Picking = Going Into a TRANCE

Oh my -yes-. I'll shave but still end up using tweezers to pick at my armpits, digging in for those "last little hairs", and realize that I missed the time frame to go eat, or watch a show, or go to a group thing. I finally quit picking around my eyebrows while telling myself I was only "plucking", but now I trance out when picking or plucking at my armpits, legs, or sometimes, horridly, my pubic area.

I know what you mean. I will have pickings sessions for an hour and a half. My face, ears, scalp, back, arms, shoulders, chest, breasts, cuticles, feet, pubic area, or whatever else is bothering me at the time. I kneel on the bathroom counter so I can be an inch away from the mirror, clawing and picking with nails, ripping off loose skin with tweezers. And then I realize its 3 am. The feeling is always the same: It feels like I'm trying to finish something quickly, like "this is the last one--wait! This one!" Like I'll pull away any second, so I better fit in what I'm going to pick real quick. So I get careless to the point of ripping off too much skin (bleeding occurs). There are also times that I do not realize that I am picking. From someone else's point of view, it must look like I'm scratching my back (arm bent scraping my upper back) or my scalp (it must look like I have lice! But I'm just raking my nails across my scalp looking for bumps and ripping them off). So yes, I have different levels of trances. You are not alone!

Masturbate!! Seriously. The feelings of arrousal will far exceed the needing to pick, therefore avoiding a trance. You are always going to pick until you get help but avoiding those trances will change your life. Trust me. The next time u feel like ur going into a picking trance, watch some porn or think about something that excites u sexually. The needing to pick and the trances we get into over them are a coooky type of arrousal as well. It is very passionate just like sex but the arrousal we get from picking is not sexual. I know it sounds weird, but it will help. And I'm a woman writing this. After u've arroused urself, spend some alone time and release it. You will feel calmer and satisified and feeling like that will take an edge off the urge to pick. I personally feel a lot better and am generally happier when my sexual needs are met. Daily. I am married and at home with 2 children all day so my husband is not always available. Even if ur spending ur alone time multiple times a day, I gaurantee u will be happier and feel less stressed. Don't think its obsurd until u try it. Promise u will at least try it. Underlying stress, physical and mental, even if we don't notice it or acknowledge it is what picking derives from. Its not a physcho thing and there's nothing wrong with you. I will tell u that I am still a picker, but not as bad as I used to be once I got this advise. I've even had "alone time" in the bathroom at my doctors office! I was 30 minutes over my appointment time waiting for the doctor and my boredom triggered my picking. My nails where already messed up and I didn't want to make them bleed before I saw my doctor. I am not a nympho by any means but I was thinking about the advise I read on another forum like this. So I said, what the heck, might as well start now or never lol. So I went to the bathroom, it was a one person and I wouldn't suggest this in a stalled bathroom, turned the water on, covered the toilet in tp and had my alone time. I instantly felt better and instead of picking, I grabbed a magazine and started looking for new beauty products. The only problem is that I waited yet another 30 minutes before seeing the doc :( pesky doctors offices lol but I didn't pick once during that time and even tought myself how to turn my attention into something else. Now what I do is make plans. Even false ones. When I feel like I'm going into a trance I plan a party or event that I've always wanted to. Down to all the details. Or I will get fixed on a new beauty product or clothing item and either shop or window shop. I will make a list of goals for the house, the kids, myself, my appearance, school, work, future etc. Or, I will spend some alone time :) let me know if u try it and how it helps u. I think the person who gave me this advise is really onto something with how u get a certain arrousal from this and sex. The arrousal release from picking is the picking itself, but yet we're never satisfied or else we wouldn't go into a trance. So find something that does satiisy :) and change ur mindframe.

Something else that helps me is going onto my favorite websites or favorite stores website and creating carts then printing them. Like searching and browsing through and adding everything I want to the cart then print it out. Then I set myself rewards. If I can go 1 week without harshly picking, I will reward myself to one of those items. I know it sound so scientific and time consuming. But once u get the hang of it it shouldn't take much time at all. Plus its for a good mental cause so there's no harm in spending some time for a good cause. Especially when it comes to your wellbeing :)

I have been experiencing this trance-like state when I pick my fingernails too. I have noticed it more in the past year and it is negatively affecting me at work. I find that I will be picking and totally focused on it for 30+ minutes at a time. I often have trouble stopping even when I realize I am doing it. I am honestly concerned about my ability to be productive at work. I have had two periods (3 – 6 months) in the past 10 years during which I did not pick at my nails. I think both of those times coincide with feeling financially secure and confident. Does anyone have any advice? What medications may help alleviate this?

Totally. I can pick for a couple of hours and then wonder where the time went. I find it hard to find a distraction to take my mind off it too. All my focus is on my skin; you become consumed by what you're doing and that's what makes it difficult to stop. Maybe having that focus is what we're looking for? I don't know, I'm just verbalising. I just hope there is an answer somewhere...

All the time!