ADHD, or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, can impact both adults and children. Stimulating behaviors are a potential feature of ADHD that are frequently disregarded. Stimulating behaviors can take several forms, including skin-picking. Here, we’ll examine stimming activities that may be linked to ADHD, define the disorder, and offer advice on how to quit skin-picking when dealing with ADHD.

Describe ADHD.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disease that can make it difficult to go about daily tasks due to recurrent patterns of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention. People who are suffering with ADHD may struggle in many areas of life, including impulse control, time management, and organization. There are three main ways that ADHD presents, and each one might have a unique set of symptoms. Frequent indicators of the mostly hyperactive/impulsive personality type include restlessness, fidgeting, excessive talking and interrupting others, and making snap decisions without thinking through the repercussions. Problems focusing, maintaining organization, and paying attention to details are common indicators of the mostly inattentive kind. The symptoms of both groups may be present in the mixed form. There is a vast array of potential symptoms of ADHD, including stimming habits like skin-picking, even though they are some of the most prevalent ones.

Symptoms of ADHD and stimming tendencies

Self-stimulatory conduct, or “stimming behavior,” is a symptom that people with ADHD might occasionally exhibit. Stimming is a coping strategy used to control emotions and sensory input. Stimulating behaviors in the context of ADHD refer to recurrent motions, sounds, or actions that people use to aid focus, self-soothe, or let off steam. One stimming habit that people with ADHD may do to deal with increased stress, anxiety, or restlessness is skin-picking. While stimming is not intrinsically hazardous, when it progresses to potentially damaging activities such as skin-picking, assistance may be required.

Skin-picking and other repetitive habits focused on the body

Skin-picking is categorized as a body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB), sometimes referred to as excoriation disorder or dermatillomania. Recurrent actions that cause physical harm to the body are part of BFRBs. When someone picks, scratches, or tugs at their skin excessively, it can cause infections, scars, or damage to the surrounding tissue. A number of variables, including as tension, worry, boredom, and/or a need for sensory stimulation, might contribute to skin-picking habits. The impulsive character of ADHD and the difficulties it may cause with emotion regulation may be factors in the emergence or aggravation of skin-picking activities in affected persons.

How to avoid picking at skin

In the context of treatment of ADHD skin-picking frequently necessitates a multimodal strategy that incorporates behavioral techniques, self-awareness, and, occasionally, expert assistance. The following doable actions could assist someone in quitting skin-picking: Determine the cause of this behavior. To start creating tactics to control the temptation to pick, you could first try to pinpoint the circumstances, feelings, or surroundings that give rise to it. Maintaining a notebook could make it simpler to keep track of these, and practicing mindfulness may help you become more aware of them. Put habit-reversal training into practice. A behavioral therapy strategy called “habit-reversal training” aims to replace unhealthy behaviors with healthier ones. When it comes to skin-picking, people can use this method to train themselves to identify when they have the need to pick and to switch to a different response, such squeezing a stress ball or doing anything else that won’t hurt them. Create coping skills. The development of healthy coping strategies other than skin-picking may aid in the better management of stress and anxiety in an ADHD person. Positive affirmations, grounding exercises, deep breathing exercises, and safe sensory stimulation are a few examples. Make a schedule. Establishing a regimented daily schedule could aid in lowering stress, which could lessen the desire to pick at the skin. Better impulse control and emotional regulation may also be supported by regularity in daily activities and the adoption of good habits.

Learn effective coping mechanisms for ADHD symptoms.

See a therapist online for assistance.Taking skin-picking seriously in therapy For anyone dealing with any kind of mental or behavioral health issues—including ADHD—seeking the assistance of a mental health professional can be a positive first step. A qualified healthcare professional can be able to support you if you’re attempting to quit skin-picking or discover good coping mechanisms for additional problems. They can help you identify the underlying causes of varied behaviors, experiment with different coping techniques, and identify constructive, healthy approaches to managing symptoms. Individuals with ADHD or other conditions that make them susceptible to sensory overload may be reluctant to go to in-person treatment sessions in a strange setting. In situations such as these, internet counseling might be a beneficial substitute. You may find a certified therapist online and schedule virtual sessions with them from the comfort of your home with the help of an online therapy platform like BetterHelp. Recent research indicates that, in many situations, the results of online therapy can be comparable to those of in-person therapy.