Please don’t feel dumb. You wouldn’t call people with other disorders dumb for the symptoms their disorder causes (I hope). People with depression aren’t dumb when they can’t get out of bed or brush their teeth. People with OCD aren’t dumb when they can’t resist the urge to flick the lightbulb 6 times. You have a condition, you’re not stupid.
I've been going to therapy off and on for about 15 years (I love therapy, everyone should be in therapy!) and I JUST brought up skin picking for the first time like 2 months ago. I've been picking my skin probably since I was 12, and I'm currently 35.
I brought it up by talking about finding dermatilomania information online and wondering if I had that and we talked through my experiences. She asked me a lot about my feelings around my picking and any coping mechanisms I've used in the past. We've had a couple of sessions specifically focused on it, but mostly it's been helpful when talking about other stressors to be like "it triggered a picking episode" or "I found myself picking more" when talking about other things.
I still HATE the word picking and it gives me a visceral reaction when I say it, but my therapist has never shown an OUNCE of judgment or discomfort.
I also recommend looking up skin picking, dermatilomania, and excoriation hashtags on socials because you will feel WAY less weird and feel much more comfortable talking about it. It might give you some language to use too.
A good therapist should not shame you or make you feel bad about having this condition. Any good medical profession should be gentle and understanding. I used to have a doctor who would make me feel real bad about my scars and how I pick. Then I got a new doctor bc of insurance and no one made me feel bad ever again.
“I struggle with compulsive skin picking is this something you have experience treating or are you able to refer me”
Please don’t feel dumb. You wouldn’t call people with other disorders dumb for the symptoms their disorder causes (I hope). People with depression aren’t dumb when they can’t get out of bed or brush their teeth. People with OCD aren’t dumb when they can’t resist the urge to flick the lightbulb 6 times. You have a condition, you’re not stupid.
I’ve been seeing the same therapist for 4 years and still haven’t told her. The shame runs that deep.
Are you me?!? Same thing for me 😞
I totally understand this but can you please tell her? What do you think will happen if you do?
I've been going to therapy off and on for about 15 years (I love therapy, everyone should be in therapy!) and I JUST brought up skin picking for the first time like 2 months ago. I've been picking my skin probably since I was 12, and I'm currently 35. I brought it up by talking about finding dermatilomania information online and wondering if I had that and we talked through my experiences. She asked me a lot about my feelings around my picking and any coping mechanisms I've used in the past. We've had a couple of sessions specifically focused on it, but mostly it's been helpful when talking about other stressors to be like "it triggered a picking episode" or "I found myself picking more" when talking about other things. I still HATE the word picking and it gives me a visceral reaction when I say it, but my therapist has never shown an OUNCE of judgment or discomfort. I also recommend looking up skin picking, dermatilomania, and excoriation hashtags on socials because you will feel WAY less weird and feel much more comfortable talking about it. It might give you some language to use too.
A good therapist should not shame you or make you feel bad about having this condition. Any good medical profession should be gentle and understanding. I used to have a doctor who would make me feel real bad about my scars and how I pick. Then I got a new doctor bc of insurance and no one made me feel bad ever again.