Is this OCD/Anxiety/anything at all?

[frustrADDed]

Symptoms:

Nose-picking (gross sorry) - I've pretty much been able to hide the nose picking my entire life (when I was younger my family would catch me sometimes), and I'm pretty sure I don't get sick more than most people so I don't think it's really affecting me, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I could stop.

Nail-biting - Been doing this for a long time also, I barely bite them to the point where they bleed, but they do hurt sometimes because I also bite the skin around them and any hangnails I see.

More recently: Hair-pulling - I did this pretty much throughout high school. There was one spot on my head that always hurt, and it felt better if I would pull out hairs there. But I only would pull out abnormally thick hairs/hairs with split ends/hairs that had weird textures, etc. so I didn't have any issues of baldness and I've pretty much stopped that now because of the new thing I've taken up....

Picking at my scalp/head - I'm not sure how it started, but now there's a few scabs on my head that I constantly pick at (I guess because I figure no one can see them? I also pick at my acne/dry skin on my face a little bit too if something is bothering me, but not to the point where it makes it worse/scars and I hate popping pimples). Anyways, I've now noticed a few small bald spots at these areas. Some of them have short prickly hairs (which are fun to tweeze if I can get them), but one of them is totally smooth. I'm worried that I damaged my skin so much that no hair can grow there, and I'm also worried because I'm afraid the spots will get bigger. I've been able to hide them I think (long hair); there was one near my part, so I just moved my part over a bit, but I would rather not have this issue.



I am never able to catch myself when I start to do these things (usually when I'm alone and bored, or occasionally when I'm stressed), but I don't actively think about doing them either way. Once I start, it's VERY hard for me to stop. I've done them for at least an hour at times (maybe not nose-picking, that gets boring) before realizing how long it's been.

This can't be normal and I'm not sure what's wrong with me! My only doctor is the family doctor I go to, but I recently switched to him and don't feel comfortable bringing it up. I guess I'm almost hoping someone will notice the bald spots and do something about it?

Help!

[mytheory]

Well if it's causing you problem than it is something. try and slowly stop these bad habits.

[olavia]

These could be OCD symptoms.

[losethefire]

I pick at my skin all the time. If I'm stressed, it's worse. It's also a fidgeting thing... I would sit and read a novel for hours (hyperfocusing) and pull the hairs out of my head, in one spot (right in the center of the hairline on my forehead) and I developed a nice little bald patch that was quite embarrassing once school started up again...

My face is in shambles right now, I think I was picking without realizing it earlier and came home with a red, inflamed, almost bloody patch on my cheek... oops.

[seamstress]

Anxiety does cause a whole bunch of "comfort" behaviors that include repetitive movements meant to occupy the body in order to soothe the mind. It could be a host of things.

And, though not as compulsively, everyong picks their nose when no one is looking. And if they say they don't, then they are lying. =)