Many people pick at their skin occasionally, but people with excoriation disorder — also called skin-picking disorder — develop a chronic compulsion that lies on the obsessive-compulsive spectrum. The disorder causes regular impulses to pick at the skin, eventually causing physical or psychological damage.

The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors

International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy

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Mental health professional prescribes anti-depressant to male patient

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Mental health is a state of psychological and emotional well-being. It can also be seen as the absence of mental illness. A healthy brain is important for people of all ages. However, the prognosis for many patients dealing with mental illness is pretty good, and many people live healthy and happy lives by effectively managing their symptoms.

Just like medicine that is focused on physical ailments, there are varying degrees of severity to mental illnesses. Some illnesses range from very minor to extremely debilitating. And just like physical ailments, the sooner a patient can be accurately diagnosed and receive treatment, the better.

Maintaining good mental health and wellness is beneficial, but not easy. There can be a lot of reasons why a person develops a mental illness. The cause could be genetic, environmental, stress-based, situational, or the result of unresolved past trauma.

Unlike physical ailments, there is a stigma behind mental illness due to the fact that it is fairly invisible. You never know who is dealing with what unless they choose to tell you. In addition to this, it's a newer school of medicine than physical ailments and is constantly evolving and being re-written. The mental health section of Facty Health is a good place to learn more about specific mental illnesses, their symptoms, and their treatments.

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Medical conditions are classified by specific symptoms and signs. While each person's experiences can vary, there are consistent signs and symptoms that doctors will look for when diagnosing their patients. We always recommend that people seek a professional diagnosis. Afterward, supplement medical advice and opinion with accurate and easy to read information.

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What Is Skin-Picking or Excoriation Disorder?

7. Diagnosis

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