Prozac

For extreme cases of compulsive finger picking, clinical depression may result. In these cases — and where the compulsive picking habit has with an obsessive-compulsive root cause, use of an antidepressant drug such as Prozac may prove successful.

In pharmo-speak, PROZAC (chemical name: Fluoxetine hydrochloride) inhibits the “re-uptake” of serotonin in the brain. English translation: it gives your brain a controlled serotonin injection — and serotonin feels goooooood. Specific to the picking problem, the effects of Prozac can decrease the symptoms of OCD.

Studies have shown Prozac to be effective for disorders related to OCD — including compulsive finger and compulsive skin picking for up to 6 months. During this time its essential to engage in some form of behavioral modification therapy, so that one’s compulsive habits don’t relapse once the Prozac treatment is ended.