Page 1 of 1 [ 3 posts ] 

JJabb
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 11 Feb 2013
Gender: Male
Posts: 75

06 Sep 2014, 8:36 pm

I was hoping to get some advice as per how I can better cope with some things. I have a twitch/tic/involuntary movement/ etc etc. and it's been uncontrollable lately as well as my Dermatophagia. It's to the point where I have hit myself in the head involuntarily and have been reduced to bandaging my fingers because they are so chewed up and hurt to bad. The bandage is also for trying to prevent myself from chewing them further. It seems that no mater how much they hurt/bleed/get infected I can't stop. It's so gross (at least to me it is) and has gotten so out of control that I have been considering wearing thin cotton gloves. At least during the day, but this would be weird considering it's 95 degrees and hotter where I live. My wife says to put nail polish remover on my fingers since it tastes gross, but then I would be suck washing my hands all morning until it comes off.

I do have a lot of stress in my life right now. It's good stress but stress nonetheless. That seems to trigger things. I was hoping someone knew of a way that works for them to help with these things without feeding into their OCD further (gloves, hand washing). Obviously reducing stress is key and I have been trying to calm down. But outside of that???? Any bit of advice is appreciated.



StarTrekker
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Apr 2012
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,088
Location: Starship Voyager, somewhere in the Delta quadrant

07 Sep 2014, 3:56 pm

If you have the means and time, cognitive behavioural therapy with a professional would be the most effective way to go: they will train you through behaviour modification and thought pattern identification to change your behaviours into things that are less destructive and painful.

In the meantime, try your own method of self-reinforcement; stick with the bandages, and for every hour/day/week you don't pick at your skin, reward yourself with something you enjoy. Hopefully the stress will dissipate soon and you'll be able to decrease the frequency and severity of the problem.


_________________
"Survival is insufficient" - Seven of Nine
Diagnosed with ASD level 1 on the 10th of April, 2014
Rediagnosed with ASD level 2 on the 4th of May, 2019
Thanks to Olympiadis for my fantastic avatar!


olympiadis
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Jun 2014
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,849
Location: Fairview Heights Illinois

07 Sep 2014, 5:10 pm

The nail polish remover is Acetone and is a very toxic organic solvent, so don't use that.
I would probably use gloves since I wear them a lot anyway.