Scraping/Tearing the skin from the part of your thumb near your nail?

Do you do this? I think the state of the skin near my nail is a direct indication of my mental state. I sort of assume everyone does this but maybe I'm wrong.

i used to do this iNTENSELY when i was a kid, to the point where this area on my hand looked kind of scary

sometimes it does on mine...cut and stuff. i try to stop but when i am tired/stressed/depressed i seem to automatically do this.

i've done this since i was a kid.

Jeez no this really hurts?

I do it when my skin is dry, but not to the point of disfigurement. Shd get a manicure once in a dog's age to keep this at bay.

sometimes i don't even realize that i'm going through a super stressful time in life until i notice my thumb is all fucked up.

i had the skin below the nail on my thumb melted off in a freak new years hookah accident. true story.

sometimes i don't even realize that i'm going through a super stressful time in life until i notice my thumb is all fucked up.

otm. sometimes it's just physical stress/too many nights out, but this is true for me too.

fairly sure i also can go a month without picking at the skin

Shit, I do this ALL the time. It looks like I've got exczema. I got into the habit doing my A-Levels and have never managed to get rid of it. Don't know what I need to do.

Medications can help. It's normal if you work with your hands a lot as I do.

all of my cuticles are pretty much a grotesque mangled mess

the worst is when you do it absentmindedly and then wash your hands and get searing hot water pain

had a blister on my thumb until a few days ago and it's really hard keeping myself from picking at the skin that's left. or biting it - i bite the skin on the sides of my nails rather than biting my nails - it's no better a habit, esp when i worry it to the point of bleeding/it gets minorly infected and painful/i accidentally get cleaning fluids or acids splashed on it.