Online Test

Find out the severity of your symptoms with this free online test

katie1093 , 25 Mar 2011

Hopeless

Hi. I am new to this site and so grateful it is here. Yesterday I joined another site but realized that the posts were from last year or longer. I struggle with CSP. I have been hiding in my house all week because of the damage I have done to my face. My story is like every other one I have read. I can't stop as many times as I have tried. I isolate in my house because of how shameful and embarassed I am. I lie to friends and my bf with excuses as to why I have to cancel plans. My poor family doesn't know what to do. I also struggle with addiction and bipolar. I have been clean though for about 6 months and have no desire to use. Picking brings some kind of relief that drugs did but like drugs it is a bad cycle. I pick for the relief but feel awful after and then pick again. It seems never ending. I can be good for a week and not pick and then I relapse. I have never felt this bad before. I am extremely depressed. My parents tell me to stay away from the mirror and to just stop. They tell me I can quit using drugs so just quit this. They say no one can stop it but me. I know all of this. I am trying. I tell myself that if it looks this bad so I might as well finish what I started. I know my thoughts are insane. I have been doing a lot of research on this lately and have written down some of the methods people use to help stop. I wish there was some "magic pill". I am happy this site is here. I feel like no one else understands. Please feel free to reply.
2 Answers
waylander
March 26, 2011
i think everybody here understands how you are feeling to some degree - we all have tried to stop it. the other advice is great - doing something with your hands so you're too busy to pick is great. I find i tend to think bad thoughts when i'm picking, so i find that i can 'distract' myself by getting into something i enjoy, a great book, or something practical - i knit to keep my hands busy, or garden to get my hands dirty so i don't want to pick because of the dirt on my hands. I don't know if any of that helps. WOuld t help if your family read some of the posts on this site to see how other people are affected by this? I think people without it think its just a 'bad habit' like picking your nose or something, and not that it gives us such psychological release and relief. good luck, and congratulations for telling us your story!

Start your journey with SkinPick

Take control of your life and find freedom from skin picking through professional therapy and evidence-based behavioral techniques.

Start Now