Compulsive body damage is when a person feels an uncontrollable urge to harm his or her own body. This urge is a cross between a psychological disorder (where the person uses these compulsions as a release for anxiety or obsessive thoughts) and a physical disorder (where the person performs repetitive movements and is not aware of them).
This term is mainly used in reference to three conditions: hair-pulling (trichotillomania), skin picking (dermatillomania) and nail biting (onychophagia). However, there other problems that may also fall under the category of compulsive body damage, such as self-mutilation or eating disorders.
