want to quit..please help

Hey girl- I know exactly how you feel. I came on this forum tonight because I picked my face so badly I bled a bit. It feels so hopeless. I just started reading a lot on this. I graduated with a degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical with a lot of research background. So I thought I would look into this more. I almost feel like one of the best things we can do are possibly seeing a Psychotherapist. I know this compulsion is driven by my stress and sometimes unhappiness in life, which I think makes a lot of sense. We pick to rid ourselves of certain feelings, or to suppress them. One thing I can tell you that really did help me even out a little more to the point I was feeling a lot better is getting the supplement called 5-HTP. You can find it any any Whole Foods or natural grocery market. It helps with serotonin production which really helps you stay in a happier state. I have had chronic migraines for over nine years and have also just recently been getting a severe case of TMJ fixed, and during this time it has gotten even worse. I feel pretty ugly most of the time. I want to decrease my massive face washing and picking compulsions. We just may need to tap more into ourselves. I hope this will perhaps help you. It's good to talk about.

I have not been able to be completely "sober" for over a day. Today I've managed to pick only one time, and it was a zit that needed to be popped anyway. But I'm fighting right here with you. I completely understand what goes on in your head when you want to do this. You might think, "Oh just this one spot, ok just one more" and it turns into hundreds, and thousands. I've only been picking for a couple years, and it's only on my arms and chest (thankfully) but I get the uncontrollable urge. I also understand this to be a vicious cycle. 1. You're unhappy, or nervous, so you pick --> You're unhappy because you picked, so you pick again. --> and repeat. I'm here to fight with you. To talk to you. To listen, to help, and hopefully be helped. I bought some palmers cocoabutter formula in the tub today at CVS. It feels so nice on the skin. I also bought the cocoabutter and vitamin E oil, which is supposed to help scarring as well. Someone gave me some advice earlier. Look in mirrors as little as possible. If you feel the urge to pick, go paint your nails, and keep painting them so that they take a really long time to dry so that you don't want to ruin them. Spread vaseline all over the areas where you want to pick. It lubricates and protects the area so you can't get a grab on and cause damage. Try squeezing a stress ball. When you feel overwhelmed, recognize the urge to pick and think of a different way to relax. Take a warm, candle-lit bath (so that you don't see your skin so well.) Put in some bath oil (like the palmer's oil) which will relax you and heal your skin a little. Keep telling yourself, "I deserve beautiful skin. I will have beautiful skin." Practically hypnotize yourself so that you believe it. I hope some of these tips might help. I'm here with ya!

hi to all,