To get rid of the feeling of bugs crawling on you (formication), use distraction, cool compresses, moisturizers, gentle massage, and loose clothing, but see a doctor if it persists, as treatment targets underlying causes like anxiety, medication side effects, dry skin, or neurological issues, often with medications or addressing substance use. Avoid scratching to prevent skin damage, and focus on calming the sensation while seeking professional help for persistent symptoms.
It could also be worth applying an ice pack to the affected areas, which can provide a soothing effect and immediate relief. If the cause of the formication is due to a medical condition or mental health condition, a doctor will prescribe appropriate medication and may create a long-term treatment plan.
Formication is a symptom where you hallucinate the feeling of insects crawling in, on or underneath your skin. This symptom has many possible causes, including mental health disorders, medical conditions and more. This symptom is often treatable, with available treatments depending on the cause and other factors.
Opt for loose, breathable clothing which helps reduce skin irritation. Tight clothing can exacerbate the feeling of skin crawling, therefore, choosing garments made from natural fibres such as cotton can be beneficial. It is advisable to use mild, unscented skin care products.
Magnesium: This mineral is integral to neuromuscular health. A deficiency in magnesium may cause symptoms such as tingling, numbness or formication, which is the sensation of insects crawling on or under the skin. Ensuring adequate magnesium intake is helpful for mitigating these discomforting sensations.
Formication is the sensation that bugs are crawling on or under your skin when they don't really exist. Causes of formication include mental health conditions such as depression, medical conditions like Parkinson's disease, certain prescription medications, or drug use.
Anxiety can trigger a stress response that causes skin sensations, including tingling, itching, or the feeling of bugs crawling on your skin (known as formication). This is due to heightened nerve sensitivity and changes in circulation.
Dry Skin: Dry or dehydrated skin can become itchy and prone to irritation, resulting in crawling or itching sensations.
Symptoms of formication include tingling or prickling, itching, burning, numbness, or pain. Causes of formication include certain medical conditions and substance use, misuse, or withdrawal. Your doctor will try to determine the underlying cause through your medical history, physical exam, and diagnostic tests.
Addressing the underlying condition for formication is key. If you treat what's causing formication, you're more likely to make the crawling sensation fade away. Antipsychotics: If your doctor finds that formication is linked to a mental health condition involving psychosis, antipsychotics can help calm nerve misfires.
Things you can try to help with anxiety, fear and panic
Aside from psychosis, other mental health disorders that can induce formication are as follows:
Treatment
Causes. Causes of formication include normal states such as onset of menopause (i.e. hormone withdrawal). Other causes are medical conditions such as pesticide exposure, mercury poisoning, diabetic neuropathy, skin cancer, syphilis, Lyme disease, hypocalcaemia, or herpes zoster (shingles) and neurocysticercosis.
Five key signs of dehydration include thirst, dark/less urine, dry mouth, headache, and dizziness/lightheadedness, signaling your body needs fluids, with reduced urination and darker urine being key indicators you aren't getting enough water. Other signs include tiredness, fatigue, cool extremities, and in infants, fewer tears when crying or sunken eyes.
You can quickly check for dehydration at home. Pinch the skin over the back of the hand, on the abdomen, or over the front of the chest under the collarbone. This will show skin turgor. Mild dehydration will cause the skin to be slightly slow in its return to normal.
It's a fact that drinking enough water and moisturising your skin improves the function of your skin barrier, reducing dryness, itchiness, redness and irritation. The face and body care products you use can also have a big effect.
Symptoms of stress
The best way to become more comfortable with the sensations it can generate is to expose yourself to them. This is called interoceptive exposure: interoception means being aware of sensations within our body, and exposure is one of the most powerful ways of overcoming fears.
Hormonal changes: At night, your body doesn't produce as many hormones as it does during the day and certain hormones reduce inflammation (swelling). As you have fewer hormones at night, your skin could be itchy. Higher temperatures with low humidity, such as the environment produced by home heating in the winter.
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SSRIs sometimes prove effective, with research suggesting nearly 79% of people report symptom relief (Verywell Health). They could also assist with anxiety or depression that heightens skin crawling sensations.
The sensation can vary from a tingling or crawling feeling to a burning or stabbing sensation. Many of our patients describe an “under the skin” or “deep-seated” itch.
People describe this sensation differently, but basically anxiety for many people can feel like their skin is crawling or tingling.
B12 deficiency can trigger specific food cravings, most notably for meat, fish, or eggs, as the body seeks animal-based sources to replenish the vitamin, especially in those on vegetarian/vegan diets or older adults. While cravings for sugary or salty foods can also signal general B-vitamin issues, the distinct urge for protein-rich animal products is a key indicator, but professional testing is crucial for confirmation.