32 replies to this topic

[KY100067]

I have this skin picking problem and I need to get rid of it. It makes me grumpy and ashamed almost every day of my life. I want to be free again and just live my life day by day with no worries about others seeing my destroyed face and arms. I'm gonna start with the 30 day no picking challenge. I wanted to tell others because I need support and I feel like I will be able to succeed if other people know I am doing this. I told my parents but they told me that I need to make myself stop, they don't get it. My mom picks too, especially at her arms so I thought she would be able to help but I think she might be in denial. That's at least the summary of my story, sooo.....
Good luck to all you other skin pickers out there that are trying to quit!
30 days.. day one. Here I go(:

Edited by KY100067, 06 August 2011 - 10:56 PM.

[Jennaaaay]

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Maybe try replacing your urge to pick with something else.

Like...when you want to pick make your hands do something else. Does that make sense? haha

[KY100067]

Good idea, maybe I could do hand stands until I feel like I don't want to pick anymore or something else that requires full use of my hands... like typing this or writing in a journal how I feel and how much picking wouldn't be beneficial to me. Thanks(:

[KY100067]

On to the second day! First day was a success without any problems or urges, if only the whole process could be as easy as yesterday was.

[longwaytogo]

Can I join this challenge??? We can totally help each other? I am starting now. I am so sick of this picking habit and have just noticed that I am seriously damaging and now scarring my skin.

LET'S DO THIS!!!!!!!

[KY100067]

Yes, please join! This will be so much easier to beat if I have someone to do it with.

[KY100067]

I was wondering if anyone wanted to share what types of things they do to release their nervous energy? (cleaning, exercising, squeezing a stress ball, ect....)

[longwaytogo]

Fabulous!! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this. I'm at my wits end with picking. I have done it on and off for at least 10 years, but it has got bad at the moment as I am at home waiting for my daughter to be born and having constant breakouts.

I mostly pick off the dead skin after blemishes are almost healed, or squeeze the ready to pop pimples...........problem is when one is pregnant or I am affected by hormones this can cause scarring and makes me feel bad and then the cycle begins.

I also need things to keep me occupied, divert my attentions. How r u going?

Yesterday I started the challenge and was pretty good, but did pop one pimple that was ready. Today I have been pretty good.

I hope you have continued on your winning start. I know u can do it

[KY100067]

Congrats on your pregnancy longwaytogo It sounds like you're doing a pretty good job on your challenge.

Today is day 3 of my challenge! I haven't messed with my face yet. Surprisingly I haven't felt any urges to touch it. I have been reading posts by other people that are doing similar challenges to stop picking and I sadly haven't found one true success story. It's sorta depressing but it makes me want to do this more than anything because I feel like people out there need to know overcoming skin picking can be done.

Edited by KY100067, 08 August 2011 - 07:32 AM.

[KY100067]

Just wanted to do a review of how my skin is looking after not picking for two and a half days...

I have a couple scabs that are easily covered with makeup and should go away within a couple days.
I have zero new pimples that have formed but I'm sure they will start popping up soon since squeezing always spreads a bunch of bacteria around.
My skin has lost all its blotchy spots.
I have a couple of red marks in the places where a couple of my scabs have already come off.
My arm skin is looking a little better, still has a couple healing scabs but I should be able to wear tank tops again in a few days

I'm feeling pretty good about this. The day I'm looking forward to is when I don't have to wear any make up. I love to swim and I haven't a lot this summer because I am embarrassed for people to see my face when the makeup washes off.

[girl11]

Fabulous!! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this. I'm at my wits end with picking. I have done it on and off for at least 10 years, but it has got bad at the moment as I am at home waiting for my daughter to be born and having constant breakouts.

I mostly pick off the dead skin after blemishes are almost healed, or squeeze the ready to pop pimples...........problem is when one is pregnant or I am affected by hormones this can cause scarring and makes me feel bad and then the cycle begins.

I also need things to keep me occupied, divert my attentions. How r u going?

Yesterday I started the challenge and was pretty good, but did pop one pimple that was ready. Today I have been pretty good.

I hope you have continued on your winning start. I know u can do it

Congrats! I'm pregnant too. I know what you mean about the scarring. My skin doesn't heal as well or as fast as it used to. I usually had clear skin but after going off Yasmin, I would get pimples more often. Then I got pregnant, and I get those nasty pimples that have to be popped and leave marks. The last one I popped was a little more than a week ago, and it didn't heal into a flat spot, it's like a small, shiny red bump I hope it goes away. I cannot wait to go back on Yasmin!

[KY100067]

Today is day four and I still haven't picked at any pimples

I can see small pimples popping up on my face. It's gonna be hard to leave them alone. Usually if there is one on my face I obsessively think about it until I pick at it. Then, once I let my self pick at just one pimple, I end up picking at everything; real pimples, old red marks, moles, and imaginary pimples. Then my face is a red blotchy mess that ends up scabbing over and it hurts for days. Along with a blotchy face I tend to hide in my room from my family and friends so they don't see what I've done to myself. Its really time to stop picking, just typing all of this makes me so sad. I can't wait to say I have finally quit picking.

So here is to day four!!!! and the other three days before it!

Hope you guys are doing well and trying your best to not pick

[Sasja]

Hi everybody!

My name is Sasja and I'm from the Netherlands.
I've this skin picking problem now for about 10 years already and I'm sick of it actually '

I'm really glad that I've found this forum: I'll join the 30-day-non-skin-picking challenge !

One year ago I already did an attempt to stop but after 5 days I couldn't 'hold' it anymore. I saw things to pick everywhere on my face/arms, so I didn't know what to do then. I really hope that with the help of you all I'll make it longer dan 5 days ; )

What are your techniques when coming to a critical point when you want to start again?

Thanks and everybody good luck.
Tomorrow I'll post my first succes day

Sasja

[KY100067]

Today is day five

Yesterday I did have the urge to pick but I told myself it wasn't worth it and decided I would write what I was feeling in a journal. It worked, it took away just enough of my stress that I slept soundly through the night. I woke up today so happy that I left my face and arms alone!

I hope you guys are staying on track, I know how hard it can be. Also, Sasja, I'm not sure if you mean start picking again or start to stop picking again.

[Sasja]

Sounds good day 5 great job!

I meant by critical point; starting with picking again.... How to survive that and not fall back into the picking again. I just read a good advice here; writing down what's in your head at that moment, good idea.

I already applied the 'extended arm and make fist' behavior from the schema and it made me realise already in 1 or 2 days how often I have to do this!....

[KY100067]

Well, I've tried to quit plenty of times and what I usually do if I pick after I haven't picked in a while is I do my nightly washing, moisturizing regimen. Then I will put antiseptic on the places I picked, sometimes I put band-aids on them if I'm going to sleep. Then I tell my self that I am starting over and I take really good care of my skin the next couple of days so that the marks fade quickly and I'm not tempted to pick at them. And that usually helps me get back on track. Everyone is different though, so what works for me might not work for you. Also, I put makeup on any marks I have so that when I look in the mirror I won't see them. When I don't have makeup on and I look at myself and see I already have marks on my face I think to myself 'I couldn't make it much worse, is picking again really gonna make a difference in how quickly everything will heal.' The truth is it really does make a difference! My impulsive thinking just tells me otherwise.

[KY100067]

Today is day 6! So far everything is going really well. My face is almost one hundred percent clear, just a few small pimples and hardly there red marks. I put a toothpaste mask on the backs of my arms last night because they aren't healing as fast. I plan to exfoliate them today and hope for the best. Hope you all are doing great and having a good day

[KY100067]

Any one have Keratosis Pilaris? My Dad says that is what the bumps on the back of my arms are that I pick at. If you know of anyway to get rid of them please share

[KY100067]

Leaving early tomorrow morning for a mini weekend vacation(: I probably won't post my daily success for the next couple days unless the place I'm going ends up having wifi. Where I'm going I will be swimming a bunch so I won't be wearing make up, a huge step but I'm feeling confident. Plus I decided I won't be bringing my make up with me so picking won't even be an option, even though I'm done for good anyways! Good luck to all of you while I'm gone! I'll post something as soon as I get back if I can't while I'm away.

[Sasja]

good luck!! and sounds good!

I'm still on track by the way, this is day 3