how to stop OCD head scratching

[Anonymous]

So about a year ago I had surgery that involved cutting into my scalp and it left a scar and scabs / rough skin for a while. It was extremely itchy and I found I couldn't stop scratching my scalp on that side and now that's healed I seem to have created so much abrasion on the skin that I'm constantly picking at it.

And I know this is a habit now, not a need.

Aside from recommending therapists and dermatologists has anyone successfully broken this kind of habit ?

TIA

[Anonymous]

Vaseline on itchy part.

[Anonymous]

You have to figure out to make it more difficult for you to do it subconsciously so you can break the habit.
Putting a hat and glove might for a week might work.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions, both worth trying.

[Anonymous]

Look for some articles on habit reversal training. Two good websites are BFRB.org and the PickingMe Foundation.

[Anonymous]

Try hydrocolloid bandages on your fingertips to take away the tactile aspect.

[Anonymous]

Can you put something on your head to make it more difficult to scratch?

Hat
Headband
Scarf

[Anonymous]

Gloves are a good idea, it works with babies.

Your PCP ir a psychiatrist may also know if low dose anti-anxiety medicine is indicated .

[Anonymous]

Try taking a supplement called NAC. Good for repetitive behaviors

[Anonymous]

I am doing it while working / typing so gloves are a no, but I've tied my hair up and that's definitely helped so far today, thanks everyone.

(I can't take any supplements due to a medical condition)

[Anonymous]

Scar tissue massage? Maybe see a specialist for it. I wonder if your habit is in part trying to free up the stuck area?

[Anonymous]

Cut your nails very short for a month.

[Anonymous]

Try changing up how you “want” to it-use the other hand or the “wrong” fingers. Sounds like excoriation disorder rather than ocd, btw.

Pp is right re: gloves-I would even consider telling people you have a skin thing and wearing nitrile gloves when you are at high risk of the behavior.

You can also try substititing a behavior-instead of scratching press on the area, for example. Or ideally substitute something that’s not compatible with the desired behavior, like touching the area with your wrist instead of fingers or the doral surface of your hand.

See a psychiatrist as medicine can also help but most of the solution is going to be in habit reversal.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Definitely add some aquaphor to the area of the scabs. Scabs are itchy to begin with so try keeping the skin moist while they heal. Will also be harder to scratch. An antihistamine should also help with the good feeling you get from scratching.

Agree with others about gloves or bandaids on the fingers so you don’t have easy finger access.

[Anonymous]

So I had this issue after a bout of lice in our household. I'm one of those people who feels itchy at the suggestion of bugs in the vicinity, so actually having lice and having to treat line and my kids lic just made me feel permanently itchy even after it was totally eradicated. I would absolutely scratch myself raw without an intervention. Here's what I did:

1) When you get the urge to scratch, gently rub the itchy spot in a circle instead. Believe it or not, there are actually studies indicating that rubbing relieves itching better than scratching. Use as little pressure as you can. Rubbing is still mildly abrasive, but because it is so much less likely to irritate the skin, it can short circuit the cycle of scratching and itching. I have trained myself to just run an itchy spot with 1-3 circles and then stop. It has greatly reduced how itchy I feel overall.

2) Find a scalp treatment you can use for daily scalp massages at home. Since we were dealing with lice, I used some essential oils believed to repel lice (tea tree and rosemary). For surgery recovery, you might want something more moisturizing or healing. But what I would do is put a few drops on my scalp after washing my hair and then gently massage it in with the tips of my fingers. Again, the gentle rubbing decreased itching, but in my case the slightly tingling effect of the tea tree also seemed to soothe the itch.

It took some time (a couple months) but I now finally am not compulsively scratching my head. When I feel the occasional itch, I use the rubbing technique and that's it, I don't sit around getting itchier and itchier with every scratch.