The Urge is Strong

Hey! I know the feeling, I too am on day one of forty ... I am currently posted on my couch, doing some reading for my psychology final. I just thought of something that may help!! Try to really think about all the damage you have done to your skin previously. Try and really visualize all the times you have spent picking and proding at your helpless skin....... think of the way that your skin looks after a picking session. Often oozing, red, and even bloody. Yes, there is some relief.........but it is followed often by shame, anger, and additional frustration with YOURSELF. IF you pick, that is just MORE you will have to worry about on top of your final exams. It is a vicious, backwards cycle. Just visualizing my poor picked face in the past and all the time I have wasted really helps me to put things in perspective. I hope this is not a trigger for you. We can do this. Day one...let's finish strong to day two!!!! You are in control. We've got this :) :) :)

Hey, I'm totally with you. I did day one with a few little slips and got into day two and with had huge assignments to do and just ruined my skin as a way of venting stress. But I'm starting to learn now :).. When the urge was insane, far more than I felt I could fight, I got myself out of the house and went into university to do my study etc. Its much less tempting when people are around. Once I felt I could control it a bit, what helped was to vent the stress in a positive way, going for a walk, generally just getting outdoors was good(Though I know that can be time consuming...then again so is the time we spend picking). I found what motivates me heaps is when I make looking after my skin fun... I put a mask on for example which made the urge die a bit and I get on with study. Most days I study at home now, when I think I can handle it, but I turn over all my mirrors - it helps sooooo much, it takes effort to turn them back so you just forget about it. Nights are the worst, in the bathroom, so now I shower by candlelight. The urges are still strong but little practical things; either removing myself from the environment or changing the environment so Im not tempted to pick make it so much easier. Hope you get done what you need to.

try to focus on the important things first. perhaps make a list in order of importance and then tackle them starting with the most important one. avoid your mirrors. sit on your hands or wear gloves while you're doing the things on your list. concentrate on them rather than your skin. talk to yourself in an encouraging fashion. remind yourself that you want healthy skin when your thoughts take you there. you really do! it feels great! and keep at the things on your list. power and strength to you !!

i definitely know how you feel!!!!! its a horrible feeling isn't it? absolutely horrendous i think. i happen to experience this same thing while doing homework and such. its so counterproductive and i'd like to stop. i made it to day 35 of the challenge before i slipped, and now i am starting again - tomorrow is day one. dealing with stress another way is the KEY here!! that's my real challenge... good luck to you!