Educational orientation — not a diagnosis

Hair pulling, skin picking or repetitive body habits

Repetitive pulling, picking, biting or scratching may relieve tension briefly but cause shame, injury or loss of control.

Important safety note

Immediate danger, suicidal intent, violence, severe confusion, sudden loss of function or loss of contact with reality require urgent local emergency or medical support.

Open crisis guidance →

Common signs

What people may notice

Urges that build before the behaviour
Relief or satisfaction afterward
Hair loss, wounds or infection
Hiding affected areas
Repeated unsuccessful attempts to stop

Several possibilities

This pattern may be associated with

Trichotillomania

Excoriation/skin-picking disorder

Obsessive-compulsive related difficulty

Anxiety, sensory regulation or dermatological contributors

This list is not exhaustive and does not establish a diagnosis.

When support may be useful

Look at persistence and impact

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Physical health and safety

What should not be overlooked

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Prepare for a useful consultation

Information worth noting

When it began and what was happening at the time.
Frequency, duration, triggers and what reduces or worsens it.
Sleep, appetite, energy, medicines, substances and medical conditions.
Effect on work, study, relationships and daily safety.

Clinical content principles

PRJI educational pages distinguish orientation from diagnosis, include physical-health cautions and direct urgent situations to local services. Content is informed by public mental-health information from WHO, NHS and NIMH and must be clinically reviewed before commercial launch.