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azure , 29 Nov 2009

My forty-day plan....WHO'S WITH ME?!

Hey people! Okay, I've heard that in order to beat a bad habit, you have to NOT do that bad habit for forty days. Once you have successfully been habit-free for forty days (AND NO CHEATING), then the habit has been beaten. Hooray. And if you cheat, then you have to start all over again. It's supposed to be forty consecutive days. Okay.... So, I'm going to try to stop picking at my face and any other body part. I already cheated a bit, so today is DAY ONE. However, I'm happy to say that even though I did cheat a little bit, I did not go all out like I usually do. It's been three days. BUT, I did cheat, I acknowledge that, so today is officially DAY ONE. Would anyone like to join me? This is what I'm doing: I always pick in front of a mirror. So, now I spend as little time in the bathroom as possible. If I look in the mirror, I run out of the bathroom. But let's say I need to put make-up on (my make-up is in there anyway)...I open the door to the bathroom and then proceed to apply my make-up. My parents' bedroom is right across from the bathroom, and they have started to count how many minutes I'm in the bathroom. And this is a good thing! Moral support really helps even though it's technically an invasion of privacy! .....but now I'm worried that I'll develop a fear of mirrors.....so I look in the mirror a little bit everyday and spend a bit more time (like a few seconds, no need to stand right in front of it for a long time if I'm trying to beat this thing) in front of it everyday. I want to beat this thing, I want my life back and I want my face back. I could use the moral support and everyone's welcome to join me! Post your forty days here! Yeah, there's a huge chance that it's not going to work....but smokers have done the forty days too! This is also an addiction, and I'm sixteen years old. I've got my whole life to look forward to and I will beat this thing somehow. Starting right now. Let's see how I do for DAY ONE. WHO IS WITH ME?
162 Answers
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fadetoblack
February 18, 2010
I really want to do this. But I haven't been able to make it through day 1 yet:( OK, I'll try again tomorrow. Maybe if I put it in print, and tell all of you, I will have more accountability and actually make it until day 2 (which is my all-time record number of days without picking) and maybe then on to day 3 and beyond! Good luck everyone!
40daysfromnow
February 19, 2010
Today is my day 1. I have been trying to get past day 1 for 6 years. I'd love some tips. I'm sick of this habit.
ocdFreak
February 19, 2010
ok well I screwed up today. Today *could* have been day 3. Day 3!!! But now tomorrow will be day number ONE all over again. Damn it I can not believe I it got to me so badly! I was doing so well!!! SSOO well!!! I am SO disappointed in myself for wasting so much time, creating more raw flesh, and feeling bad about breaking the pact that will eventually cure the urges!! God damn it!! OK. Tomorrow is DAY ONE for real and I cannot break it AT ALL!!!! no matter HOW BAD the urges get, I MUST STOP!!! once and for all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God I cant break this pact again. I think one full day is the longest I can possibly go without picking. ANY TIPS!!!!!!!!! Please, any tips from anyone will make my life a hell of a lot easier. Tomorrow, day one.......
ocdFreak
February 20, 2010
I definitely hope so. Thanks for the support 40daysfromnow (that is cool how you picked your user name based on this challenge - at least I think so right?) Well, today is my day one again and I have not picked today. But the weekend is here now, so let's hope I do not screw up my *new* 40 day plan... Good luck to you! And use lotion, since dry spots scream to be picked more. Do not look at your hands, arms, whatever location that is usually picked. I barely looked at my hands all day actually. I put on lotion and stayed busy and/or around people for much of the day. God I hate having crappy skin, but things should be looking better soon hopefully....
agirl
February 19, 2010
You can do it! I am just where you are, trying every day to make it my last compulsory picking day. We can do it!
southernscalps…
February 19, 2010
Wow, I am so glad to have found this forum. I just turned 37 yesterday, and have picked and poked and scratched and flaked and extracted and--well, you get the point--since I was a pre-teen. Maybe even earlier. It used to be primarily my face as a teenager (puberty provides much low-hanging fruit, after all). I got sick of having bad skin, got myself to a dermatologist, and finally got my face clear enough that I didn't want to screw it up. Thank goodness for hair, though--it hides the scalp, and the pickin's good. As I sit here and type these words, I can feel numerous irritated red spots on my head, because for some reason today was quite the compulsive-scalp-picking day--a compulsive enough day that I googled compulsive scalp picking. And here I am. I am pretty sure I have scratched them all since lunchtime, and they are all free of whatever it is that I feel I must remove from them. Of course, it will be back. But it will be different, because I'm going to leave them alone. Yep. Day one begins RFN. I feel empowered just by knowing that this is something real. I can do this; I can quit doing this. I quit with my face (although Lord, please don't send a zit to test me), and I can quit with my head. These are my hands, my fingers, my fingernails (which are about to be my incredibly short fingernails, because I'll take any help I can get). I am going to keep them out of my hair. Which may need to be in a ponytail. Whatever. I can do it. Y'all can all do it too. HELLO, DAY ONE!!!!!
fadetoblack
February 19, 2010
I made it to the evening of Day 1 - let's hope I can continue!
agirl
February 20, 2010
You'll manage tomorrow! Walking pass the mirror might be a good exercise btw. Doctors recommend us to practice standing in front of the mirrow without "zooming in" at out spots (which probabaly are not even sports, by other people's definations). Say five minutes, twice a day. Doing this really helps me, tho it's not easy not getting tempted to just pick " a little". But as you guys share my problem, you probably understad me when I say it feels AMAZING when you do manage to leave the mirror without picking after doing this exercise. A self-confidence boost every time ;-) Good luck!
rosie
February 20, 2010
Hey everyone, yesterday was my day 1... but it didn't work out quite so perfect (but still way better than normal!) and then today was my day one again! And it's been really good! Not perfect... but still really really good because I'm not giving in to all the temptations! It really helps for me if when I'm in the bathroom or walking by a mirror I don't even look in it! Not even once! And if I do, I do NOT let myself get up close to it. Even if I have to yell at myself to stop myself or make a funny face. I feel stupid, but it helps. Or I look myself right in the eyes and remind myself of all my potential and how sad this behaviour is. Maybe that'll help some of you... Good luck everyone!!!! Get through day 1 and Day 2 will be easier!
Ginger_Snapp
February 20, 2010
So I've tried to do this before. I had nearly a week and a half down before I went all out again. I am solely on the purpose of getting rid of my acne (where ever it decides to crop up) and picking seems to be the answer my brain gives me. Last night I picked, and my mom was so mad at me. She send me to my room for the night. We were going to go out to dinner and to the movies, as a family. I felt awful. And the worse part was, I kept thinking about how I had to get back to a mirror to finish picking! Then I got in the shower this morning, and the more I thought about it, the more I decided it was time. I've been dancing around the idea that this is actually a MENTAL PROBLEM, but always thought I was just being dramatic. Well, Im here - Im ready to check in. I know that I already picked today, but Im hoping that no one will mind, because I have to start right now. HELLO DAY ONE. P.S. For actual conversations and moral support here is my email: Cadenk@bellsouth.net Anyone like the idea of starting a chatroom?
agirl
February 20, 2010
Hi. I too have just come to the realization that skin picking is actually a mental illness and not me being "weak", weird or whatever. I have been skin picking for 6 years. I am now 24. I struggle with this problem every day still, but know now that I will manage to put an end to my problems. So can you!
ocdFreak
February 21, 2010
ok. Today is day 2. It is really fukcing hard. sorry for the language. i am doing a lot better than usual though. usually by now i would have spent an hour and probably more than that sitting by myself picking loads of skin and telling myself that i should stop but not really being able to stop at all until i bled or felt the physical pain of raw flesh exposed. wow that was graphic sorry...but today, while i'm glad my picking has been cut down a lot, i'm not glad that i did pick a little bit - it took under a minute and i was able to stop myself - that is a first for me, this whole process is.... so for that this will still be day 2 (is that cheating?????) and if i pick anything again than, back to day one for me. also, what is the difference between normal and abnormal picking? normal people will pick at something nonchallantly and not obsess over it while abnormal people will spend hours until the bleed and hurt. so perhaps what i did today was normal...but right now i feel like obsessing which is why i had to run back to this site to type out my whole issue lol. thanks for listening!
agirl
February 21, 2010
No, doing it for one minute is not cheating (I think)! If often helps to remore a black head or two, to easen the feeling of stress. I use a four minute limit. Tho dangerous, off cause, as I automatically start looking for more, more, more. It sounds like you are doing well! Fingers crossed you will go to bed tonight feeling a little bit stronger. And again, I think it's OK if u pick only for a few mintes - try not to think black and white about it - a little picking doesnt hurt you. That's not an invitation to go picking tho! Any others with experience on picking "just a little"? Does it work for you, or do you have to stop completely in order not to go into a "picking rush"?
Becky77
February 21, 2010
I agree! How about we start by being kind to ourselves as our first priority. I love this 40 day idea, but I think it can best work if we are willing to give ourselves a break or two or a hundred. As it is, we beat ourselves up with our hands or teeth, or whatever. Then, we come in 'to the rescue' with a black-or-white ultimatum. One slip-up and we fail and have to start over!? So, daring to resist hurting ourselves physically for one hour or ten days becomes worthless except to prove what utter failures we are, which gives us the next good excuse to beat ourselves up again... How about adding a way to get back on track without losing the progress we've made? That's how I set up projects for my 4 year old, whose self-esteem I care deeply about nurturing. For myself, I have really needed to recognize that there is some bullying going on with the picking- the day I realized I needed to stop and be loving to myself, things started to get better for the first time. I spend my life trying to protect others, and suddenly I saw that the one being I am charged with breathing and feeding and grooming and caring for, was crying out for protection. Does this make sense to anyone else? I know for some people these things are just bad habbits, but for a lot of us, including myself, I think it goes a lot deeper. Facing the pain and learning to be kind and loving to myself has been turning my life around, and in the process, the skin issues seem to be just melting away, slowly, but solidly. Has anybody else thought about starting with 40 days of loving kindness toward yourself... Then on to the skin?
ocdFreak
February 22, 2010
Yeah it's hard when your fingers just kind of make it there on their own. One thing I've noticed is that going 'cold-turkey' is really effing hard. In fact, that is why the first 2 days are the hardest. Ok, now this may seem counter intuitive and even cheating a bit, but this is what I found. When going cold-turkey, the urges were insatiable!!! I could not make it past day two without picking - so then I'd go back to day one, and the urges were still just as strong!! So i was on a cycle of day 1, day 2, day1, day 2 for about a week when i decided that on day two, instead of the cold-turkey thing, i'd ween myself off. so Friday was day 1 again, and I made it through, then yesterday at day 2 i smoothed something out that took less than 10 seconds (i made sure it was short, since 'normal' people take that long) and rather than fuel the fire, it just quieted the urges a bit until i could write stuff on this site. Today is now day 3, and the urges were not as strong today!! That is because I didn't hold off until I went crazy. I was thirsty for it, and so i gave myself a tiny sip to tide me over. I think that is the trick. but now, in order for the 40 day thing to really work, i just have to not pick at all now. so hopefully, and with lots of lotion and not looking at my hands and maybe even gloves if i have to, i will make it through without the horrific urges i got while quitting cold turkey. there will be urges, but hopefully not as strong. What do you think about all of this?
wildflower
February 22, 2010
i agree with the difficulty of going cold turkey and the self recrimination we subject ourselves to for failing a 100% or bust effort. i think that we should be able to forgive ourselves for lesser picking crimes when we are trying in earnest to improve ourselves. i'd vote for not having to count a slight slippage in expectations and only feel the need to officially start the 40 day effort completely over if a severe picking episode occurs. severity, i suppose, can be pretty subjective and perhaps could be left to our consciousness. i doubt any of us could fool ourselves to the finish line and would think that efforts would only get better and better after fewer and fewer small failures.
ocdFreak
February 24, 2010
>>>efforts would only get better and better after fewer and fewer small failures. you are exactly right!! And actually, today would have been DAY 5 for me, i think, but I actually did end up slipping. my little sip for the picking urge turned into the kind of gulp where, during the act, i heard myself saying 'stop now...that's enough' but it got the best of me and did it for a half hour before i actually jumped out of that zone and stopped myself. SOOOOOOOOOOOO, today at 1pm, DAY ONE started ALL over again. But this time, I have had practice with not picking. I rehearsed, for 5 days, what works ( maybe a sip to tide over the urge, but if you're stressed at that moment - NO sip, you'll be more likely to go overboard...) the best so far. So here goes. day one today, tomorrow at 1pm day 2 starts. I'll finish this.
wildflower
February 24, 2010
kudos to you for going 5 days !!!!! i'm sure your skin healed up a bunch and you have fewer sores than when you started. keep up the good work. the more times you have such successes the closer the goal will be. [i have yet to make it past 2 days :( ..... ]

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