My story

I've been picking my face (mainly my forehead) since I was 11. I am 14 now, so it has been 3 years. I went through puberty very early (I got my period in fourth grade), so I have had acne before anyone else my age. This has made me a bit insecure, even thought now everyone else has caught up to me. Many times, I have tried to stop picking, but I could never stop for long. I would always end up with bumps and scars, and start scratching again. Even if I don't pick for a month, I always get pretty bad acne before my period. My parents scold me when they see me picking, but never really take it seriously. I don't think my picking is as bad as it was 3 years ago, but I still really want to stop. I always have open scratches on my face. I pick while I am reading, doing homework, in front of the mirror, and more. I try not to pick in school, but sometimes i end up doing it anyway. Once, after a test my friend had to tell me that i was bleeding, and it was embarassing. Most of the time, the main reason i pick is because of my insecurity and stress from school. My new idea of a method to stop picking (out of the many i have tried) is to take a picure of my face evry day until I really heal. The idea seems a bit strange, but I think that in the end, if i truly see progress, I will feel motivated to continue. And once I stop picking, I can look back at the photos to remind myself not to pick. It's the end of the year, so after finals I will be less stressed and this might actually work. But I said the same thing last year with a different method. I WILL TRY HARDER :)