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Dlee12 , 29 May 2012

Family

Its been about 5yrs since i started to pick. It started with my heals of my feet and now as progressed to picking at my scalp, and the skin around my finger nails. For the past five years my family is constantly telling me to stop. Saying that its disgusting and all that rubbish that i already know. Just recently i found out that this picking of my heels and scalp have a name, and im not the only one that does this. It made me feel better in some sense and even hopeful that people where able to stop with some therapy and support. I told my parents about disease and everything and they completely brushed it off. saying that its not that hard to stop and i just need to have self control. but i cant stop and when they tell me these are simple things to control i just go and pick my heels and scalp until they bleed. I want to stop my skin picking and have my family's actually talk to me about it when i try to put in the effort but i dont know how. Anyone please give me suggestions im open for them all. thanks
4 Answers
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sunshinefunk
May 29, 2012
If I go into the bathroom and start gazing at the mirror, my husband yells my name. Hearing it pulls me out of the "trance" and I just walk away. Only helps if he is home, though!
kelly
May 30, 2012
I'm writing because I feel similarly about my family. They tell me it is gross, or ask what has happened to my face, especially my dad and brother. They all seem to think it's the same as biting your nails or another bad habit. I have tried to talk to them about it but they just don't understand. My mom has done some research in effort to understand my situation, but I feel like I can't talk to anyone about this. I really would like some support from my family also, but maybe we need to get support outside of our families? I feel pretty hopeless with mine.
AshleyShapira
May 30, 2012
My favorite comment from my family is, "Just stop"... I feel like if there was a way to explain what it's like on our end it would end the ignorance and misunderstanding enough to get much needed support from loved ones. I've spent the last 5 hours searching Netflix and YouTube for a short video that accurately explains what it's like from our perspective WITH OUT making us look crazy. Has anybody found a short video clip or documentary that might accomplish this? ...my boyfriend of 4 months just learned I wake up early to put on foundation to keep him from seeing how severe it is. He says, "I hear what you're saying and I can connect what you're saying to your behavior but I just don't understand why you do it." ...As kind as he says it and as much as I know he wants to help and support me, what I hear when he's saying that is, "JUST STOP."
Sarah-108
May 30, 2012
Ashley, this is not really a documentary, but as I was looking through old posts on the forum I found this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQTHIXJc290. I find this video says so much without actually saying anything at all. I know I am blessed to have a boyfriend that has been supportive of me and tells me I'm beautiful no matter what. I know that most people don't understand, but then again my family is one of those family that knows that I do it, they just never say anything about it. I am really just trying to heal for myself. I feel like it is a journey that not only affects my outside appearance, but how I feel inside. I think all of us pickers just want to feel happy with ourselves. I want to be the confident woman I know I can be, not the monster I see in the mirror.

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