Dermotillomania-Excoriation Disorder
Excoriation disorder (also referred to as chronic skin-picking or dermatillomania) is a mental illness related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is characterized by repeated picking at one’s own skin which results in skin lesions and causes significant disruption in one’s life.
Clstr1:
Wik1: W060
Diagnoses: Dermotillimania (Excoriation Disorder)
USPatnts: Est. 4%
WrldPatnts:
SexRatio: M;F+
AveOnset: Can be permanent
Brain Area: anterior cingulate cortices-not inhibiting uncontrollable picking; inadequate SAPAP3 gene may also be a factor
Symptoms: picking sores into skin on the body; follows tension with relief following the act; mostly on the face by fingers or tools
Progression & Effects: causes scarring and disfigurement followed by shame and guilt; 11.5% attempt suicide; 79% pleasure with picking skin
Causes: childhood sexual abuse, rage against authoritarian parents, dealing with stress; affected by other itching conditions
Productive Medications: SSRI (antidepressants which increase serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain)antianxiety, antipsychotics; inositol
Productive Therapies: habit reversal training (for example, close a fist for one minute instead of picking when the urge arose)
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Youtube Video: Skin Picking Disorder (Dermatillomania)
Amazon or Library Book: Skin Picking-The Freedom to Finally Stop
Click the book to link or order from Amazon.
4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED
The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis
Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.
- Borderline personality disorder in Trichotillomania and skin picking disorder: a survey studyby Jon E Grant on December 19, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest relatively high rates of borderline personality disorder in people with BFRBs, in turn linked to more severe psychopathology and elevated lifetime suicide attempt risk. Perhaps the comorbidity with borderline personality disorder reflects a possible subtype of these behaviors that is more impulsive and may necessitate different treatment approaches.
- Anxiety and body-focused repetitive behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of comorbidity rates and symptom associationsby Kathryn E Barber on November 27, 2024
Body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) disorders, including hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania [TTM]) and skin picking disorder (SPD), frequently co-occur with anxiety disorders, but reported comorbidity rates vary widely. Additionally, research on the relationship between anxiety and BFRB symptoms has yielded inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis and systematic review examined (1) the prevalence of comorbid anxiety disorders in individuals with BFRB disorders and (2) correlations...
- A Review of Research on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disordersby Michael P Twohig on November 6, 2024
This article reviews acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), trichotillomania, excoriation disorder, hoarding, and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Measurement of psychological inflexibility and its relationship to pathology is reviewed. Outcome work in all disorders listed is reviewed with results supporting ACT for anxiety disorders, OCD, and trichotillomania, but there is limited evidence for excoriation disorder, hoarding, and BDD....
- Interoception, emotion regulation strategies and skin-picking behaviors - Results of an intensive longitudinal studyby Joanna Kłosowska on October 8, 2024
Compulsive skin-picking is associated with emotion regulation difficulties, whose origins remain unclear. Interoception, plays an important role in effective emotion regulation. This study examined the relationship between interoception, emotion regulation strategies, and skin-picking in 136 individuals (85% women, aged 18-41), including 71 engaging in skin-picking and 65 psychologically healthy controls. We were interested in between-group differences in maladaptive and adaptive emotion...