Autism/Depression

Strawberry1

Hi @Kali85 , take care of yourself and I hope you have a reasonable day today.

Kali85

thanks a lot @Strawberry1 I hope you have a lovely weekend ❤️

Strawberry1

Hope you are having a reasonable weekend @Kali85 .

Kali85

thank you for asking @Strawberry1 unfortunately I am not doing so great right now, been in an awful mood just can’t seem to get outa it. I hope you’re doing ok ❤️

Strawberry1

Sorry to hear how things are for you at the moment @Kali85 . My sincere apologies for my late response. I hope you feel a little better soon 💕. Take care. Hope you can have some rest.

Jimm_Scope

Hey @Strawberry1 and @Kali85, I hope you're both doing well 🙂

I'm actually filling in the forms for my partners autism assessment now. As I'm the person who knows them best I guess!

Strawberry1

Hi 👋 @Jimm_Scope , hope you are reasonably alright 👍. That's very kind of you to do that for your partner . Wishing you and your partner all the very best with everything to do with the assessment.

Strawberry1

Take care @Jimm_Scope and take care @Kali85 🙂.

Strawberry1

I've talked about skin picking before. Unfortunately I was skin picking yesterday but you know sometimes after some skin picking it's like a release and or relief. Yes my skin is sore but it will heal ✨️.

Jimm_Scope

Thankyou @Strawberry1 🙂Hopefully it will go well!

I have always bitten my nails, always struggled not to. Does your GP or another doctor know about the skin picking?

Strawberry1

Your welcome @Jimm_Scope ,I have had some input from medical staff and I do try to avoid it but sometimes it just feel the need too . I know it's not great but sometimes it is a soother .

Jimm_Scope

I believe I read an article by a psychiatrist once that mentioned something along the lines of "skin picking and nail biting are often done as it's something the person feels like they can control, when there are so many things they feel they cannot control"

I'm not sure how true that is, but I understand what you mean about it being 'soothing'. As long as you aren't hurting yourself and aren't over doing it!

Strawberry1

@Jimm_Scope , I think I agree with what you have posted. That's definitely me . I'm not hurting myself no it's only a little sore nothing major. Thank you for the feedback @Jimm_Scope i really appreciate it. Thank you 😊.

Kali85

hi @Jimm_Scope im doing ok thank you, I hope you are well, good luck with your partners assessment I hope it doesn’t take to long for the outcome, best wishes to you both ❤️

Kali85

hi @Strawberry1 i am terrible for skin picking 👎🏻 I have been doing it for over a decade maybe longer, I have tried going to my Gp about it several years ago and they just gave me some cream that was like a Vaseline texture (sorry I can’t remember name of it) although it helped soften the skin and it healed up abit I still continued with picking! I started nail biting few years ago too making my fingers unbearably sore so I started to have acrylic nails done for few months… I recently had them removed and luckily I have kicked the habit of biting my nails, I think our brains need a long enough period of not doing it to stop. I have brought some cotton gloves and I am going to try wearing them all day as it’s only thing that stops me picking skin off, I also rub cuticle oil and some cream on the area to help the healing process, I hope it works! As my hands throb where they get so sore and there’s always the fear of infections too, also my hands look horrible my fingers are swollen and covered in cuts I just really want to stop doing it but it’s so hard to stop. I’ve noticed I do it more when I am in a social situation as I get really anxious, but I also do it wen I am just sat watching tv it’s like I don’t even know that I am doing it half the time.

Kali85

I also feel like it’s kinda soothing when I am pulling the skin off, it’s like I really enjoy doing it, I think it’s another kind of way to self harm as I’ve done different therapies over the years and I’ve managed to stop self harming myself so instead I have picked up this habit to replace it. It is really hard not having control over anything at all, with this it’s in my hands

Strawberry1

Hi @Kali85 , my reply is later than I wanted it to be I apologise. I'm sorry to hear how you are affected by skin picking too . The idea of the gloves sounds like a good idea .I hope it helps you . Sounds really sore and uncomfortable @Kali85 . Your predicament with your skin does seem definitely more uncomfortable than mine it definitely is a hard habit to break . I've picked my skin since I was a child in different parts of the body . I can relate to being in social situations and in front of the TV too. I got myself a fidget spinner it doesn't seem as satisfying as the skin picking does . My heart goes out to you over this tricky situation. I was told by a mental health nurse that it was a form of self harm but I struggle to get my mind around that . I hope the gloves are helpful too you anything to take our thoughts off the skin picking. Good luck . Thank you for sharing it's good to know I'm not the only one . Take care of yourself please 🙏. Sending gentle hugs and kind blessings.

Kali85

Hi @vikki66 that sounds beyond frustrating for your friend, and completely unfair! Really there should be ways around it as the professionals should understand if a person doesn’t have any family to fill in the forms. I was lucky as my mum filled in mine, then I got put on a waiting list for 4 years! It’s ridiculous how long the waiting time is!
Can’t your friend fill it out on behalf of his mother? The forms my mum had to fill in, I myself knew the answers to practically all the questions as I can remember a lot from my childhood.

Kali85

Thanks a lot @Strawberry1 ❤️ I think I will persevere for few weeks and just hope the gloves work. Take care, sending you kind wishes ❤️

Andi66

My younger brother did mine, he is 3 years younger and couldn't remember everything. Plus the fact he now lives in France. My mum and next older sister had passed away by then. I'm in my 50s too,