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Treehopper , 31 Dec 2013

Started 30 Day Challenge, Already Hard!

I decided last night that I was serious about stopping my picking habit, and I didn't want to wait for the new year to get started on the 30 Day Challenge. I decided to start this morning and I have already chosen a small little gift that I can get for myself if I make it the 30 days (I'm not working currently so I have been seriously penny pinching, I hardly ever buy myself anything nowadays so this is a true incentive). I have only been awake for half an hour and I went to scratch an itch on my face and instinctively I went to feel for any imperfections and I felt the tiniest of a little bump...I almost quickly picked it, but luckily I caught myself! I am so proud of just that tiny little bit of picking I did not do, because normally when I start one of my "I'm not going to pick" days, I will rationalize something as small as that as not counting. The obstacles I think i am going to have are: 1. Not picking before I put on makeup. Normally my skin seems uneven from either a pimple or the scab from a mark. I usually have to pick it to get the make up to blend well and that's generally my excuse to pick when I'm trying not to. This time however I have accepted that the makeup may just have to look a little bad on top of something. What's worse...the makeup looks bad forever because I never stop picking and I have to wear it every day for the rest of my life and can never do anything without it.......or the makeup looks bad for a few days while I'm healing, then my skin gets better, and finally I can go WITHOUT makeup and still feel beautiful? Definitely the first one is worse. 2. Not picking in my down time. Usually when I am doing something like reading, I pick just to give my planes something to do...I'll have to find a way to avoid this, like a stress ball or something. 3. Not picking when I'm stressed. I don't actively notice when dress causes me to pick, but it know it does. Now I will have to be more aware of being stressed out and again actively avoid picking. So everyone this is Day One, and I'm excited to see what happens, I think I will even start a blog with this being my first entry...wish me luck!
7 Answers
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penny21
December 31, 2013
Stick up a calendet or make a coloufull 30 day chart and tick of each day:D if you do relapse don't beat your self up about it or give up just keep on going:) any achievement is better than none:) YOU CAN DO IT:D!!!!! stay strong xx
Treehopper
December 31, 2013
Thank you for the advice, I will do that...or get an app on my phone...
nastyab
December 31, 2013
My problem with zero tolerance is I get pimples that would take forever to heal. But if I pick at them (SUCCESSFULLY) then they go away in a day or two. Sometimes popping pimples is a good thing and sometimes it's not. How do u distinguish? Or do we just treat this like alcoholism? Some ppl can have one drink and it's good and they stop, while we the pickers can't have any ever?
penny21
January 01, 2014
I totally get what you mean:) you just have to remember that you are allowed to pick what any other person without dermatillomainia would pick and not feel guilty for it. I wouldn't walk around with a white head on my face. Just as long as you wait til it is ready to pop even if its bulging or hurts because you will reduce any scaring:) I've learnt the hard way x
Treehopper
January 01, 2014
O. M. G. Lol, exactly what you are saying is one major issue I keep picking. Some people get a pimple, leave it alone, it goes away in a few days. But for me, mine NEVER seem to go away if I don't aggravate them causing them to burst, then scab, then eventually weeks later after I much picking, begin to fade. So my solution now is to just deal with it. I have gone too many years with picking it away and having to deal with the scar for months. Now I'm just going to have to just deal with the pimple for however many days, or possibly weeks it take to go away. I'd rather deal with that than deal with the scar that follows picking and the self hatred because I feel ugly. Just now I ran my hand over one pimple I have that has scarred up and it took everything in me not to pick, I had to actually meditate about why I shouldn't pick because that's how strong the urge was...but I got through it and it's only day one. Hopefully by day thirty I'll be in a much better place.
nastyab
January 03, 2014
Technically you get a scar no matter what. Whether you pick or not. Well, a brown mark. It also depends on your skin type how long that mark will stick around. I am one of the unlucky ones whose marks stay on skin for years or maybe even forever. I just started using hydroquinone a few weeks ago and I think I'm seeing some improvement. These brown spots r a constant reminder of what we did to ourselves. They make me feel guilty and ashamed. :(
Treehopper
January 03, 2014
That is good to know. I already have to start over because I picked...this is so hard! Like really hard lol. I have tried before and been unsuccessful, so you would think I would have already known how hard this would be...but for some reason this time seems like it's impossible. I'm still trying though, I'll be starting over tomorrow smh.

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