Where is everyone from?

Posted July 23rd, 2009 by belsy
I noticed the message asking if anyone is from UK and thought it might be nice to find out where we are all from.... united across the world but our common plight. I will kick off ... I am from Canberra, Australia.....
‹ Wow it has a name...Dermatillomania the NAC thread...(N-Acetyl-Cysteine) ›
On February 15th, 2010 cheftk said:
I'm from South Africa
On February 14th, 2010 bluedaisy said:
Puerto Rico
On February 10th, 2010 PurpleMe said:
I don't feel so alone anymore there are others, Hi everyone I'm from New York, but I live in Tampa, FL
On February 9th, 2010 kcooksey25 said:
Kentucky USA
On February 8th, 2010 Hope53 said:
I'm in the Florida Keys.
On February 7th, 2010 zainy said:
I'm from the Uk too...
On February 5th, 2010 jldoll01 said:
omaha, nebraska
On February 5th, 2010 shamefulbaby said:
So Cal l /ON, Canada
On January 6th, 2010 diva said:
Hello fellow pickers, I am a 33yo female primary educator, from Victoria, Australia..I tend to pick at myself every few nights/mornings or after school. Especially when I am stressed, anxious, overtired, bored. (I have been on zoloft for 5 years, it has cleared my mind, but hasn't allieviated the habit to stop looking at & wanting to scratch at my legs etc.. I have tried a few self help remedies, like putting betadene/pinetarsol on them, so i will not scratch. I often put bandaids on, wear tights & long socks to cover legs (problem area at the moment) Jeans are a god send, I detest hot days for obvious reasons. I have known that this problem is not the norm for as long as i can remember, but have hidden the fact that i do it..my ma and pa, sisters knew i used to scratch, but i never did it in front of them, felt a need to hide in the bathroom sometimes, hense make a big mess of not 1 scab, but more.. I have had this 'problem' ever since i was a little girl..somehow got an infection in my blood stream, that flares up in different parts of my body..arms, legs, bottom (that was the final straw, when i made terrible scars on one of my legs..I have always gone to the doctor for anibiotics, saying it must be mozzie bites (which is what i say to people, who notice the scars or say i have a blood disorder lol) I think I have hinted to the doctor that i have a bit of a problem, he said it is kinda common..didn't go into depth about it though..However, i plan on taking in some of this info & saying, yep i am not going to hide this secret anymore, here is the name for what i have.. However, i think he realises that there is more going on now 2 what i am admitting..eg) Do u scratch at these? to which i reply, um they just fall off in the shower lol..yeah right he is thinking..Anyway, i may give hypnotherapy a go as part of my CBT sessions with a lovely lady psychologist.. I guess i started becoming quite fretful about my skin, when these sores keep coming back & have been very bad for a whole year, even though they generally clear up (not this time..) My ankle started to swell up, resulting in a nasty infection in my blood.. anyway, it will work itself out, until then i will say 'no', 'stop' etc (i have tried this) maybe try a rubber band around my wrist. cheers for now, Di. (oh my, what a relief to be able to openly admit my long time, secretive habit)
On January 4th, 2010 RobynnJ said:
I am from Ontario, Canada a small town named Collingwood
On December 19th, 2009 Hannahsmom40 said:
I'm originally from Syracuse, New York, but since marrying, we have been all over. Will be moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin soon from Leesburg, Virginia.
On December 17th, 2009 Ang-eh said:
Oakville, Ontario, Canada - Look into your eyes and appologize. -
On December 13th, 2009 mcthal said:
Saskatchewan, Canada
On December 13th, 2009 magpie said:
Boston MA!
On December 4th, 2009 winnie said:
originally from Southern California, now live near Denver, Colorado......is there any common thread between us ? Are you guys fair-skinned like me ? I am covered with freckles from too much sun in CA and I think it gives me a type of "cover" sometimes for picking at my face, I mean how could anybody really distinguish between my freckles and acne spots ?
On November 24th, 2009 crzygirl22 said:
Syr, NY
On November 21st, 2009 muchomalgato said:
Oregon, USA
On November 20th, 2009 cosmic girl said:
I am from England, and maybe like you Maddykins, I pick at my upper arms, as I suffer from Keratosis Pilaris, those awful pimples that look so red, almost like a rash.(apparently it's very common amongst people of Celtic descent, my Gran was from Ireland) I pick them when I am stressed or bored. I have been doing it for years and years, I hate to show my arms in the summer, I really don't like the look of them, or the way they feel rough.....I want my arms to be smooth, like everyone's else's beautiful arms, so I pick the pimples, of course they then go even redder, scarring happens, makes the situation worse! But the feeling I get when I pick is of relief, and compulsive, I just can't help myself. I will also pick at any tiny invisible spots on my face, and make them 10 times worse! I just know it's to do with low self esteem, and feeling unloved as a child, but find it hard to stop.
On November 20th, 2009 maddykins said:
Hi Cosmic Girl. Great to hear that I am not alone. It is definately due to anxiety, stress issues first but then boredom and feeling low are reasons for picking too. Read somewhere that someone with this skin picking problem should avoid being left alone but I have been a single parent for 8 years so it has been impossible for me not be alone every night and it is at night that I pick the most because of bored or thinking about things from the past!!!!!! Gone back to picking face as well as arms lately so really fed up with the mess I have made of my face as well as my arms. Wish I could stop but think it is something that will never go away but something we just have to control but when I am alone quite alot and a highly stressed person it is a struggle!!!! Be nice to chat more so we know we are not only one in the world with this horrible disorder.
On November 25th, 2009 cosmic girl said:
Hello Maddykins I think you are definitely right about not being alone, I don't pick much when people are in the room with me. Now I am aware this habit has a name and is part of the OCD spectrum, I have been trying really hard not to pick. I have left my arms alone, but have noticed I have gone back to biting my lips a bit, I used to do that a lot as an unhappy child. Trying not to do that right now! I have been digging my fingernails into an eraser whilst watching TV (which is when I tend to pick) - it makes me realise how much I do pick as the minute I put the eraser down I start picking/lip picking again. So that is working quite well. Maybe it's just a habit that we need to unlearn. If I wasn't doing this I think I'd be a chainsmoker or something! We are all addicted to something aren't we.
On November 25th, 2009 maddykins said:
Hiya Cosmic girl. Thanks for replying to my last message. Unless we are with someone 24/7 we will never be totally free of this damn picking!!!! I felt unloved as a child and felt very lonely and as i am still single and alone now nothing has changed!!! I started using the Palmers skin therapy oil (from Superdrug) which someone recommended on here a while ago and i feel that it helps alot to make old scars look better. Lately my arms are looking better in general and I can only assume its down to the green tea I have started drinking as it counts as your daily fluid intake and I think it is detoxing my skin abit. Also when I have had a mad picking session i spray on my arms Savlon antiseptic wound wash which you can get from supermarkets and I find it makes them look not as bad the next day!!!!!! Gently massage on skin after spraying if arms not too sore. Hope this helps. Shame we didnt have a chat room on here and we could all type things to each other and it would stop us picking as too busy typing!!! Keep in touch.
On November 27th, 2009 cosmic girl said:
Hi Maddykins, I have just done the survey on this site about caffeine intake and its connection with skinpicking. Interesting...I don't drink more than two cups of tea and coffee a day (although I do have a green tea every day like you!) I was amazed at the answers I was giving about the way I was treated by my parents, upsetting to see in black and white.......... looking back I had a pretty lonely childhood, no affection, praise, reassurance etc. I really think that is what most of us skinpickers have in common. Also that we seem an intelligent bunch, I have never seen a forum so full of good prose and excellent spelling and vocabulary! Are we all perfectionists too? Terribly self critical because of constant criticism as children? Perhaps we were craving to feel something in what seemed an unfeeling world? I haven't noticed my children picking at themselves, I hope it's because they feel loved by their parents and valued. Thanks for the tips. PS I have also always played with my hair a lot, not pulling it out, just winding it round fingers, rubbing it etc. Even sitting at the computer typing, my feet are tapping away manically, I just can't keep still. Such an effort to be still, to relax. No wonder I wake up so tense, I bet I am tightly curled all night (although I can fall asleep very easily) Do you have any other OCD habits like me?
On December 6th, 2009 maddykins said:
Hi there Cosmic girl. Hope you are ok and doing well on your 40 day plan. I haven't been on site lately so have only just read about that. Too scared to attempt it because I will know I will fail!!! Yes I too am a perfectionist and my 8 year old daughter is too and she does pick on the odd occasion but she is sooooo loved by me so hope she will not grow up with this horrible addiction. If I could describe my childhood in 3 words it would be sad, lonely and unnoticed and I spent my life craving comfort and understanding from my parents and it was my counsellor who made me realise they won't change and once you have accepted that it makes you feel alot better. I moved away from my parents and feel better having less contact although after all i have felt since childhood I still love them. I suffer with a driving phobia and have had agoraphobia and have been on anti depressants for over 15 years to control them and i do suffer with depression too but not too severe but felt that I have always been low because I have felt so alone all these years. Take care and hope to hear from you soon.
On November 20th, 2009 Beth said:
Sounds familiar. KP bumps are my favorite- I don't have as many now as I did when I was a teenager, but when I find one it's like a gift. Until later, when I look at my arms and realize they're repulsive. They say moisturizers and sunshine (and not picking) are supposed to help with those.
On November 20th, 2009 cosmic girl said:
Sometimes I don't do it for a while and my arms start to heal and look good, and that's usually when I find the urge to pick is the strongest! Then I feel so stupid and guilty looking at my handiwork, thinking "I just did that to myself" If I am busy and fulfilled I don't feel the urge so much, right now I am feeling quite weird all day, bit spaced out, have to fight the urge to pick. It was only a few days ago listening to a radio programme about self harm, that I suddenly had the realisation that that is what I have been doing all these years. So obvious now, thank goodness I have found this site, I feel now I am not this mad person any more.
On November 20th, 2009 Flux123 said:
Hey I'm also from the UK :)
On November 19th, 2009 Kali said:
Hi, I 'm new as of tonight also, like others I'm relieved to know I'm not alone but sad that anyone else has to deal with this. I am from Northern CA. USA
On November 13th, 2009 shamira said:
Hi-I'm new as of tonight. I'm from British Columbia, Canada. Hoping to find some help here. Good luck to everyone!
On December 15th, 2009 Alleaha said:
Hi Shamira; just curious where in BC you live, cuz I live in BC, Canada, too.
On November 5th, 2009 Quazza said:
Hey! im From Australia too A few hours from Canberra in fact my brother lives there:)
On November 4th, 2009 Alicia said:
Ojai, California
On October 21st, 2009 hekler said:
Hi Everybody, I'm from Canada, and sure am happy that I'm not the only one that has the skin picking problem. It was amazing reading the forums and saying "Hey that sounds exactly like me and I thought that it was only me. Well, happy to be a first time user of forums as well excited to connect with other "Pickers" hopefully in time I will be able to kick the habit. Cheers
On October 21st, 2009 maitri76 said:
Ohio, USA
On December 14th, 2009 whizbiff_23 said:
I am also from Ohio
On December 31st, 2009 blue. said:
Ohio too
On October 20th, 2009 nj101cats said:
Santa Barbara, California, USA
On October 19th, 2009 Jesse said:
South Africa
On December 4th, 2009 dfj said:
South Africa too.
On October 19th, 2009 SweetDeeDee said:
Nova Scotia, Canada
On November 19th, 2009 allegory said:
I'm in NS as well :)
On October 18th, 2009 Nikkihm089 said:
Texas, USA
On October 16th, 2009 heleng said:
England
On October 13th, 2009 ldill said:
Augusta, GA
On February 15th, 2010 LisaB said:
From Augusta too, didn't say that in the other post, just want to make sure u know Idill
On February 15th, 2010 LisaB said:
me too!! I am both excited and scared to death that there is someone else in my town perhaps like me! I see u posted way back in October, and I am new on this site. I hope u see this. Maybe we can hook up and give each other some support.
On October 13th, 2009 daizy said:
England
On October 12th, 2009 kelmat said:
florida
On October 12th, 2009 ForestDragon said:
New York
On October 10th, 2009 cherrycolalola said:
cali
On October 9th, 2009 lily said:
I'm from Vermont.
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For information on the skin picking disorder (Dermatillomania), symptoms, causes and treatment methods, get the Complete Guide to Skin Picking Disorders.