My Challenge

Hi everyone, For the last 8 years I have been picking at my skin and I have been trying desperately to stop for what feels like forever. But recently I've noticed my habit is getting way worse. I feel embarrassed and ashamed of what I have been doing to myself. I have put so much effort into quitting in the past but it has never lasted more than a week or so. What I think I need is proper support, motivation, and a way to keep track of my success. That is why I've decided to start writing on here to publicly (yet sort of anonymously) keep a record of my progress over the next ~month an a half. I really hope that people who share my bad habit will help me along my journey, as I try to support them in return. My goal: to have broken my habit by April 26th That is my boyfriend's birthday. He and I have only been together for 1.5 years, but he is the love of my life. He was my best friend and secret crush for 6 years before we started dating, and now that I'm with him I want to do everything in my power to ensure he's happy with me. Although he's always telling me how pretty he thinks I am, lately I've been feeling so insecure about myself due to my picking that I don't believe him. I honestly feel as though he's embarrassed by his scared up, acne covered, self injuring girlfriend. When I get home from a bad day at school/work I head straight for the bathroom. I turn the shower on a sit in front of the mirror picking at my face, neck, shoulders, chest, back, thighs, and arms. I get carried away and before I know it I am covered in bleeding sores and scabs. I feel so ashamed afterwards that I don't want to go out and see my boyfriend or friends until my skin has healed. Obviously, I've become a bit of a shut in. I am NOT happy with what I've been doing. I so desperately want to stop picking. I need help! I need support! I've been trying to stop on my own for so long now and it's never worked. Please, pleeeease, let this online journal work for me! All I I want is to not be embarrassed by my skin when I'm with my friends celebrating my boyfriend's birthday. This is Day #1 of not picking. So far so good... Only 53 days left!