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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Do I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Do I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
by tami, Feb 19, 2001 12:00AM
I am 20 years old. All my life I have chewed my nails. But I don't just chew them a little, I chew them until they bleed and my fingers ache. I also pick at my skin until I am red blotchy or bleeding. I have to be doing something with my hands at all times. I also smoke alot. It's getting so bad that I have scars all over my body. I even use a needle sometimes to pick at blemishes. So my question is, Would this be considered Obsessive Compulsive? If so what kind of help can I get? If not what kind of help can I get? I really can't stop, and I'm ruining my skin.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Feb 20, 2001 12:00AM
, Feb 20, 2001 12:00AM
The diagnosis is unimportant. You should definitely get help for this, a combination of psychotherapy to understand what you anxiety is all about, and some medication to help you break this form of managing your anxiety. This is very treatable, but you must get this combined therapy.
