Is this considered stimming? And how to stop it?

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Sometimes if I'm stressed out, or if I'm intensely concentrating on something, I'll find myself picking at my nails or even picking the skin off my lips. (I know, gross.) I've been trying to cut down on these habits, so I decided to always keep my nails painted to stop myself from picking at them.

It seems to be working, because my nails are longer and neater looking than they've ever been, but it made the thing with my lips a lot worse. Sometimes I'm not even aware I'm doing it, I just notice that I've got blood on my fingers and then I realize that my bottom lip is bleeding again because I tore the skin off it. Other times I notice I'm doing it, but I can't seem to make myself stop right away because it's like a compulsion. Picking at my lip doesn't really hurt (in fact it feels kinda good, which is weird) but it looks awful and I have to use chapstick multiple times a day. My friends have asked what's wrong with my lip, and I told them half of the truth - I said that I bit it accidentally in my sleep.

This is a really embarrassing habit to have... Is it kind of like stimming in someone who has autism? (I might have Aspergers, but never been diagnosed) And how do I stop doing it before I seriously hurt myself or someone finds out what I'm doing?

I have this problem as well. Sometimes my lips, mostly my legs. I am not sure if it is considered stimming or not. In my searches I have come across this:

Excoriation Disorder or SPD

It lists a large range of disorders including autism so I expect some others here may do this as well? I will be talking to my doctor once I am finally on medicaid. Hope this helps...

Try a different lipgloss maybe, one you can't stand to touch. Or a slippery gloss that makes it harder to grip the skin on your lips.

Or get a fidget toy to keep your hands busy.

I pick at my skin or nails as a stim too but I usually don't make anything bleed although it is an embarrassing habit. I haven't been able to find an effective way of stopping it completely. Playing with different fidget toys in my hand does help to a point, but I tend to forget about it and drop it into my lap and start picking again.

If you are alone, maybe you should try wearing gloves. I sometimes have a habit of pulling my eyebrows out, and wearing gloves seams to work. Maybe this would work for you too.

I know this feeling. I think that stress gives many people an urge to pull or pick at something. I don't know why we do that. Perhaps it is a way to try and get some kind of relief.

My finger tips bleed around my nails because I have always picked at it. My lips get dry lot, but I lick them frequently.

i wasn't aware that tearing up long nails and loose/dead skin was a disorder. seems more like advanced hygiene.

Isn't just tearing and picking at the skin around your nails called wolf-biting (or dermatophagia)? I only know since I've been doing the same for ages and finally looked into it about 2 years ago. When fidgeting I also peel the skin on my lips or make a knot in my hair (especially when it is in a braid).

I also chew on the skin in my mouth and skin around my nails. It seems to me that I do it when I am a bit anxious about something - I try and bite down on my tongue when I notice I'm doing it, or do some deep breathing.

I end up picking my lips when they are dry....never really thought of it as stimming really though, I do try to wear chapstick though as I don't really do that unless there is a bit of dead/dry skin to peel off which it reduces. I have caused bleeding before which sort of sucks but I don't know I am not really embarrassed by that I mean if someone is really going to decide I am a huge freak they want nothing to do with because I picked some dead skin off my lip not so sure I want to associate with them anyways. But if it at all has to do with dryness in your case maybe try that, otherwise not really sure. I have stims that I do without being aware of it and cannot fathom any way to stop them though none of them cause bleeding of nails or anything like that.

Maybe try wearing yucky-tasting lip gloss?