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wildflower , 06 Apr 2010

Accomplishments

How about this topic for a place for anyone who is on a personal track to post where they are on it to let others know who's making headway to hopefully inspire others to begin a committed effort? --> eg. i'm on x days of no picking and what is helping me get by is xxxxx and xxxxx. ---> or oops, i picked today but forgive myself and will get back at it beginning now ---> or i'm venturing on a 21 day personal challenge ---> or something of that sort?
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bm
April 06, 2010
I am on a 40 day challenge. I'm on day 8, and I am motivated to kick a bad habit as I will soon be moving in with my significant other, and also to help me face life head-on and with confidence. I am so far getting by by sheer will power, after having accepted my picking as a self-destructive condition. For me, the 40 day challenge is a start - if I pick, I have to re-start, even when the first 40 days are up. I know I can kick it and I want to do it while my skin is young and healthy enough to not leave me with scars.
wildflower
April 06, 2010
way to go! 8 days is really something! i believe you can do it. it should get easier and easier but there can still be some trying days. be strong! <3
bm
April 07, 2010
You can do it! It is so rewarding to look in the mirror and see that the sores are starting to heal up. And it happens much faster than you might think - I noticed a real improvement at only day 3!
violet
April 07, 2010
thanks :) i'm actually feeling super-empowered today... i almost slipped a little during a stressful situation, but i've now made it almost 8 hours! i'm so proud of myself!
wildflower
April 07, 2010
way to go !! be proud. i'm proud of you! i know how hard it is. each hour is a feather in your cap and when you've gotten a whole day that's big when you're starting out. keep up the good work!
cherrycolalola
April 09, 2010
Just wanted to share one thing thats been helping. meditation. I sit before I go into the bathroom, right when I wake up, and before bed. I know not everyones into meditation, so maybe people could tweak it in ways that work for them( saying a mantra, looking at positive imagery, listening to a positive song etc). I find that the more quiet my mind is before I go into situations where im likely to pick(eg-the shower), the better chance I have of not picking. I often feel scared that Im going to lose control, which can lead to more picking. But when I ground myself and stay in the present moment I can stay conscious of where my hands are and remember my intention to not pick. Just slowing down and breathing has helped. The tension around picking/not picking is so intense sometimes, its important to learn to relax.Hope this helps.
vicstic
April 06, 2010
Okay so Ive only been on here for a few days and already I feel like Ive achieved something. Just by examining my behaviour and taking a good hard look at myself. Instead at being annoyed at life, I should be annoyed at me-its my doing. And i want to use this post to thank those who have welcomed and supported me because its being really useful. Ive identified reasons, triggers and some alarming unconcious behaviours. Ive done it for years and made many links. The most alarming realisation to date has been that as a former acne sufferer, i continue to afflict myself with it- but I think im helping. So my goal is to only pick/squeeze/fiddle when absolutely necessary- you know, when the spot is literally hanging off your face type thing. Never again do I want to wreck my face and ruin my life- THIS IS MY COMMITMENT. When my skin has healed this time, ill let everyone know!!
bm
April 06, 2010
According to the information/opinions I have found, even when a spot is "literally hanging off your face", it is better to leave it. I believe that it was wildflower and 40days that told me that (though I could be mistaken!) I must admit, I haven't had a big one recently, but I have noticed that out of the few little whiteheads that I've had in the last 8 days, the ones that I left cleared up in 36 or 48 hours, and the ones I encouraged to come out of there took at least 60 hours. So my ultimate goal is to be able even let those get on with it in peace, though I do feel your compulsion to let that yuck out of there! Still, the first step for me is not to mess with them with my fingers but gently "wash them out" as I like to think of it.
vicstic
April 06, 2010
Sure, but leaving any kind of spot is a big thing for me. Even if something is quietly in a pore or invisible to the naked eye I wrench it out as a means of control so for now I just want to stop the huge wrecking sessions I have in front of my magnifying mirror. Then hopefully I'll be able to leave anything I see. It has been very useful to identify the behaviour- when and why it happens. I always do it in the same place at the same time every week. Interesting.
bm
April 06, 2010
I hope you don't feel that I was admonishing you - I am the last person you should feel like you need to justify yourself to - I am in exactly the same boat, and have been known to go as far as having a go at clean pores to create spots! All I wanted to do is pass on the information to you that even faced with one of those ones that look and feel like it °has° to come out, from what I know (and I don't pretend to know everything) it is still better to leave it, however counter-instinctive that is to me, and to, I believe, others who suffer from dermatillomania.
wildflower
April 06, 2010
it's great that you've recognized the personal component to the habit as well as life's contribution and have analyzed the causes of your behaviours. i too have imagined that i will give myself "permission" if a huge spot presented itself but i'm thrilled to say that it hasn't happened yet so my record is still good. i feel you're going to do real well and you'll be thrilled to see your complexion get better and better. keep letting us know how you're doing! <3
wildflower
April 06, 2010
i am actually on day 42 of a 40 day commitment that i never would have believed was possible for me. in fact i stared out my "one hour or one day at a time" challenge. i credit my success to seriously following the Commit to healthy practices topic i created to share them http://www.skinpick.com/node/863 . my skin is healing up and the red marks are fading. i still get urges but my fingers are content to just explore, not destroy, and actually, they're exploring less and less!. I'm treating my face to natural facials that i could never do before because of sores and i'm enjoying the pampering of indulgent healthy baths in epsom salts, powdered milk, baking soda and safflower oil. i'm feeling more loving to my skin now and am feeling good about it. although i realize i may have a setback one day so i'm promising myself that i will not admonish myself about it because i will be able to begin anew. i'm taking it one day at a time. considering i picked for most of my 54 years, i hope that my 42 days will show that it is possible to make headway even when it seems impossible as it did for so many years for me. i hope no one waits as long as i did before beginning a commitment, even one just one day at a time. <3
wildflower
April 11, 2010
day 45 for me was difficult !! i wanted to pick a few spots so badly but managed not to. i did scrub a little harder than usual with my washcloth, but not so hard as to do damage, luckily. on day 46 i did a facial scrub even though i know they're not good. ground up peach pits polishing your skin? how can that be good ? but i did, hoping that'd take care of things that yesterday's scrub didn't ... lol ... it didn't. i wasn't too rough with that even. i just did the cold water rinse and followed that with my vitamin e oil and my skin feels good and still looks good ... *whew* ... today will be 47 now !!

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