Why do people pick their skin and scalp? The science behind Dermatillomania
While typing away on your desktop or making a hole in the floor while walking during stressful situations, one quirk is common in a whole lot of people. No, it's not the thought of quitting and settling down in the mountains, but rather the habit of picking at skin compulsively.
Dermatillomania is a skin-picking disorder or excoriation disorder, which is a mental health condition that leads to a person picking at their skin compulsively. Classified under the "obsessive compulsive and related disorders", the disorder leads to skin and soft tissue damage.
According to a
study
published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, a convenience sampling of 10,169 adults aged 18-69, representative of the general US population, revealed that 213 participants had a current skin picking disorder, whereas 318 had a lifetime skin picking disorder.
It is also more prevalent in women.
The skin picking can focus on areas of the body that you can reach with your hands, such as face, scalp and neck, fingers, hands and forearms, and thighs, calves, feet and toes. It can involve actions such as scratching, pulling, rubbing, digging, squeezing and more.
Why do people pick their skin?
Image credits: Getty Images
While there are no confirmed causes of dermatillomania, there can be certain triggers for the disorder.
Genetics: People with the disorder will have at least one first-degree family member who also has the condition, thus passing it down to them.
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Stress, anxiety and more: For most, the disorder is a coping mechanism to stress and anxiety-filled situations, along with boredom, emotional overwhelm and more.
Changes in the brain structure: People with dermatillomania are likely to have some key differences in the structure of the brain that controls how they learn and form habits.
How to deal with Dermatillomania?
Image credits: Getty Images
Dermatillomania is diagnosed if you fulfil the five conditions below:
Ongoing or repeated skin picking
Multiple attempts to stop skin picking
Negative impact on other aspects of your life and development of emotions such as shame, embarrassment and more
Skin picking without the presence of another medical condition
Skin picking without the presence of another mental health condition
Treatment for the disorder includes a combination of medication, such as antidepressants, and therapies like habit reversal therapies, cognitive behavioural therapies and more.
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