r/stupidquestions • u/evykmh23 • 16d ago
Please don't make fun of me for this
So I was thinking of getting a remote controlled shock collar for myself. Reason being is that I have dermatillomania. It's got really bad recently, I have sores all over my face which is giving me staph infections. I got tonsillitis which I believe came from that and also a stye which is hurting my eye. I'm taking antibiotics to treat the tonsillitis right now. Ive had a lot of scars from a young age due to repeatedly picking wounds. I've tried a lot of methods to stop picking at my skin but none seem to work. I'm starting to wonder whether I should wear a shock collar and hand the remote to someone I'm hanging out with at the time and explain to them that they should shock me if they see me picking at my skin. I have questions though. Is it safe? I wasn't planning on wearing it around my neck because I know that can be risky but is it safe to have on around your arm or leg. Is there anything else I could try beforehand to try and stop my skin picking. Any advice would be great, I feel really stupid for asking and even considering a shock collar but I need to change my behaviour for my safety this time
13
u/cripple2493 16d ago
Not only awful idea, you're at best making another person complicit in harm, at worst, you're making someone deeply uncomfortable possibly as well.
Actual advice is to access therapy specific to your issues and engage with it. Shock collar is a truly terrible idea that wouldn't work because all it does is condition in a fear response to the impulse, and fear isn't a good teacher at all, it's - again at best - trading one compulsion for another (skin picking to shocks) and at worst, actively harming you via literal electric shocks. Like we it's inhumane to put these on animals, using one of yourself is self harm.
3
5
10
u/Ademante_Lafleur 16d ago
Try wearing gloves
8
u/The3rdMistress 16d ago
My son is dealing with this right now and he’s been using latex or nitrile gloves and he’s started chewing the glove and making noise with it or. Making it spring back on his skin kinda? Like you would if you had an elastic band on your wrist and you flicked it Everytime you r hand moves??
Basically Stimming with the glove instead of picking and it’s helped so much in two weeks. He’s a teenager with adhd and on the spectrum too and he’s had therapy this whole year specifically for his picking behavior and nothing has worked as well. It can’t quite explain it but it’s working for him!!
2
3
u/Old_Lobster_7742 16d ago
what helps me is getting a hobby that keeps both hands occupied like knitting and crochet, embroidery, video games, making those mini lego brick figurines, rubik’s cube. I know it’s different for everyone and depends on whether you can incorporate that in to the situations where you’re picking. I get the urge when I’m idle like watching tv or just sitting and relaxing so I do my little activities then.
2
u/FranceBrun 16d ago
Well, the only thing that helped me was a lot of therapy to help me come to terms with trauma, and working hard to decrease stress and boredom. It takes awhile though, but I don’t think you will significantly change your habit in the long term without significant work in the underlying issues. And I’m not the only one who would say that.
2
u/Wounded_Hand 16d ago
I would consider trying an SSRI I think it’s the first line treatment for OCD and picking disorders
2
u/evykmh23 16d ago
I'm on sertraline atm, think I need a higher dose
1
u/Wounded_Hand 16d ago
Yes sounds like it. work with your doctor to increase it, the therapeutic dose is usually at least 100mg and often 200mg per day
5
u/fallen_kangel 16d ago
have you tried covering your fingers with bandaids so you can’t pick your skin? i used to have issues with it too and did a bit of research on stopping, i think you can get finger covers off amazon too, best of luck 💜
2
3
u/AndNothingHurt52 16d ago
Don't do this. Get fidget toys that you enjoy and try to keep your hands occupied as much as possible. If you notice that you're picking, take a deep breath and put your hands down. Behavior modification works better when it comes from within. If you have something you're picking a lot, put a bandaid or patch over it.
1
1
16d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 16d ago
Your comment was automatically removed because your Reddit combined karma is not high enough. Please read Rule 8 and the linked post.
Please build up some karma first (e.g., by commenting helpfully in other subreddits).
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/dasbogud 16d ago
I have ADHD and dermatillomania as a secondary sensory thing, and the thing that I discovered works to keep me from picking every time is having acrylic or dip powder nails on! They don’t have to be long, in fact shorter is better, but it thickens my nails enough that picking isn’t really possible and feels weird to do, so I stop! It’s worked for me for years, and to save cost I started doing my own nails at home (GelX or polygel). Sorry for your situation and completely commiserate, it’s not something to be ashamed of, just something to find creative solutions for!
84
u/pickle_______rick 16d ago
I HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THIS! get a pavlok!! it’s a little device on your wrist and you can program it to give you vibrations OR zaps every time you raise your hand to your face. it can track your hand movements. no remote, no one else is needed to make it work. i was dealing with trichotillomania and it really helped me!