Online Test
Find out the severity of your symptoms with this free online test
1 week without picking - things that are helping me (so far!!)
1. I went to a beautician and invested in a whole skincare regimin she recommended - wash, exfoliator, treatment, mineral foundation etc. Note that i only felt brave enough to do this today after 7 days of not picking and most of the scabs have calmed down!!
Im hoping this will help my clear up my skin, but also make me feel guilty if i pick now that ive spent so much money trying to sort my skin out.
2. Keeping busy - i dont go into my bedroom until im ready to sleep and ive tried to do things most evenings.
3. I do 15 minutes of very basic yoga in the morning and evening - its helping to calm me down and im really getting into it.
4. I wash my face in the dark and i use a face cloth so i dont have to touch my skin with my fingers.
5. I set a timer when doing my make up in the morning - this is helping me not to pick as i know i dont have enough time to pick and wait for it to heal before i cover it. Ive also been leaving my concealer at home during the day - i know if i touch my face at all, the make up will come off and everyone can see it. It also stops me obsessing all day about whether my make up is ok.
6. Im making v brief notes each day about how i feel, whether ive picked etc and taking a photo of my face once ive removed my make up. This is painful as its making me realise how much damage ive done, but i can see some improvement since the first photo.
7. Im wearing a bracelet to remind me not to pick - as ive seen recommended by others here.
8. I tend to do most of my picking at one specifix mirror in my bathroom. Ive banned myself from using this mirror at all, and its weird but i just dont feel like picking as muchwhen i use a different one.
9. Banning myseld from touching my face AT ALL during the day - if i touch it, the urge to pick comes right back.
Anyway, i dont know if this will work for me long term, but just thought i would share what im trying in case it helps anyone else. Does anyone have any further ideas they are trying out? Much love to all - this forum is definitely helping me too!
June 10, 2011
Thank you. This is some really good advise.
June 10, 2011
I really like your idea about documenting the damage and making notes about it. I'm going to start writing down picking memories in my journal (i.e. remember when you picked your finger and it got infected and you had to take antibiotics?) so that they can be reminding tools of the damaging effects of picking. Well done!
June 10, 2011
That is great to hear! I am starting my journey too- I have started and stopped before but I hope I m on the road to stopping for good. I agree- the mirror makes a big difference! When I travelled in COsta Rica, there were no mirrors to use and my picking went away! It was so great. But now that I have a home office and lots of mirrors- its back and worse than ever. I wish you luck and I think you have had a great start! Im thinking of taking the lightbulbs out of my bathroom as well!
June 12, 2011
thank u i know a few of these may help me
June 13, 2011
Thanks for the hope everyone. I have been picking for 2 years. Its getting worse. I think mine is chemical induced. What I mean is I am on a drug called Methadone. I only pick when I am on this drug. When I went off of it before I stopped picking almost immediately. When I went back on the drug and got above 25mg. the picking started all over again. I have tried to get off the Methadone by going to a detox ran by the county. It was cold turkey and the withdrawal symptoms became so bad I left on the 5th day and went back to the Methadone clinic. Of course I was devastated. I hate how sometimes I dont even realize I am picking my scabs. Its so gross. The scars are ugly. I noticed I am a lot more anxious and depressed now because I dont have a regular full time job and I cant get off the methadone so I pick more. My energy level is almost zero these days. I dont want to go out because I need to wear long sleeves to cover my arms and its 90 degrees out there. I use make up on may face to cover as best I can. I do not wear shorts or dresses without tights or boots, etc. Some days I just want to give up. I have another appointment at mental health in a month, I do hope they can help me. I went there before but It didn't help, but I did not go on medication either. I am frustrated with this and my self confidence is lower than it has ever been. Has anyone tried those videos that promise to make you stop picking for good by treating it as a "cause and effect"? They want $39.95, but Im very skeptical.
June 13, 2011
You are very brave for doing a photo journal of your face without makeup. It is a great idea to see the progress and how much harm the picking does. Thank you for your ideas!