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I am totally addicted to digging in my ears. I will dig until like I am ripping skin off.
I just get like an immense satisfaction from finding anything. Sometimes I will use scissors,
or nail clippers, anything sharp and thin. I am worried that you will have progressive
hearing loss. I couldn't think of not doing it. My name is Jamie, I am 32 and I am totally
addicted to digging in my ears. I just get an immense satisfaction from finding anything,
even though it hurts, I thoroughly enjoy it. Jamie's addiction began 23 years ago, when
a flower became lodged deep in her ear canal. The flower was eventually removed, but Jamie
kept digging, convinced something was left behind. It still feels like there is something
in there, and I know it is not in there, but, it just feels that way. Now Jamie's obsession
causes constant infections, scabbing and bleeding deep in her ear canal. I dig in my ears pretty
much while I am doing everything, walking my dog, shopping, cleaning, reading, when
I am watching T.V. definitely. If I am ever out running errands I will pull out my little
kit and go to work. I have lots of things I use to dig in my ears, there's clippers,
little scissors, medium scissors, the big guns or huge scissors, I have the little scalpel,
the bobby pins, all kinds of stuff. I will start out with one tool, and if that is not
working then I will switch to the next one and so on. I will dig until like I am ripping
skin off, pieces of skin, and whenever something comes out I get a satisfaction, almost like
an adrenaline rush. But Jamie's satisfaction comes at a price. I have punctured my ear
drum, like crazy pain and then like blood gushing out of my ear. I have gotten like
really bad ear infections, my ears swell shut, I have been warned you could destroy your
hearing. And her health isn't the only thing Jamie's giving up for her addiction. Her fiancee
has even put their wedding on hold, because of her ear digging. He definitely is aggravated
with it, and fed up, you know this could be the end of our relationship. I want you to
get control of your behavior so we can move forward any ultimatums I give you aren't really
going to matter as to whether you really want to do it or not. Yeah, I know. Like, he loves
me, he wants to get married, but not the way I am currently. I kinda never really realized
how much it actually effected my life and my loved ones. It makes me fell awful and
guilty. Well I am glad to hear that, but, I want you to get healthy. Jamie's fiancee
is the only person who knows the extent of her addiction. I am not really in contact
with my friends as much, because I don't really want them to know how bad it has gotten. I
am at a crossroads with it, I hate it and I really want to stop, but then on the other
hand I couldn't think of not doing it. 32 year old Jamie has been addicted to digging
in her ears for 23 years. Her obsession has gotten so out of control, her fiancee has
even put their wedding on hold, until she quits. I feel bad, like I am giving you an
ultimatum, and stressing you out, but I just want you to get better. Yeah, I know. No one
besides Jamie's fiancee knows the extent of her addiction. Today she wants to come clean
to her good friend Chianne to start to get help. So, what's been going on recently? Um,
well, you know my fiancee? Yes. He kind of gave me and ultimatum. He is not too happy
with some of my behaviors I have you know. Like what? I don't know if you have ever seen
me do this. Sometimes I will use scissors or nail clippers. Seriously? Anything sharp
and thin, this one little thing, I take the sharp edge and just like scrape it around
the whole inside of my ear, to get like all the skin off. Can I see that? It is actually
really, really sharp. This could really hurt you. Have you noticed that there has been
more problems recently since you've been using this? Yeah I would have to say that I have
had more like, problems with my ears than ever in my life. She has a lot on the line
by just digging at her ear, and I don't think it is worth it. I am worried for you, because
you are going to lose your hearing, and you are just going to keep getting infections,
you don't know what else the infections could cause. She seemed really concerned and it
is kind of sad that I haven't been that concerned about me. I am afraid to find out what is
going on in there, I really am. But it is something that needs to be done. 32 year old
Jamie has been addicted to digging in her ears for 23 years. But Jamie's good friend
is worried her addiction could damage her hearing and convinced Jamie to see a doctor.
So tell me what brings you in today? Um, I have been having some troubles with my ear,
I have been digging in them for probably about 20 something years, I put objects in there,
I have gotten a lot of infections, I think I have even punctured my ear drum a few times.
Do you have any drainage coming out of the ear? Something like a clear liquid will like
be inside of it, like leaking out. Okay, I would like to take a closer look so we can
have a visual of what is happening. Now this is the ear canal. Okay. What I am noticing
here is an area where it has clearly been picked at, right there. Okay. Do you see that,
it is like a big chunk of skin is missing. So hear also is more swelling and redness.
Oh yeah, wow. That is disgusting. I am going to go in a little further, and this is the
ear drum there, there is no fluid behind the ear drum, there is no infection of the ear
drum, very normal. I was actually surprised to find an intact ear drum without a perforation
without infection. If she continues this behavior there is a possibility of hearing loss, and
further infections. You are very fortunate, this could have been much worse than it actually
is. I am worried that you will have progressive hearing loss, perforate your ear drums, perhaps
even require surgery, so no matter how much you want to pick it, leave it alone, so that
the area can heal. Right. So I do suggest that you see a psychologist, so that you they
can help the emotional part of this. Yeah, I agree. Your welcome. I am concerned some
of the things they told me surgery, deafness, you know they are pretty scary words. I need
to start taking better care of myself, and so the therapy is definitely the way to go.
32 year old Jamie has been addicted to digging in her ears for 23 years. after going to the
doctor, Jamie has decided to see a therapist and find a way to quit, before she loses her
hearing and her fiancee. So can you tell me what brings you here today? Um, I have been
kind of struggling with an addiction, digging in my ear, since I was about 9 years old.
Is there any worry that something bad will happen if you don't pick at your ear? Um,
no there is not really a thought process there, I just always have to do it, sometimes it
is just to relieve tension and I pick at the scab, and when I get it out I get a little
rush and then it is like a let down because I have to wait for it to scab up again. It
sounds to me like it is some type of impulse control disorder. The problem with impulse
control disorders, when you give in to the impulse, you re-enforce that behavior, so
in fact Jamie has rewired her brain to deal with any type of stress by picking. What kind
of problems have you had from the picking? My fiancee, he is starting to have doubts,
about I love you, but I just don't want to deal with it anymore. So is he worth getting
over this? Absolutely, I want to stop, it has kind of become my worst enemy. It sounds
like you are very motivated at this point, so it may be a good idea to keep some type
of behavioral or therapy log. That sounds great. And then you can see your progress
and analyze your behavior. Thank you so much. It was good meeting you. I feel really hopeful
that things are going to get better, starting from today I would like to show my fiancee
that I am serious and that, you know, he is important. I am definitely looking forward
to the future. I feel really good, and feel positive and that there is hope for me, I
just have to put the work in. One of the tools the therapist told me was make a list of every
way my ear digging has effected my life and all the things that I have lost because of
it, and just to put it somewhere where I will see it every day. I am looking forward to
getting back to wedding planning, and start having better relationships with my friends
and my family. I am kind of excited for what the future holds, I really am.