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azure , 29 Nov 2009

My forty-day plan....WHO'S WITH ME?!

Hey people! Okay, I've heard that in order to beat a bad habit, you have to NOT do that bad habit for forty days. Once you have successfully been habit-free for forty days (AND NO CHEATING), then the habit has been beaten. Hooray. And if you cheat, then you have to start all over again. It's supposed to be forty consecutive days. Okay.... So, I'm going to try to stop picking at my face and any other body part. I already cheated a bit, so today is DAY ONE. However, I'm happy to say that even though I did cheat a little bit, I did not go all out like I usually do. It's been three days. BUT, I did cheat, I acknowledge that, so today is officially DAY ONE. Would anyone like to join me? This is what I'm doing: I always pick in front of a mirror. So, now I spend as little time in the bathroom as possible. If I look in the mirror, I run out of the bathroom. But let's say I need to put make-up on (my make-up is in there anyway)...I open the door to the bathroom and then proceed to apply my make-up. My parents' bedroom is right across from the bathroom, and they have started to count how many minutes I'm in the bathroom. And this is a good thing! Moral support really helps even though it's technically an invasion of privacy! .....but now I'm worried that I'll develop a fear of mirrors.....so I look in the mirror a little bit everyday and spend a bit more time (like a few seconds, no need to stand right in front of it for a long time if I'm trying to beat this thing) in front of it everyday. I want to beat this thing, I want my life back and I want my face back. I could use the moral support and everyone's welcome to join me! Post your forty days here! Yeah, there's a huge chance that it's not going to work....but smokers have done the forty days too! This is also an addiction, and I'm sixteen years old. I've got my whole life to look forward to and I will beat this thing somehow. Starting right now. Let's see how I do for DAY ONE. WHO IS WITH ME?
162 Answers
Solarrain4
May 06, 2010
I'm not much older than you are. I'm 17. Does this affect teenagers a lot? I also thought I was the only one for the longest time. I've had this habit since the 8th grade, and the longest time I've managed to not pick at my skin has been two weeks. My biggest trouble area is my arms, and the hardest time for me to avoid it is during school. When I discovered that it was a form of OCD and more than just a habit, I proceeded to ask all of my teachers to stop me from picking if they catch me. All have been quite understanding about it, yet I think most may have forgotten, with the exception of my math teacher, Mrs. Leonard, who stopped me twice today. I don't know if my chemistry teacher, Mr. Muller, remembered to stop me, but he did offer to make a copy of the notes for me if I have a "bad day." Either way, tomorrow I'm gonna make a point to remind all of my teachers (except Mrs. Leonard because I know she remembers) I'm trying to come up with a plan to stop, asap. Besides asking teachers for help, it'd be nice to have a sort of distraction. I don't own a stress ball, but being a guitarist I can bring in one of my capos to squeeze if I get tempted. I also need to keep a log. My dad said that following a 12-step program also helps. Either way, I need to break this habit soon. My arms will probably be covered in scars at this point, but I'll take scars over swollen red cuts/scabs any day. Either way, I'm with you. Good luck to you and to all trying to fight this horrible habit.
wildflower
May 07, 2010

In reply to by Solarrain4

it's wonderful that you have the support of your teachers and have the insight you have of how unhealthy this compulsion is. read up on it as much as you can and learn as much as you can about it, what can be done about it other than what you're doing and learn how it has affected so many others. hopefully your mindset will strengthen toward quitting it as you pull together more and more tactics and ploys into your plan. strength and determination is what you need above all else. all the best to you!!

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