training (HRT) which aims to identify possible triggers |
| Most often, the individual experiencing this compulsive | | | | and to then teach the individual coping strategies. This |
| behaviour repeatedly picks, rubs, scratches or digs | | | | approach has also had some success, but again, it |
| their nails into the skin. Quite often this condition can be | | | | focuses on managing the actual symptoms, rather |
| triggered by stress and unresolved emotional difficulties | | | | than dealing with the real underlying drivers and cause. |
| such as anxiety, grief or simple boredom. | | | | In the opinion of this therapist, a more effective |
| These days Compulsive Skin Picking is classified as | | | | approach is to uncover the actual causes and drivers |
| one of the Body Focused Repetitive Behaviours | | | | of the skin picking through the use of advanced and |
| (BFRBs). Other conditions that belong to this particular | | | | skillfully applied hypnotherapy techniques and |
| group include compulsive hair pulling and chronic nail | | | | strategies. |
| biting. | | | | The dermotillomania is being driven by subconscius |
| It is important that anyone engaging in compulsive skin | | | | urges, so it is to the subconscious mind itself that we |
| picking consult a medical doctor so that any possible | | | | need to turn if we are to bring about a solution to this |
| medical condition can be eliminated. | | | | harming behaviour. |
| This is necessary in order to make sure that the skin | | | | Once the underlying reasons and drivers for the |
| picking activity is a seperate issue and not a symptom | | | | dermotillomania have been uncovered, the |
| of some other more serious underlying disorder such | | | | subconscious mind can be helped to 're-programme' |
| as an autoimmune or developmental problem. | | | | itself and the skin picking simply becomes extinct or |
| Many people find that they begin to pick at their skin | | | | replaced with a more helpful anxiety or stress release |
| during a stressful period in their lives. | | | | strategy. |
| The individual learns, through repetion, that by picking at | | | | If you suffer from Compulsive Skin Picking (CSP), or |
| the skin they can exercise some degree of control or | | | | dermotillomania, and you genuinely do want to stop |
| at least distract themself from the underlying difficult | | | | skin picking, then help is available. |
| feelings and emotions. And so the skin picking | | | | With the effective application of advanced |
| becomes a habit. | | | | hypnotherapy you can put an end to CSP and regain |
| Still others may have begun picking their skin following | | | | control of your life. |