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macymay , 28 Feb 2012

Epiphany! I have a problem?

I'm 24 years old and I have been picking my face for around ten years now. I've always wondered why I haven't stopped getting pimples. They should just go away right? So compulsive skin picking doesn't help. Today I decided to look up this inquisitive daily compulsion of mine to pick at my skin, my scars and my pores... and found out that I am not alone, but I am slightly crazy? I find myself picking at my back when I'm reading or my face after I've washed it in the bathroom, taken out my contact lenses and then I can see every blemish and pore on my face. Which is funny because picking at blemishes DOES NOT make them go away. No logic in that reasoning there. STRATEGY: So, I will try some HRT and replace the urge with a ball or by rolling some floss between my fingers. I will combine that with some personal SELF CONTROL and see if my mind is stronger than my urges! A particular website said that I may be able to experience the urges without acting on them. I should accept the urges - but let them pass. NOT EASY: And that this compulsion has been repeated hundreds and even thousands of times. So if I've picked my face for ten years - 4000 or more times and I've picked at it for atleast half an hour a day maybe 1800 hours of my life I have spent picking at my poor little face. And ofcourse as a result it is a warzone!! I WILL REMEMBER: I'm doing it to myself and no one is forcing me to do it. So I'm going to try to force myself NOT to do it. I remember I used to pick at my chest too. But once I stopped, the pimples stopped coming. So I didn't do it any more. I'll try and keep that in mind. :) ... ~~ believe in me~~ ... cos I believe in you~~~ fighting!!...
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Hollyrosemarie02
February 28, 2012
You are not crazy. Your issue depending on the person can be an addiction to doing it. Like a release and satisfaction. I think for me it's addiction, and OCD and nerves. It has a lot to do with it. Can be even anxiety I have. Who really kows, but my therapist said stop picking is harder then stop smoking. Only because when you pick .....it is on you when you wake up, and when you go to sleep. So you always see it as a reminder. It is not your fault. It is something mental or physical or even deeper with yourself and how you feel about yourself as a person. Depends on you as a person. Have you been diagonised with depression? Or OCD? You have self-esteem issues, or self confidence issues? Thank you for sharing your story. I hope to be hearing from you. I believe in you........Holly-Ann
macymay
February 28, 2012
Hi holly. Strangely I don't have depression or self confidence issues. I'm truly a really happy person with a tonne of beautiful friends. I just pick my face. Many times without really realising it. Especially when studying I'll just search for bumps on my face flossor back and dig them out. But I'm using floss. I roll a little ball and that keeps the ends of my fingers stimulated so they're not touching my skin and scalp. I think it's a mind over co mpulsion thing for me. Just a compolsive addictive and destructive habit that I've ingrained in myself as normal. But it isn't normal.it's not right that we knowingly deform our bodies. Hopefully if I quit now my skin will be somewhat healed compared to never kicking it. Setting boundaries is something that I've had issues with in the past. Not sure if this is a boundary issue? Have you stopped picking holly??
Hollyrosemarie02
February 28, 2012
Well thank GOD you don't have those issues. Thats wonderful. I'm glad to hear your happy and have beautiful friends...!! Well with pickers they normally do it without realizing. You only pick your face? Flossor back and dig them out? What's this mean? How do you use floss to pick your pimples? It is a mind thing. The mind like I said is a strong organ. But will power is awesome. If you have awesome will power you can conquer anything....!!!! I ask GOD all the time to forgive me. It is not right we do this, but we are human and GOD knows we are going to sin. Just ask him for help, the wisdom and forgiveness and he's there with us. Im sorry that I brought up religion. Not trying to upset you or offend you if you don't believe in GOD. I am just stating my feelings meaningfully from what I believe and in my eyes and heart. It's true if we all stop picking our bodys it will heal on its own, but that's why it's called and addiction, Compulsion. What kind of boundaries have you tried to set in the past, that have been an issue for you...??? What is it?? I see if it's a boundary issue. No I have not stopped picking that's why I'm here. I want to stop.
macymay
February 29, 2012
Lol. Sorry. Floss was a typo. :) I have gone 2 days now without lingering in front of the mirror. And it was just the strangest thing that i took 2 minutes to get in and out of the bathroom to wash my face. Ive turned my mirror around and if i need to check that my face makeup isw ok. . . I will use a small mirror because picking is a two hand job. Its hard as well cos ive just got some nasty pimples which are sooooo tempting!! haha. Holly, i too believe in God and he doesnt want us to harm ourselves. Psalm 138:3 is nice, we can be strenghtened. Boundary issues are like when you can't say no to people or even yourself. Like th are no limitations set. People with boundary issues might be impulse buyers or even blow all their money on stuff and find thry didnt put aside enough for bills. For example. Bounadaries that i am setting is to not even go the first step towards picking. Not even feeling my face or back because i know it lesds to sleads to self reasoning. . . "Just a look in the mirror wont hurt or "ill just pick one". ABSTINENCE! COLD TURKEY!
Hollyrosemarie02
February 29, 2012
Instead of floss, what was the word suppose to be? That is wonderful you have not been lingering in front of a mirror. Good for you. I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it. It's not a strange thing. It's will power doll. That's great you use a smaller mirror on the go then your house one. Awesome idea to turn your mirrors around to...!!! Ha if you have nasty pimples. I Would enjoy them myself. From one picker to another lol hahahah I know there tempting Hun. I know. ;) true true doll. I hear you.
kmm
April 13, 2012
i just started googling about picking and i saw this site. I am 23 and I am in the same boat as you. I not only pick my face, but I pick and pluck my stomach which is now a disaster zone. I do not even want my own boyfriend to see my stomach because it is so bad but I cannot stop. I too pick my chest and I feel that it is something I do all day and will even leave me desk at work to go do in the bathroom. I do have a lot of anxiety so I think that is a major cause. I am just in desperate need of help because its gotten out of control to the point that I cannot even wear a bathing suit this summer. Please help!!
macymay
April 14, 2012
Hi Kmm, It’s a good feeling to know your not the only one with the problem, isn't it? :) But it is a problem because it affects our daily life. Somehow picking is an outlet that helps us escape the world and "zone out" for a while... hours can pass. It could be because of striving for perfection - not from others but from ourselves. We may see an imperfection on ourselves and then try to weed, or in many cases "pick" it out. But this only adds to the imperfection which leaves a nasty scar with which we demand to be rid of too. So we pick. But, kmm. You are beautiful. You are wonderfully made. You need to take care of your skin. You need to drink plenty of water. You need to smile at yourself in the mirror. When you want to pick or when you find yourself looking too closely at your imperfections you need to sing!! REALLY SING!! Perhaps Whitney or Christina. Then dance and do something for someone else. Go for a walk or start knitting. Calamine lotion will help your tummy. Go squeeze an orange the way you do your skin. See the damage...and an oranges skin is quite thick in comparison. Avoid environments and situations where you pick your skin. Like giving up smoking... go cold turkey. Make a definite decision not to RIGHT NOW!! If your a good procrastinator then tell yourself you can pick it tomorrow and when tomorrow comes tell yourself you can pick it tomorrow. Apparently three weeks to break a habit. I believe in you. :) Take Care. You'll look amazing for summer.

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