My forty-day plan....WHO'S WITH ME?!

Posted November 29th, 2009 by azure
Hey people! Okay, I've heard that in order to beat a bad habit, you have to NOT do that bad habit for forty days. Once you have successfully been habit-free for forty days (AND NO CHEATING), then the habit has been beaten. Hooray. And if you cheat, then you have to start all over again. It's supposed to be forty consecutive days. Okay.... So, I'm going to try to stop picking at my face and any other body part. I already cheated a bit, so today is DAY ONE. However, I'm happy to say that even though I did cheat a little bit, I did not go all out like I usually do. It's been three days. BUT, I did cheat, I acknowledge that, so today is officially DAY ONE. Would anyone like to join me? This is what I'm doing: I always pick in front of a mirror. So, now I spend as little time in the bathroom as possible. If I look in the mirror, I run out of the bathroom. But let's say I need to put make-up on (my make-up is in there anyway)...I open the door to the bathroom and then proceed to apply my make-up. My parents' bedroom is right across from the bathroom, and they have started to count how many minutes I'm in the bathroom. And this is a good thing! Moral support really helps even though it's technically an invasion of privacy! .....but now I'm worried that I'll develop a fear of mirrors.....so I look in the mirror a little bit everyday and spend a bit more time (like a few seconds, no need to stand right in front of it for a long time if I'm trying to beat this thing) in front of it everyday. I want to beat this thing, I want my life back and I want my face back. I could use the moral support and everyone's welcome to join me! Post your forty days here! Yeah, there's a huge chance that it's not going to work....but smokers have done the forty days too! This is also an addiction, and I'm sixteen years old. I've got my whole life to look forward to and I will beat this thing somehow. Starting right now. Let's see how I do for DAY ONE. WHO IS WITH ME?
‹ Habit replacement anyone? ditch 40 day plan! ›
On March 11th, 2010 wildflower said:
today is DAY 16 !! and i have scratched an itch in my ear and made something in my ear bleed. i have applied ointment and petroleum jelly on it to keep my fingers away from it. and also, a spot at the corner of my mouth, very similar to a cold sore, is not healing. it is the only sore i bandage now at night (down from over 20 sores over 2 weeks ago) and it keeps weeping after being washed at the end of the day. not bleeding, weeping. :( being beside my mouth i really don't want to wear a bandage on it during the day out in the world and i know if it were bandaged for 48 hours or so it would heal. what i want to know, though, is .... did my unconsciously scratching what was in my ear and my nightly disturbing my slow to heal spot near my mouth constitute that i have ruined my success? is that picking? or how serious does picking have to be to be considered picking and requiring starting over in this challenge?
On March 11th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
Well, hmmm. The ear did bleed, but was that due to pressure or eventual blood after a long scratching session? How long did you scratch it for? sometimes just one hard scratch will do it and that isn't great, but it's still only one time really so as long as it doesn't happen many more times, your success is still in progress. and nightly disturbing the spot by your mouth? are you meaning that you scratch it nightly? that could keep the urges going if you give into it. i'd say put neosporin on it or something and try not touching it for the next week. i mean, you've come a REALLY long way. bandaging one sore, down from over 20 sores over 2 weeks ago - obviously you're making magnanimous TONS of progress. so just keep going, but REALLY leave those sores alone. because if you give in to any kind of picking activity, when day 40 comes around, you won't be completely healed. and that's not what we want ya know? this is pretty challenging stuff, but when day 40 comes around for me, i want to feel nonchalant about picking in general, not like i am now. it's hard now but in the end it will be well worth it.
On March 11th, 2010 wildflower said:
i am not intentionally and technically picking at either. the sore by my mouth is "disturbed" by my cleaning it with my washcloth. that's why i feel it should be bandaged for at least 48 hrs. the ear was scratched subconsciously, not intentionally, and it was an instance, not a period of time. and now it is as dressed with ointment and petroleum jelly as i can to not allow myself to "accidentally" disturb it again. my bad? start over? or my ok and on to day 17?
On March 11th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
the fact that it wasn't intentional is great. it's that whole process of 'zoning out' and knowing or telling yourself to stop, simultaneously while you're doing it, and just *not* being able to stop despite almost verbally telling yourself to. that seems to be where the most damage occurs according to most of the posts on this site (including my own). and the washcloth is disturbing it during the cleaning process...ok - i thought you were scratching/ maybe picking at it a bit. since that's the case, if you're not actually succumbing to a picking/scratching urge, then there's no reason to start over really. it's the urges of the general habit that we're trying to get rid of, so as long you don't succumb to them (and try to control those subconscious ones, your fingers have a sort of 'kinesthetic memory' to this habit, they're used to this). So, it doesn't seem like you've lost control or anything. i say onto day 17.
On March 11th, 2010 wildflower said:
*whew* !! thank you thank you thank you! i hope that if others are reading this they will agree. i don't feel like i've blown it, but wanted to be truthful about what's happened and happening. and i don't want a false win. i intend that should i make it to day 20 my skin will be healed. a weekend is coming up. i should be able to have a bandage day as i call it and should make some headway. :)
On March 11th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
Wow day 20 is coming! that's really something! you're making headlines right now! and i don't see why others wouldn't agree; if you're not giving into urges, then you're not really messing up. but that's really good too that you're trying to be truthful and upfront about the whole ordeal. i mean, we all want to make it to day 40, but by then, if we've cheated, then we're still not really healed. then 40 days wouldn't really mean that much. for me, just getting to day 5 is a challenge in itself! but i'm gonna push it as far as i can. i'm comin!
On March 11th, 2010 wildflower said:
there's still days 17, 18, and 19 before 20! and that's one hour at a time, still. i do still have urges but divert my attention to rubbing or massaging or moisturizing or sitting on my hands or typing lol. do keep pushing for day 5. and day 6. and day 7. you can do it. we both can. we all can if we encourage each other like this! finding this place has contributed so much to my success i believe. and this kind of support is great.
On March 11th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
For sure! I've been at it since my birthday last saturday now. i even have the elastic around my wrist to snap myself if think about picking. actually, i had never tried that before - today was the first time and it was actually more effective than i thought it would be. but i couldn't agree more! getting through this alone was.. well obviously it was almost impossible or else i wouldn't have had to search for a site like this! it's helped SOO much!
On March 11th, 2010 wildflower said:
i never made it a full day without picking before finding this site. and i was getting near wits' end which had me searching and searching for so many ways and means to help me along. everything that i was finding and including in my repertoire for getting healthy was putting me closer but finding this site with its information and so many individuals in the same boat was empowering to say the least. i felt so alone and misunderstood.
On March 5th, 2010 wildflower said:
i am now officially committing to the 40 day plan! i hesitated because prior to this it was difficult to make it beyond hours, let alone days. but now i am actually on DAY 10 !! so am in !! and i'm wishing everyone success with their efforts.
On March 7th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
omg! day 10? how are the urges? are there any? i just got finished replying to one of your posts further down this page - you're a lot further now wow!
On March 8th, 2010 wildflower said:
DAY 12 now !! and yes, there are still urges :( two spots on my face are really taking their time to heal. i see a nucleus in each that i would normally pick at until removed believing that it won't heal until gone and i do truly believe that's why they're so slow in healing and it's driving me nuts. know what i mean ?? it's amazing i haven't made war with them. each night i hope that with washcloth exfoliation they'll release the culprits but no luck so far and then i bandage up for the night and in the morning put makeup on them after washing. i'm still imploring the "no fingernails" and "no tools" and "no scratching" rules but am allowing "featherlight backwards scratching" and "gentle rubbing/massaging" to areas that are itching. and lots of self talk.
On March 9th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
wow day 12 - day 40 is a lot closer now! then hopefully by then the urges will have subsided a lot more... and yeah the no fingernails or tools rule is a super one! that's how i do it. dry skin is either picked off with my fingernails, or i use fingernail clippers. not a great idea as both of those things cause damage a whole lot quicker.. since my birthday, i haven't really picked. the stress of midterms is gone and so it should be easier to stop. saturday = day1, sun=2, woa--that would make today day 3!! lets see if i can make it til friday. wow i'm so proud of you for making it 12 days! i have never even met you in person but still when i read that i felt very proud of you! keep up the great work!
On March 9th, 2010 wildflower said:
and i feel proud that you are making good progress. each day is a new success as is each hour within each day! it is definitely tough. even at the TWO WEEK mark. my hands still roam. i still need to talk to myself. i sit on my hands watching tv. i took one of my bandages off on my face when i skyped with a friend and absentmindedly scratched it. i didn't make it bleed. i didn't go back at it. i haven't gone after any of the new bumps that are begging for it. i immediately put a bandage back on it after the communication and i am not considering it a failure of my objective. i did not pick or make war with my skin. it is a clear reminder that even at this stage of the game, the effort is not over. habits are difficult indeed to break. again, congrats and best wishes for continued success !! :)
On March 10th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
two weeks?!?!?! wow i'm reading a miracle story right now!! two weeks boy oh boy - well you are my inspiration now. i have virtually met someone that is proving that it is possible after all. wow x 10! And no doubt the urges are definitely trying to get to me. but, i want to heal. i have to! and you know, if you are still having urges at two weeks that doesn't mean that anything is wrong with you - that's why we are trying to reach 40 days because THAT is when the urges supposedly will stop. (p.s. when you get there, i'd really like to know if that's true or not) Also, i heard somewhere else that it takes 20 days to break a habit. 40 sounds more legit. well, today was day 4 for me. this sucks. that's all i can say at this point about the urges, other than that, i wish i'd heal faster...
On March 10th, 2010 wildflower said:
4 days is great too!! congratulations! you can do it. keep with it. what is your regimen to help with the healing? many of my spots are still pink but healed over. rather than scratch myself now i massage or just give a gentle rub, loving touches. :)
On March 11th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
massage is good. my problems are mainly my hands and fingers. basically, i know that moisture and circulation are key factors in healing. i try to use lotion that isn't filled with alcohol - perfume isn't really really my priority, that'll make them smell good yet dry out faster.. green tea lotion is good or cocoa butter, gold bond for extra dry skin is good too. i spent last summer in korea and the humidity there was great - they were literally healed, completely, by the time i came back here. i should have kept them that way. but i'm working on it.. i keep them clean, lotion up after i wash and put gloves on before i go to bed (or earlier to fight urges) and sometimes i rub them to get for a minute to generate heat and get the blood flowing. the more heat and moisture, the faster they heal (also, heat causes atomic particles to move faster, so those in the skin and blood will be affected). all i have to do now is not touch them! day 5 though...this is hard actually. i must focus on other things..
On March 11th, 2010 wildflower said:
have you tried putting bandages on overnight? sores heal so so so so much faster. it's like they're in that warm climate. the body heat and moisture not escaping must be what helps. it also keeps fingers from disturbing the healing process. and if i don't leave my home i'll keep my bandages on for a full day and a second night and that really really helps them heal. that's great that you're on day 5 !!! woooo hoooo. way to go!
On March 11th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
Bandages...no I actually haven't tried that. that sounds like a great idea though, i will try them. and yep, day 5 :D Wow this is so great! i remember when i was just so sick of feeling depressed over this and decided to look it up over the internet and found this site. making my first post was SOO awkward because NO ONE could know that i actually do this to myself - i've never met anyone else who did it. it's so amazing that i have actually come so far after making that first post. i mean, i know i'm only on day 5, but we're talking about it so openly! discussing ways to quit, ways to heal, and i don't feel awkward and alone anymore. there are other people that do this and we're trying to stop to together with mutual support! lol i'm just feeling really thankful right now all of a sudden. i have to say, even though i haven't met anyone on this site in person, i feel like quitting isn't so hard and scary when i have other people with a similar problem to talk to about it. thanks!!! wow my posts are always so long...
On March 7th, 2010 40daysfromnow said:
I WAS on day 10.... now I'm on day 2. :( The urges were fine.. I just lost control for a bit. I am finding taking out light bulbs in the bathroom and only using candle light is a great idea (provided by another member here). Im going to go 40 days now. I have lots of great tips, lots of support and I'm so sick of my skin. I think this is really it. Day two is going alright. I can't wait for healthy skin again in 38 more days.
On March 8th, 2010 wildflower said:
i'm so sorry to hear you lost it for a bit but am very pleased to hear you are determined to go for 40. great attitude. after a setback you're only stronger. if you made it 10 days you can go longer. power to you and all the best !! keep posting :)
On March 3rd, 2010 moonlightblonde said:
I want to try this too but need support. I pick bad and wear makeup all the time to cover up the wounds. Seriously, I wake up and put concealer on just so my family doesn't have to see what I have done to myself. Starting yesterday I wore NO makeup. All day/all night. Such a thing shouldn't be this difficult. I am trying for today too. I just want to give my face a chance to clear up a bit. It is scary embarrassing to do this. I feel naked. I went to school like this too. It is hard to think about what people are being forced to endure. I have bdd. I have a huge phobia of mirrors. I can't look in them - well, unless picking but it is a different kind of focus. Even when wearing makeup all the time I had to keep the bathroom dark while I put it on. In order to not wear makeup I have been having to look in the mirror even less. I have a lung infection and am on an inhaler and everything right now =( coughing screwed up something in my back too so I can hardly move. I have a toddler so this is not an easy thing to deal with. As soon as I am better I want to make an effort to go to the gym and start taking care of myself for a change. I would like to do this makeup free too. I want to use makeup to enhance not as a shield to hide behind & right now that just isn't possible.
On March 3rd, 2010 emmy1017 said:
Well I made it 9 days... and now it's been at least a month since I even tried to start again! My face is really bad right now and my fiance hates that I pick especially when I pick at him! I really NEED to get this under control! My mom said I should stop wasting money on a dermatologists and see a psycologist instead! OK well tomorrow I am going to try to start again because somethings gotta give!
On March 3rd, 2010 wildflower said:
i believe your mom might be onto something. i don't believe dermatologists are the answer. not alone, anyway. there is acne and then there's picking and the two are separate illnesses. the former can be treated somewhat medicinally, but the latter, being a psychological compulsion needs to be addressed with a different approach. cognitive therapy is one such approach. thought might be given to hypnotherapy. there are people reporting benefits by both. at least that is something to think about. and there's nutritionists that could also be consulted to investigate diet. i suggest looking into all avenues that might assist you with your struggle to win the battle. if you made it 9 days once, you can do it again, and longer. all the best to you. good luck.
On February 27th, 2010 wildflower said:
after a few set backs i think i might be up to this now. i'm almost at day three with 64 hours under my belt :):):) and by the time i wake up tomorrow i'll be there !!! :):):) although my finger pads still explore from time to time, i'm resisting letting my fingernails get involved and have not touched my tweezers. dare i say i'm feeling proud of myself?
On February 28th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
good for you! hang in there! that's fine if you're on day 3 right now too. i've seen you post a little while ago about starting this and i did too - and here i am - i just finished day 1! again!!!!!! well here goes. tomorrow will be day 2. again. just so i can start fresh, and try not to pick again, again. Really, I was doing REALLY well for awhile there - and then i had this HUGE assignment at school that i was REALLY lost on and it was due in a matter of hours. i was SO stressed that and felt so bad that i just started picking ALL the fresh skin that had FINALLYYYYY grown back. it felt good since the skin was thick and ready to be picked and came off so smoothly, but i felt horrible too because i knew i was putting myself right back where i really DID NOT want to go AT ALL. now tomorrow is day 2, but midterms are next week!!! will i be able to make it through midterms week or will i crack under the pressure and make my skin pay for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well hopefully i'll spend my picking time studying instead...that should help my skin and my grades!! come on, nerves....we can do this.....day 2 here i come... oh yeah and guys, go to the gym if you can. i just started and i found that being active make me feel good, relieves stress, and oddly enough, makes my skin heal faster.
On March 1st, 2010 40daysfromnow said:
Could be totally wrong here... but I think excersize releases corticosteroids which have an anti-inflamatory effect. So it could make blemishes less painful/noticable.
On February 28th, 2010 wildflower said:
thank you! i do intend to hang in there. sorry to hear you had a setback. it is not odd at all, by the way, that your visits to the gym are helping your skin heal. if you research wound healing you will learn that increased blood flow helps the process. and exercise simply helps you feel good. gyms aren't my thing but i hope with the end of winter coming soon that i will get out walking again and i know that, together with more sunlight, will also help with everything. i hope you manage to handle the stress you're faced with regarding your midterms without taking it out on your skin. study hard, exhaust yourself exercising, and sleep lots and well. sleep allows the healing too. all the best to you!
On March 2nd, 2010 ocdFreak said:
Thanks 40daysfromnow and wildflower - i hope you guys accomplish alot in this ordeal.. but that's true eh? that abstaining from a habit will make the urges go away after 40 days? i hope so because this is really hard for me right now! midterms and all.... yesterday i picked a little but i think i may have went overboard...it was getting hard for awhile there to decide when i've crossed the line - or even where the line is - so i've decided to start over at day 1 again and not pick at all this time. i have to be serious with this, because all this starting over all the time is just not going to make me better at all. and i want all of us to heal - mentally and physically. and my birthday is this Saturday!!!!!!!!! a week's worth of untouched skin will be a present to myself.......wwwhhhoooo i hope i can do this! good luck to you all!!
On March 2nd, 2010 40daysfromnow said:
Thanks :) I have gone 6.5 days now and the urges are very weak now. I don't think it even takes 40 days. I think 20-30 is plenty. I tried antibacterial bandages. They are a bit more expensive. I put them on overnight and in the morning the wound area was soooo much better. Then DONT touch it, do it again the next night and it should be healed in no time. Good luck!
On March 3rd, 2010 wildflower said:
i agree with you. the urges are weaker. they're still there, but weaker. yes, bandages help a bunch. congrats on your success too !! ... seems we're neck and neck !! ... congrats to both of us !! ... keep up the good work ((hugs))
On March 2nd, 2010 wildflower said:
how about trying to implement a few rules re picking? like no fingernails and no tools. exfoliate only with a wash cloth. and at night for overnight put bandages on any spots you might unconsciously pick at, especially open sores so they have a chance to heal while you sleep. these might help you get further along and hopefully to your birthday. and beyond! i hpe you have a happy birthday regardless.
On March 7th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
thanks guys - and the urges are really that much weaker eh? that is amazing and awesome! well my last exam was yesterday and i got REALLY stressed out and picked.. it's going to seem non-progressive for me to have to start over from day one again, but i should i think. it is my birthday today!! and i've made some birthday resolutions. there are good habits that i should tone and some bad ones that i really just don't want to spend the rest of my life with. picking is one of those - now that i am a year older, i am not going to pick anymore. i thought i would have outgrown this by now but i clearly haven't so i have to really put an end to it. i want to change myself for the better this year, after all, fresh skin and no urges to pick at it would be the best birthday present i could ever give myself. You guys really gave me inspiration just now. diminishing urges, and wow 6 days from now my urges could possibly subside that much?!?!?! i can't wait!! all i have to do is get past the first 3 days, stress or no stress. 3 days is not a lot (of course each passing minute does seem to add up after a while...) but i'll walk around with fists or hands in my pockets all day if i have to just to keep them occupied. Once again, buenas suerte! good luck!
On February 25th, 2010 nikwhorox said:
I have struggled with picking (among other bad habits) since I was younger...but never really knew what the problem was, or if there was a name for it. I am in an abnormal psychology class this semester and the past few days in lecture have been a bit uncomfortable (I happen to sit in the first row) when we've been discussing self-harm. Today I spent several hours researching online and came across answers to a lot of my questions. I have grown so frustrated with this compulsion over the years, and the scars I have developed because of it -- it is time for me to change this! So starting tomorrow morning, I will begin the forty day plan. Wish me luck!
On February 23rd, 2010 fadetoblack said:
I just can't make it through day 1! And when I give in and pick a little I just throw in the towel and pick everything. I feel like such a failure:( Thanks for letting me vent.
On February 23rd, 2010 wildflower said:
i know how you feel. i truly do. try putting bandages on them at a time that they can be left on for the night. only take them off if you have to for presentation's sake. a bandage makes them that little bit more unavailable for a little bit longer and if they heal to such a point that you're not apt to pick at it that should be celebrated. celebrate each one you manage to NOT pick and hope the number of them only grows. good luck to ya.
On February 23rd, 2010 fadetoblack said:
I've tried bandaids but am apparently allergic to the adhesive as they leave red welts on my body - which I then pick:( I also tried the liquid bandage stuff but then just really wanted to peel it off. What kind of bandages do you use? Maybe if I got gauze and cloth tape that would work.
On February 24th, 2010 wildflower said:
i reacted to many types of bandages too and decided it must be the latex in many of them. so, for a long long time (now believing i personally keep the company in business!! ) i use one kind most of the time. that is, the clear, round, latex-free riteaid bandages. and i've learned not to let anything, esp oils, interact with them. i've tried various ointments and lotions on the pad, honey even, but have come to the conclusion that applying the bandage itself onto newly cleaned skin works best. some sores will have enough time to heal over night but more serious ones require being covered longer.i can keep them on the same spot for days at a time successfully under clothing to allow healing to happen. with the sores covered, i leave them alone and they have a fighting chance to heal. when i can, and when needed (all too often actually) i will make a day i don't have to go out into the world a bandage day where i keep my bandages on that i would normally take off as long as i can). about the bandages, i even resort to customizing them by cutting them creatively to make larger ones for larger sores (eg. cutting part of the adhesive edge off and then laying it on another to lengthen the pad). i don't know where i'd be without them. i'd imagine infection would have gotten the better of me by now. now i just must learn to stop picking once and for all so that i don't need them what so ever.
On February 22nd, 2010 ocdFreak said:
Yeah it's hard when your fingers just kind of make it there on their own. One thing I've noticed is that going 'cold-turkey' is really effing hard. In fact, that is why the first 2 days are the hardest. Ok, now this may seem counter intuitive and even cheating a bit, but this is what I found. When going cold-turkey, the urges were insatiable!!! I could not make it past day two without picking - so then I'd go back to day one, and the urges were still just as strong!! So i was on a cycle of day 1, day 2, day1, day 2 for about a week when i decided that on day two, instead of the cold-turkey thing, i'd ween myself off. so Friday was day 1 again, and I made it through, then yesterday at day 2 i smoothed something out that took less than 10 seconds (i made sure it was short, since 'normal' people take that long) and rather than fuel the fire, it just quieted the urges a bit until i could write stuff on this site. Today is now day 3, and the urges were not as strong today!! That is because I didn't hold off until I went crazy. I was thirsty for it, and so i gave myself a tiny sip to tide me over. I think that is the trick. but now, in order for the 40 day thing to really work, i just have to not pick at all now. so hopefully, and with lots of lotion and not looking at my hands and maybe even gloves if i have to, i will make it through without the horrific urges i got while quitting cold turkey. there will be urges, but hopefully not as strong. What do you think about all of this?
On February 22nd, 2010 wildflower said:
i agree with the difficulty of going cold turkey and the self recrimination we subject ourselves to for failing a 100% or bust effort. i think that we should be able to forgive ourselves for lesser picking crimes when we are trying in earnest to improve ourselves. i'd vote for not having to count a slight slippage in expectations and only feel the need to officially start the 40 day effort completely over if a severe picking episode occurs. severity, i suppose, can be pretty subjective and perhaps could be left to our consciousness. i doubt any of us could fool ourselves to the finish line and would think that efforts would only get better and better after fewer and fewer small failures.
On February 24th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
>>efforts would only get better and better after fewer and fewer small failures. you are exactly right!! And actually, today would have been DAY 5 for me, i think, but I actually did end up slipping. my little sip for the picking urge turned into the kind of gulp where, during the act, i heard myself saying 'stop now...that's enough' but it got the best of me and did it for a half hour before i actually jumped out of that zone and stopped myself. SOOOOOOOOOOOO, today at 1pm, DAY ONE started ALL over again. But this time, I have had practice with not picking. I rehearsed, for 5 days, what works ( maybe a sip to tide over the urge, but if you're stressed at that moment - NO sip, you'll be more likely to go overboard...) the best so far. So here goes. day one today, tomorrow at 1pm day 2 starts. I'll finish this.
On February 24th, 2010 wildflower said:
kudos to you for going 5 days !!!!! i'm sure your skin healed up a bunch and you have fewer sores than when you started. keep up the good work. the more times you have such successes the closer the goal will be. [i have yet to make it past 2 days :( ..... ]
On February 21st, 2010 ocdFreak said:
ok. Today is day 2. It is really fukcing hard. sorry for the language. i am doing a lot better than usual though. usually by now i would have spent an hour and probably more than that sitting by myself picking loads of skin and telling myself that i should stop but not really being able to stop at all until i bled or felt the physical pain of raw flesh exposed. wow that was graphic sorry...but today, while i'm glad my picking has been cut down a lot, i'm not glad that i did pick a little bit - it took under a minute and i was able to stop myself - that is a first for me, this whole process is.... so for that this will still be day 2 (is that cheating?????) and if i pick anything again than, back to day one for me. also, what is the difference between normal and abnormal picking? normal people will pick at something nonchallantly and not obsess over it while abnormal people will spend hours until the bleed and hurt. so perhaps what i did today was normal...but right now i feel like obsessing which is why i had to run back to this site to type out my whole issue lol. thanks for listening!
On February 21st, 2010 agirl said:
No, doing it for one minute is not cheating (I think)! If often helps to remore a black head or two, to easen the feeling of stress. I use a four minute limit. Tho dangerous, off cause, as I automatically start looking for more, more, more. It sounds like you are doing well! Fingers crossed you will go to bed tonight feeling a little bit stronger. And again, I think it's OK if u pick only for a few mintes - try not to think black and white about it - a little picking doesnt hurt you. That's not an invitation to go picking tho! Any others with experience on picking "just a little"? Does it work for you, or do you have to stop completely in order not to go into a "picking rush"?
On February 21st, 2010 Becky77 said:
I agree! How about we start by being kind to ourselves as our first priority. I love this 40 day idea, but I think it can best work if we are willing to give ourselves a break or two or a hundred. As it is, we beat ourselves up with our hands or teeth, or whatever. Then, we come in 'to the rescue' with a black-or-white ultimatum. One slip-up and we fail and have to start over!? So, daring to resist hurting ourselves physically for one hour or ten days becomes worthless except to prove what utter failures we are, which gives us the next good excuse to beat ourselves up again... How about adding a way to get back on track without losing the progress we've made? That's how I set up projects for my 4 year old, whose self-esteem I care deeply about nurturing. For myself, I have really needed to recognize that there is some bullying going on with the picking- the day I realized I needed to stop and be loving to myself, things started to get better for the first time. I spend my life trying to protect others, and suddenly I saw that the one being I am charged with breathing and feeding and grooming and caring for, was crying out for protection. Does this make sense to anyone else? I know for some people these things are just bad habbits, but for a lot of us, including myself, I think it goes a lot deeper. Facing the pain and learning to be kind and loving to myself has been turning my life around, and in the process, the skin issues seem to be just melting away, slowly, but solidly. Has anybody else thought about starting with 40 days of loving kindness toward yourself... Then on to the skin?
On February 20th, 2010 Ginger_Snapp said:
So I've tried to do this before. I had nearly a week and a half down before I went all out again. I am solely on the purpose of getting rid of my acne (where ever it decides to crop up) and picking seems to be the answer my brain gives me. Last night I picked, and my mom was so mad at me. She send me to my room for the night. We were going to go out to dinner and to the movies, as a family. I felt awful. And the worse part was, I kept thinking about how I had to get back to a mirror to finish picking! Then I got in the shower this morning, and the more I thought about it, the more I decided it was time. I've been dancing around the idea that this is actually a MENTAL PROBLEM, but always thought I was just being dramatic. Well, Im here - Im ready to check in. I know that I already picked today, but Im hoping that no one will mind, because I have to start right now. HELLO DAY ONE. P.S. For actual conversations and moral support here is my email: Cadenk@bellsouth.net Anyone like the idea of starting a chatroom?
On February 20th, 2010 agirl said:
Hi. I too have just come to the realization that skin picking is actually a mental illness and not me being "weak", weird or whatever. I have been skin picking for 6 years. I am now 24. I struggle with this problem every day still, but know now that I will manage to put an end to my problems. So can you!
On February 20th, 2010 rosie said:
Hey everyone, yesterday was my day 1... but it didn't work out quite so perfect (but still way better than normal!) and then today was my day one again! And it's been really good! Not perfect... but still really really good because I'm not giving in to all the temptations! It really helps for me if when I'm in the bathroom or walking by a mirror I don't even look in it! Not even once! And if I do, I do NOT let myself get up close to it. Even if I have to yell at myself to stop myself or make a funny face. I feel stupid, but it helps. Or I look myself right in the eyes and remind myself of all my potential and how sad this behaviour is. Maybe that'll help some of you... Good luck everyone!!!! Get through day 1 and Day 2 will be easier!
On February 19th, 2010 fadetoblack said:
I made it to the evening of Day 1 - let's hope I can continue!
On February 20th, 2010 fadetoblack said:
I failed:( Oh well, try again tomorrow...
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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.