How Workplace and Social Stressors Can Trigger Skin Picking—and Tips to Manage Them

If you live with skin picking, you’ve probably noticed that there are certain times or situations that just seem to stress you out more than others. Not surprisingly, that’s also the time when your skin picking seems to increase too.

It’s well-documented that stress is a common trigger to skin picking. But what is stressful for one person may not be stressful for another. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of your stress levels and aware of the people, places, or situations that are most triggering for you. 

While you can’t avoid stress, you can learn how to manage it in healthy ways that can help keep your progress moving forward.

Workplace Stress

If you’re like most people, you spend about a third of your day at work. Work is a major source of stress:

• High workloads and tight deadlines: The pressure to meet the demands of the job can create significant anxiety and stress. 
• Perfectionism: You want to do your best. However, many people with skin picking tend to hyperfocus on perfection, which can make completing tasks a challenge. 
• Monotony or boredom: Boredom is an often-cited trigger for people with skin picking disorder. Repetitive tasks or long periods of inactivity may lead to unconscious picking as a way to relieve tension.
• Criticism or performance evaluations: Fear of judgment or criticism at work can heighten feelings of insecurity, which may manifest as skin picking. Fear of being judged is often mentioned by people living with skin picking.

Strategies to Manage Stress At Work:

Finding ways to manage stress in the workplace is critical for preventing or minimizing urges to pick. 

• Time management and prioritization: Learn to manage your time effectively and prioritize tasks. Break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks and set realistic deadlines to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
• Scheduled Breaks: Incorporating regular breaks into your workday can help you release built-up tension. Take your breaks. Step outside for fresh air, stretch, or take a short walk. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to get back to work.  
• Fidget Tools: Keep a few fidgets or a stress ball in your desk drawer or pocket for those idle times. Keeping your hands busy can help you redirect the urge to pick during moments of boredom or anxiety.
• Practice Self-Compassion: Challenge perfectionistic thinking by practicing self-compassion. Remind yourself that it's okay to make mistakes and that perfection isn't attainable. 

Social Anxiety

Social situations, whether large or small, can be stressful. Social anxiety and insecurity often trigger skin picking, particularly in situations where you feel vulnerable or exposed:

• Fear of judgment or appearance concerns: Worrying about what others think, especially worries about your physical appearance, is often cited as a significant concern for people with skin picking. 
• Social pressure: Some events and situations can exert tremendous pressure to fit in, maintain conversations, or meet others' expectations. These events, big and small, can heighten anxiety.
• Insecurity or low self-esteem: If a person feels self-conscious about their skin or appearance, they may pick as a way of “fixing” perceived imperfections.

Strategies to Manage Social-Related Stress:

For some people, social situations can be triggering. Whether it’s a small gathering of friends or a large event, there are things you can do to prepare for the stress of social situations: 

• Have A Plan: Before attending a social event, take time to prepare. 

Questions: Consider how you might respond if someone asks about your skin or notices lesions. Practice a few responses so that in the moment, you won’t have to struggle for words. 

For example, if someone asks about your skin, you might say, “I’m dealing with a medical condition that affects my skin, but I’m managing it.”

Keep it simple and share only what you feel comfortable in sharing. You can even divert attention to another topic. It is always your choice. 

Unexpected Situations: Enlist the support of a buddy to help you deal with unexpected or uncomfortable feelings or situations. Have a “signal” that you can use if the situation is overwhelming, or you’ve reached your limit and need to step away. It doesn’t mean you have to leave. You may just need a minute to recenter and regain your sense of control.  

• Pre-Social Event Rituals: Prepare yourself for the event. Practice calming techniques like deep breathing or meditation before heading into social situations. This can help reduce anxiety before the event and lower the risk of picking.
• To Cover or Not Cover: This is very much an individual choice. Think about whether you want to cover your skin, or not. If so, how do you want to do that? If your picking behavior is focused on visible areas (like the face or hands), you may choose to use makeup, or clothing to cover these areas during social interactions. This physical barrier can serve as a reminder to refrain from picking too.
• Focus on Connection, Not Appearance: Shift your focus from worrying about appearance to engaging in meaningful conversations. Cognitive reframing can help—remind yourself that people are more interested in your thoughts and personality than in superficial details.
• Post-Event Reflection: After social situations, take a few moments to reflect on the positives rather than dwelling on perceived failures. Journaling is a great place to process the event and focusing on what went well can reduce lingering anxiety that might trigger post-event picking.

Over time, as you implement these strategies, you’ll likely find that social stressors  become more manageable. 

If You’re Struggling…

Sometimes, even the best planning isn’t enough. If social stressors are triggering your skin picking, there is help. Approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and habit reversal training (HRT) are proven methods for treating skin picking. A skilled therapist can help you find healthy ways to manage those triggers and help you stay focused on your healing. As you learn effective ways to cope with stress, you will be able to navigate those stressful situations more confidently. 

References

1. Anderson, S., & Clarke, V. (2019). Disgust, shame and the psychosocial impact of skin picking: Evidence from an online support forum. Journal of Health Psychology, 24(13), 1773–1784. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1359105317700254

2. The great big list of favorite fiddles. (2024). TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors | BFRB. https://www.bfrb.org/articles/the-great-big-list-of-favorite-fiddles-or-stimulation-substitutes-and-behavioral-blockers-for-bfrbs

3. https://www.reddit.com/r/Dermatillomania/comments/v4zux7/fatigue_in_social_situations_and_picking/