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gypsygirl14 , 05 Dec 2012

Why that are of your body?

Why do you think you pick the areas of your body you pick? For some of you this might be obvious, and for some of you, you may have never questioned it, and have no idea, but think about it. I think getting to the root of the problem is important. I know I have my skin. I don't pick my hands and feet, because I have no quams with them. I don't pick my arms and legs, because I tend to cover my legs and my arms look okay. I tend to pick my face, back, legs and scalp, as well as pulling at spit ends, because I abhor them.
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gypsygirl14
December 05, 2012
That was supposed to read: "Why that area of your body?" I can't edit it at this point. I suppose I was tiered when I typed that.
doctordonna
December 05, 2012
I've noticed a trend in the areas I pick. It was at first just my legs. Growing up I was told I have nice legs, and it started there. Soon I moved on to my arms. I'm large breasted and have been complimented on that many times and in the past few years I've been picking there. My face I have yet to really pick a ton, but I don't tend to see it as much of the rest of me, which is why it doesn't get picked. I never had bad acne so I never had a reason to play with my face. I'm noticing a pattern of trying to make the areas of me that have gotten attention "ugly." This is a trend in my life, which I have no idea where it came from or how to overcome it. Something to talk to the therapist about I suppose.
gypsygirl14
December 06, 2012
Interesting, we seem to be opposites there. I would definately think therapy would be benifical for you. I don't know you, so I'm not judging or presuming to know anything about your personalitly, life, or lifestyle. Did you develop early? (If that's not asking too much info. I totally understand if that's too personal.) I think sometimes girls bodies mature faster than thier minds, in the sense that they are still a child, wanting to play and do kid things, but men notice thier bodies and treat them with inappropriate, adult attention. That could be really uncomfortable and depending on what kind of attention, and how far it goes, even be a bit tramatic. Young girls should still be treated as young girls, even if they have a womanly shape early on. That would not be your fault and certainly not anything for you to be ashamed of. (Sorry, I went off on a tangent.)
perfectblue
December 09, 2012
As far as I can remember, I've always picked at my hands and upper lip. To be honest, I can't think of why I pick at those areas. I let my nails grow out, i paint them so as to deter me from biting them, it works for a while but after a few weeks I bite them. My thumbs receive the most damage; I've ripped off my skin there so much that they are now white from the sides. My right index finger gets some picking, but it's not as bad as my thumbs. My lip, well, I would say i pick it once a month maybe? I just don't know why I pick at these areas...
gypsygirl14
December 09, 2012
Curious, are you male or female? Once a month you say? Is it around the same time each month? Or, is it simply a matter of being periodic? You can't think of anything that might trigger your behavior? I bit my nails as a kid, and I think it was nerves. I was shy and I think I focused my attention on that activity rather than what was going on arround me.
perfectblue
December 09, 2012
I'm female. hm it's pretty random, what will happen is i'll tear a little bit of skin off my lip, without realizing until after i taste blood, and until it heals i'll be careful to not tamper with it. The following weeks i guess i become super careful and moisturize it every chance i get. Hm i do it when i'm listening to someone, usually a professor or older family member. aaw i can relate, i remember having trouble talking to people and picking at my fingers too! it was comforting... so bizarre
gypsygirl14
December 10, 2012
Sounds like yours may have stemmed from nerves, but now be restlessness. I picked my split-ends really bad through junior high, highschool, and college. I think I did it because I was restless. It's not that I wasn't interested in what the teacher had to say, it's just that I couldn't sit in one place for so long and concentrate without some sort of activity to do while listening. Perhaps you would benifit from a stress ball, bubble wrap, or something of the sort to keep your hands busy. I know I could when I am sitting. I find that my mind tries to wander and I can't keep my hands still when seated. Even though I work at a job that keeps me pretty active, when I sit to do paperwork or what-not, I will pick and scratch. Totally embarrasing since I'm in public. I immediately do it in the car as well, so I guess sitting has an effect.
perfectblue
December 10, 2012
Mmm that makes a lot of sense. I had the same problem, except I alternated between picking my split ends, shaking my legs, picking at my thumbs, or picking at my lip. I'm going to try that. I remember doodling on my notebook helped too; I used to take doodle breaks and would draw things around the room and that would get me to stop moving for a while. It is embarrassing, I'm sorry. It sounds like you have ways to manage though; your advice gives me hope!

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