Skin picking and trichotillomania

[Fuzzy12]

Originally Posted by Florence1989

eeek...withdrawal, is that a sign that i'm becoming dependent or does that literally just mean the meda are wearing off for the day ?

It doesn't have to be a withdrawal symptom, it's also just mentioned as a side effect of Ritalin and Adderal. You are taking concerta, isn't it? Isn't that methylphenidate (like Ritalin) as well?

[Flory]

yeah thats right concerta with pm ritalin..it could just be a side affect then , thanks for checking for me

[Drewbacca]

Originally Posted by Shevey

This too! I get a "good feeling" when I finally get that hair that's been evading the tweezers too. I believe I am already on an SSRI (Effexor is one, right?) but while it helped intially with this, it seems to have been overriden by the addition of Adderall.

Effexor is an SNRI (Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) as opposed to an SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). I have no idea how they compare.

[Drewbacca]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy12

It gets worse when I'm stressed or tired. I wish I had some advice for you but I don't really know how to stop it.

Initially, the picking actually went down in frequency when I started Adderall for exactly this reason; the frequency went way up when I was tired and down when I took the amphetamines. I guess we all react to them differently, since some people become anxious and therefor more likely to pick.

Medication definitely plays a role, but it isn't the only thing contributing (for good or for bad varies I guess).

Also, at the OP: Px: Adderall XR 20mg (2xDaily) is on the high end of the spectrum. I take 20-30mg a day. Have you tried a lower dosage?

[talknerdytome]

Florence...I have an intense phobia of spiders as well...this is just getting weird now...:-P

I obsessively pick my fingers until they bleed and pull out any hairs I think are 'course'. I'm on no meds, but I think it's something I started doing to occupy my mind and stop myself fidgeting when it was inappropriate and now I can't stop.

[Shevey]

Originally Posted by Florence1989

ahh thats a tough one, could you do something like shredding paper its a similar kind of tension pretty staisfying too ...or those bubbles they use for shipping things safely, something to kep your hands busy ?

Funny you should mention shredding paper because it used to be that I never got through a dinner without completely demolishing several paper napkins.

Originally Posted by Drewbacca

Effexor is an SNRI (Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) as opposed to an SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). I have no idea how they compare.

Well, I was on Zoloft after my pregnancy because I was breastfeeding. I had to be taken off of it because it caused me to gain all of my pregnancy weight back in a 1.5 month span. We're talking like 40 lbs in that short period. Nasty stuff!

Originally Posted by Drewbacca

Also, at the OP: Px: Adderall XR 20mg (2xDaily) is on the high end of the spectrum. I take 20-30mg a day. Have you tried a lower dosage?

20mg XR a day was what my doctor started me on, but I either metabolize it rapidly or something else is going on. It worked great the first week with just a bit of dizziness, but now it's not working very well. The doc added 10 mg XR onto the end of the 20 mg because I have very long days. That was upped to 20 mg not long after. Anyhoo, my doc told me 20 mg XR was normal for adults to start with and did not titrate me up on it.

I'm pretty lost at this point.

[Drewbacca]

Originally Posted by Shevey

I'm pretty lost at this point.

What is your caffeine consumption?

[Shevey]

Originally Posted by Drewbacca

What is your caffeine consumption?

Oh... I can easily go through 3-5 twenty-four oz. bottles (or 72-120 oz.) of Diet Mountain Dew a day and that equals approximately 324-540 mg of caffeine a day. Needless to say, before I had an official diagnosis of ADHD, I was already heavily self-medicating the issue. I'm currently working on paring down my habit, but without having achieved an optimal dosage for my ADHD medication, I'm loathe to give up my caffeine crutch.

At least with Adderall causing dehydration I'm forced to drink more water, so it's more toward the lower side of those measurements these days. I usually drink on a 1-for-1 basis. One bottle of soda, refill it with water, drink that, repeat.

[Drewbacca]

Just my experience, but I've found that if I consume caffeine while still under the influence of Adderall, things get ugly; my head spins, I scratch more... it's somewhat similar to that just about to fall asleep feeling that the adderall keeps me away from in the first place. I honestly expect you'll see improvement once you've cut it back, but I know how hard it can be to give up a crutch. Since I have been on Adderall before, years ago, I knew what to expect so I had already adjusted my habits (cut the caffeine, drink more water, increase fiber) before I started taking it again and it has made a world of difference. I hope the same is true for you. Good luck!

[Nautilus]

I really like to pick at pimples and tweeze unwanted hairs, I go into some kind of zoned out state where I can think about other things, usually highly creative things, very calmly and happily.

I don't generally consider this a problem, because I have gotten to know how much I can do before damaging my skin, and when I just have to leave it. My skin IS red afterwards, but that fades pretty quickly and there's no injury left - it looks better than before. Usually.

If I am REALLY tired (seriously sleep deprived), I can zone out for too long - and be late for whatever it is I got up so early for, or just pick for too long, if this happens at night. Then I can get some damage before I realize "Stooooop! We passed the point of 'done'!", but nothing too noticeable and never causing permanent scars.

I get compliments on my "good skin/clear skin," which used to surprise me because I can see all the little blemishes, but now I just realize people don't look that closely and if you look at my skin in "zoom out mode" it does look just fine.

As long as people consider my skin to be "good" or "clear," and as long as it doens't make me late for things, I think it's OK I do this - not a problem. But it obviously stems from the same issue that can cause some people to get much too carried away.

By the way I also like to "groom" other people this way, especially if they have something noticeable -- if they'll let me get away with it! It's not that I don't find it gross, I do, but it's so satisfying. Not to gross anyone out or anything, but when I remove a large solid pimple for example, I can see the offending mass conquered on my finger, and see that I've just left a neat, empty pore behind, I feel like I just removed a tumor or something! I'm all proud of my great job... heh.

[Shevey]

Originally Posted by Drewbacca

Effexor is an SNRI (Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) as opposed to an SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). I have no idea how they compare.

I was looking at information on this the other day and from what I understand Effexor functions as an SSRI until you go over a certain dosage and I'm well below that dosage... it's something like 200MG+.

[Conman]

ive always had hair-twirling or nail-biting problems. ive gotten way better at the nail-biting but the hair-twirling has come back for the first time in years (since it's summer i am NOT medicated).

i also have a Hyperhidrosis which consists of my pits and feet sweating randomly and uncontrollably on a day to day basis (my hands and nether regions do it when im outside on a nice hot day as well). im seeing a dermatologist about that soon enough

[DeejayAng]

I can't stop it
It just feels like such a relief when the hair comes out ....you feel like 100lbs lighter. At least I do. It sucks....I think I might get off adderall because I cant deal with it anymore.

[CheekyMonkey]

Originally Posted by DeejayAng

I can't stop it
It just feels like such a relief when the hair comes out ....you feel like 100lbs lighter. At least I do. It sucks....I think I might get off adderall because I cant deal with it anymore.

Yeah, I would look for a different med that doesn't make it so much worse!

[Drewbacca]

Originally Posted by Shevey

I was looking at information on this the other day and from what I understand Effexor functions as an SSRI until you go over a certain dosage and I'm well below that dosage... it's something like 200MG+.

Yeah, who knows. Sertraline is an SSRI, but it is known to increase dopamine (while other SSRIs don't). It's hard to say when companies don't provide/publish this info half the time.