How to stop picking.

Hi to all those who have been suffering for years from this awful addiction- skin picking. I have too- I think it started one winter maybe 8-9 years ago when the ball of my foot was very dry and hard, and I started picking it while watching TV- and after picking the first corner it left a rough part which only tempted and invited me to keep picking at it- and i did every time i sat in front of the TV, often when I was bored and sometimes after showering when it would be easy to peel chucks off. Soon it left my foot looking ugly and i've hidden it since, sometimes it would bleed but i would feel a sense of stress-relief or satisfaction from picking the skin off- the bigger the piece of skin the better it would feel. Anyways i don't know what it is but I am pretty sure it's more of a stress-reliever, addiction and habit caused by daily stress/anxiety- i don't think it's self harm or the cause is anything severe because I am a young, relatively good looking girl with lots going for me- i have a caring husband and darling baby boy- i consider myself happy in life and so i am determined to get over this and stop the picking. It's the first week but it's actually going well- my foot already looks far better then it did a week ago- and I want to share my 'recovery' and 'overcoming' this with others so it motivates me more and helps others. 1. Motivate, Plan and Decide- the first thing you need to do is motivate yourself by perhaps looking at pictures of normal, healthy feet, or buy a nice pair of open sandals for the next summer and aim to wear them! Or set yourself goals and rewards- for example- i decided every 3 days i'll treat myself and my husband to starbucks in the evening- they have new holiday drinks at the moment, which we want to enjoy- however only if i haven't been picking! Then i planned on how to prevent temptation to pick- for example- keep feet moisturized and soft, keep socks on, hide sharp objects you use to help pick- and lastly you have to 'decide' in your heart and mind that you are going to stop and heal your foot. 2. Preparation and fixing- before stopping the picking you need to prep the feet and smooth the skin so that there are no uneven, rough bits inviting you to pick at them. So go and buy 3 items- 1) A foot shaver such as the 'Ped-egg'- believe me it's really good- read the instructions so you know the best way to use it and shave, shave, shave! Shave every day for about 15-20 mins until you are satisfied that the area is smooth and soft- and do it around the time you usually pick your foot- then 2. Buy and apply a good foot cream after shaving- and keep applying every time you can- when your feet feel dry, before bed and even better when you feel the urge to pick! The third item you should buy is a simple 'foot pumice' stone- which you should use every morning under warm water- scrub your foot with it for about 10 mins every morning and then apply the cream again. TRUST ME- AFTER ONE SHAVING, MOISTURIZING AND SCRUB YOU'LL SEE A DIFFERENCE. 3. Prevent picking- this one is probably going to be the hardest! Find something else to do whilst watching tv or when you're bored perhaps take up a new hobby which utilizes your hands- maybe origami or some other arts and crafts and maybe treat your feet to a foot soak while doing it. And if all else fails and you really feel the need to pick then keep a bowl of tangerines or oranges and peel them instead- i know it might sound extreme but remember you've been picking for years so its not going to be easy- i've been doing these things on and off for a week and it's really helped- plus my feet are looking much better now- i can't wait for them to be healed so that i don't have to hide the soul of my foot from even my husband and be embarrassed and terrified of someone seeing my foot! Anyways i hope my advise and 'story' helps others- just go and buy a foot shaver, pumice stone and good foot cream- once you start seeing your feet look and feel normal and healthy it will motivate you further and you'll be on the way to recovery! Best of luck all!