This has to stop

Posted August 30th, 2012 by finallyreadytostop

Hi there, I have been doing this almost my entire life. I started with my fingers, I never bit them, just picked the skin off around the nails and cuticles then moved on to biting and chewing my lips and inside of my mouth (a habit that has only become worse as I've gotten older) I started picking spots when I was a teenager and subsequently picking the scabs that were formed. The affected areas have gotten progressively worse. My face (especially my nose where I get most of my spots) back, chest and legs are scarred and I have literally had enough. Sometimes I am completely unaware I'm doing it and other times I know but I either don't care or just don't have the willpower to stop. My scabs hurt in the shower and the amount of make up I have to use to cover it only perpetuates the problem. I have to stop and I have to stop now.

On August 30th, 2012 skreed29 said:

i started picking at my face around the time i was 10, and it took me years to realize that the reason my face looked so bad and scabby was because of what i was doing to it.. its so freaky and wierd how mindlessly we can do things sometimes. making this thread is a good step towards making it stop ! my picking has improved by leaps and bounds since joining this website. im a thousand percent more aware of my picking than i was a few months ago

On August 30th, 2012 ontheroadtobeauty said:

You are not alone in this. I have been picking since I was 14 years old. I'll be 19 this November. This is sad because CSP is so poorly underlooked today and there are barely any treatment centers or support groups in the states. There are none in my state, and most of them are in California and Massachusetts. I have found that medication, nor therapy would work for me. Because in the end it's all down to your fingers and you. You can do this, we can do this. It's not worth the pain, embarrassment, shame.. It's just not. You're not in this alone, and it feels great doesn't it? I'd never wish this upon anybody but it feels so good to be able to come here and not feel like I'm grossing anyone out, or being looked at like a freak.

On August 30th, 2012 finallyreadytostop said:

Thanks for replying, I looked at my face today and really just couldn't handle what I've been doing to myself for so long. I know that I'm not ugly but I am making myself ugly and its really affecting my self esteem. I have suffered from depression and anxiety for some time and do not cope well with stress. I want to get proactive. I feel like I'm ready to address my problems. Its really reassuring to know that I'm not alone in this.

For information on the skin picking disorder (Dermatillomania), symptoms, causes and treatment methods, get the Complete Guide to Skin Picking Disorders.