body piercing ... what could this be?

December 29, 2007

Hello all,

I am trying to figure out if this is a reaction to stress that my dd

has or just normal teen stuff or something else! My 15 yo dd has

been on Zoloft for anxiety/panic disorder for 1 1/2 years. At the

beginning of December her p-doc raised her dose from 75mg to 100 mg

(at her request) because she was experiencing more stress and

anxiety. During finals (mid december, a few days after the dosage

raise) my dd pierced her own lip one night. She has previously

pierced both ears (3rd hole, she already had two in each lobe) and

the cartilage, which we had told her she could not have done. So she

just does it herself!! My question, I guess, is this ... could there

be any side effect of Zoloft which makes someone prone to this (self

piercing) ... and also, not fearing consequences ... it seems pretty

impulsive. I can't believe she can do this herself and not worry

about the pain. Considering she is obviously worried about other

things! This has been a stressful semester for her ... first one of

High School, plus she is in a sport that she loves but which has alot

of practice involved.

She has had previous episodes of skin picking and scratching when she

was very anxious, so one of my questions would also be, is this just

normal teen stuff or some reaction to dosage raise or a form of skin

picking??

I know this is alot of info but any input would be appreciated!

Thanks so much,

Texas mom

December 29, 2007

Hi there,

Don't really know about this as we have had no experience with this,

but our son says there are no consequences that will stop him when he

is compelled to do something. I find the ocd coupled with teen

inability to see beyond the moment creates/causes bad choices.

I don't understand it, but piercings and tatoos seem to be pretty

prevalent these days. Might just be a form of self expression. Guess

it depends how many, how frequent and if she can't stop. Our son did

start cutting himself after a drug was started, and it was definitely

an ocd compulsion, but it was immediately after and it was a new

drug. Could try reducing the zoloft to see?

Hope you get some better answers.

Barb

>

> Hello all,

>

> I am trying to figure out if this is a reaction to stress that my

dd

> has or just normal teen stuff or something else! My 15 yo dd has

> been on Zoloft for anxiety/panic disorder for 1 1/2 years. At the

> beginning of December her p-doc raised her dose from 75mg to 100 mg

> (at her request) because she was experiencing more stress and

> anxiety. During finals (mid december, a few days after the dosage

> raise) my dd pierced her own lip one night. She has previously

> pierced both ears (3rd hole, she already had two in each lobe) and

> the cartilage, which we had told her she could not have done. So

she

> just does it herself!! My question, I guess, is this ... could

there

> be any side effect of Zoloft which makes someone prone to this

(self

> piercing) ... and also, not fearing consequences ... it seems

pretty

> impulsive. I can't believe she can do this herself and not worry

> about the pain. Considering she is obviously worried about other

> things! This has been a stressful semester for her ... first one

of

> High School, plus she is in a sport that she loves but which has

alot

> of practice involved.

>

> She has had previous episodes of skin picking and scratching when

she

> was very anxious, so one of my questions would also be, is this

just

> normal teen stuff or some reaction to dosage raise or a form of

skin

> picking??

>

> I know this is alot of info but any input would be appreciated!

> Thanks so much,

> Texas mom

>

December 29, 2007