17 replies to this topic

[Holly137]

I've been feeling really down today, not about my skin, just about stuff.. but I've noticed I've taken it out on my skin a lot. I had a major pick-fest before I even realised what I was doing...

Does anyone else take their emotions out on their skin?

[ginascissorhands]

I've been feeling really down today, not about my skin, just about stuff.. but I've noticed I've taken it out on my skin a lot. I had a major pick-fest before I even realised what I was doing...

Does anyone else take their emotions out on their skin?

YES! I'm new on this forum but I've had acne since I was 10 (early puberty - got my period then too) and I'll be 26 in August. I have emotional pick fests on my arms and shoulders for who knows how long until I realize what I've done. I do it to my face as well.. but I'm not as bad on it as my arms. I do it when I'm anxious and at home (at least I'm smart enough not to do it in public!), even though I've sworn to quit several times. In fact, I picked my right arm up just a few minutes ago. I try to cut my nails and wear longer sleeve shirts to bed.. but sometimes you just do it without even knowing it. That's my problem.. the mindless picking until you wake up.

Gina

(I'll get my personal regimen up soon)

[girl11]

I'll actually get it when anxious about pimples popping up all over my face. Like for example, I have one inflamed one that just popped up yesterday on my chin. I figured I'd just try to not let it bother me and let it do its own thing. I also had the tiniest non-inflamed whitehead that was just sitting there for weeks around the corner of my lip. Both of those were bugging me today, but then in the middle of the day I noticed one part of my upper lip looking red and inflamed like it's going to be the most massive pimple ever which caused me anxiety when I already have the inflamed one on my chin to deal with. So I ended up squeezing the one that's by my lip out of frustration, thinking screw this, at least let me get rid of this one. It actually came out easily so I don't regret it too much...better that I didn't touch the new inflamed ones. But yeah, sometimes if my skin is already bad, I figure there's no point in holding back.

[Musketee]

The only trigger for me is the horrible itching ):

[pokemonster]

deffinately stress, other high and negative emotions and/or depression, basically this stuff
and sugar. it happens approximately hour or so, after i had some, that i want to pick the shit out of my face (has to do with blood, insulin etc)

[DesiAngel]

I realized that as soon as i get out of a hot shower, all my pores are open and enlarged so i can see the sebaceous clogs.

When my skin is dry these pores are not visible.
But after a HOT shower (which isnt good either ), i get an urge to pick these clogged pores if i see them. It is the cause of my marks.

I have learnt not to look at the mirror as soon as i come out of the shower.

[Wangod]

Even before the pick fest, the stress may actually cause new pimples to come up first, before you even have a chance to do the picking.

[beccau08]

i pick when im home alone so now that im not working im home all day everyday.
its a nasty habit which has left me with scabs all over.

[09alisa]

Stress for sure. I know that now because I barely picked at all this summer. Now that college has rolled around the corner, I have started picking again. It sucks, and I'm not sure what to do. I was doing so good, and now I feel like I'm back to square one.

[meganwillnotpick]

Yes, that's exactly what i do!! I think "I deserve this.. I've had a stressful day... I need to pick" but of course I feel terrible after.
My main trigger would be stress.. And when I'm feeling depressed:/

[californiaEstie]

Any negative emotion. Stress, anger, sadness - all lead me to pick. It's a terrible coping method. Even just not wearing long sleeves... if I go in a really bright light it's super hard not to pick my arms.

[meganwillnotpick]

@bek_cognet yeah I guess I could say that's what it is for me too. Any negativity. Stress, anxiety, depression, even feeling lazy, bored, mad, lonely, annoyed. Anything and everything:/

[californiaEstie]

meganwillnotpick, on 18 September 2011 - 11:53 PM, said:

@bek_cognet yeah I guess I could say that's what it is for me too. Any negativity. Stress, anxiety, depression, even feeling lazy, bored, mad, lonely, annoyed. Anything and everything:/

It sucks doesn't it?

[Maria V]

I do it as well, it's quite annoying. I noticed I do it when I'm really stressed out (for instance after school). I also notice I bite my nails/lip a lot more when I'm stressed or anxious as well.

[JMTM18017]

I find it annoying when I attempt to extract one, am unsuccessful, and then go on to the next until I "find" one I can extract.
I find it extremely hard not to do on my acne type-- they are little hard plugs that literally stay in place for months and itch and grow until I remove them. I know this is true because two on the very back of my neck-- where I can't possibly pick-- are still there months later.
I've been using a chemical peel by Dermadoctor the past few days which as made my skin a great deal better. Although it looks all red and nasty where the scabs and scars were, the old little zits I couldn't extract are now flat and "feel dead" and are healing. I find that if there's no zits, I don't pick. The peel seems to be "doing the picking" for me, and now all the nasty dead skin that is stripped away leaves the little plugs nowhere to hide, so they're easy to remove with no trouble.

[PNS2LGA]

Whenever I'm stressed out (which is almost always), I definitely take it out on my skin. I believe it's the only noticeable (physical) reaction I have while under a lot of stress (anxiety being another issue). I feel pretty ashamed.

[danipaskor]

Boredom... Sometimes my mind will drift off while doing homework and I find myself first lightly grazing my cheeks with the back of my hand... then with my fingers... then I start thinking ew... then I scratch a little bit...then the picking begins!

I know; it's terrible!

[actionwoman]

I just picked the hell out of the keratosis pilaris on my thighs and somehow even found a few clogged pores to pick on my lower legs - I'm a huge mess now. My trigger is being alone in my room with my reading light on - it seems to magnify the clogged pores and I start one, then the other. I just realized I've been at this for three hours - AUGH!