TeenHelp - Triggering: OCD, derma/trichotillomania, serious anxiety issues?

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- - Triggering: OCD, derma/trichotillomania, serious anxiety issues? (http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f205-anxiety-stress/t149007-ocd-derma-trichotillomania-serious-anxiety-issues/)

OCD, derma/trichotillomania, serious anxiety issues?

Hi. I don't know what to think of this so I apologize if anything is unclear.
I have pretty bad anxiety. It's a constant social/general/physical anxiety (physical meaning my body is restless even when my mind is not) complete with panic attacks as well. I wonder if these symptoms are simply part of my anxiety disorder that aren't being addressed or if I have something more. Forgive me for the self-diagnosing melodrama.

-Obsessive thoughts of harm coming to me (car accident, fire, sudden health issues [aneurysm rupturing], rape)
-Constant fidgeting (moving my foot in a fixed pattern, often subconsciously, 24/7; picking as if there are hangnails on my thumb)
-Unacceptable urges (vocalizing [shouting, screaming, saying something random], violent and/or sexual [slapping, pushing, verbally attacking someone; touching or kissing someone]) EDIT: I have NEVER acted on these. They're thoughts and impulses that pass through my head.
-Obsessive thoughts in general (replaying memories, visualizing real and fictitious scenarios 24/7)
-Picking at: scabs or blemishes until there is significant bleeding; tonsil stones despite my tonsils being very swollen and painful from illness (cannot NOT do it; obsessive thoughts and the urge to get rid of something that shouldn't be there)
-Urges to pull hair out

Any thoughts are welcome. I have a therapist and psychiatrist and will be speaking to them about this.

Re: OCD, derma/trichotillomania, serious anxiety issues?

You're not being melodramatic at all. It's understandable that even though you have anxiety, you would be wondering about all the other symptoms like obsessive thoughts and skin picking, and anxiety in general may make you question whether you have anxiety or something else.

The symptoms you described can overlap with all the disorders you mentioned. Anxiety can cause worrying and obsessive thoughts as well as being fidgety and perhaps even skin picking. At the same time OCD can result in obsessive thoughts and urges. And with derma/trichotillomania the skin picking may have an underlying root with anxiety or OCD. Sometimes disorders may be 'co-morbid' meaning they can often occur together, and you may notice that when your anxiety gets worse, perhaps the skin picking or obsessive thoughts gets worse too.

It's really good that you have a therapist and psychiatrist and even better that you want to speak with them about this as they are in the best place to look over your diagnosis and find helpful ways of treating your symptoms.

Re: OCD, derma/trichotillomania, serious anxiety issues?