Scratching itchy skin feels so good, but leaves broken skin that doesn’t heal unless you stop scratching. It feels so good and it’s hard to stop once you start. So why does it feel so good but really you’re causing damage to yourself?
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Scratching feels good because your body perceives an itch. We used to think itches were basically the same as pain, but it turns out itches are [their own type of feeling](https://www.sciencealert.com/some-disorders-make-you-itch-uncontrollably-so-much-so-that-one-woman-scratched-through-to-her-brain), unique the skin. When you scratch, you replace the itch with a mild pain. This stops the itch signal temporarily, and releases serotonin which provides temporary relief.
There’s an obvious benefit to this when some removable thing is causing the irritation (like a parasite), but if you’ve got persistent itching you may want to consult a doctor.
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