When I was a child if my mom saw a pimple on me she would dig it out. I now have to fight the compulsion to dig and pick at any lump I come across. I find a small circle bandaid covering the area helps me leave it alone until it goes away on its own.
There’s some messed up dopamine response going on there, both for self-picking and especially for others’ picking! I’ve often thought about how some people have that compulsion to pop, others want to pop out of a sense of sick satisfaction, compulsion by extension to another person, or out of a misguided sense you’re doing something good. Pops not good
It’s more of a defense mechanism that’s no longer needed. She would get right in there with her nails trying to pop it which was quite painful. After some time if she wasn’t able to get it she would tell me to go to the bathroom and get it out myself, so I learned to get rid of them on my own if I found them so I wouldn’t have to endure her nails in my face.
There is briefly a satisfying release of pressure when it pops, but there is still a lump there so my compulsion keeps trying to pick and squeeze at the lump trying to make it go away. I either keep trying to stop myself, or make it “inaccessible” by putting a band-aid on it.
When you discover a bump somewhere on your skin and the very first reaction is to scratch and dig whatever may be there, out.
When I was a child if my mom saw a pimple on me she would dig it out. I now have to fight the compulsion to dig and pick at any lump I come across. I find a small circle bandaid covering the area helps me leave it alone until it goes away on its own.
There’s some messed up dopamine response going on there, both for self-picking and especially for others’ picking! I’ve often thought about how some people have that compulsion to pop, others want to pop out of a sense of sick satisfaction, compulsion by extension to another person, or out of a misguided sense you’re doing something good. Pops not good
It’s more of a defense mechanism that’s no longer needed. She would get right in there with her nails trying to pop it which was quite painful. After some time if she wasn’t able to get it she would tell me to go to the bathroom and get it out myself, so I learned to get rid of them on my own if I found them so I wouldn’t have to endure her nails in my face.
There is briefly a satisfying release of pressure when it pops, but there is still a lump there so my compulsion keeps trying to pick and squeeze at the lump trying to make it go away. I either keep trying to stop myself, or make it “inaccessible” by putting a band-aid on it.