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wildflower , 14 Mar 2010

Commit to healthy practices

Feel free to add suggestions of your own. --- a guide for daily health practices --- CLEAN your skin – use a gentle cleanser nightly with warm water, not hot. Hot water dehydrates. Do a final rinse with cool water to close pores and calm inflammation. Do it lovingly -- BANDAGE open sores - keep bandages on as long as possible to allow healing. Bandages deter sores from being picked at and keep wounds moist and protected from contamination -- MOISTURIZE your skin - avoiding bandaged areas. Use gentle effective moisturizers such as olive oil, Cetaphyl, or Aveeno, etc. especially in dry climates and seasons -- SLEEP well - Get 7hrs + nightly on bedding cleaned weekly (consider fragrance hypoallergenic laundry detergent) -- CLEAN gently with warm water and cool rinse in the morning -- MOISTURIZE again. -- DO NOT PICK – use what deterrents help: snapping an elastic on your wrist, wearing gloves, using only candle light in bathrooms, sitting on hands watching tv, driving with both hands on the wheel, bandages kept on sores under clothing, avoiding situations used previously, anything that helps -- take a MULTIVITAMIN -- DRINK LOTS OF WATER throughout the day -- EAT WELL – a good diet for skin includes whole grains, water, green tea, omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, walnuts, flax seeds, avocados), low fat yogurt, berries (esp blue berries), nuts (esp walnuts, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, pistachios), cottage cheese, mangoes, whole grains, good oils (olive, safflower, canola), and carrots/sweet potatoes -- AVOID too much caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, sugar, and fried foods -- EXERCISE – take walks at minimum. It stimulates anti-depressant activity in the brain naturally -- AVOID STRESS/EMPLOY STRESS MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES – research this to see what you can do within your limitations. Seek help with this. It may be the underlying cause of CPD -- NETWORK with others that understand skin picking disorders. -- SUPPORT EACH OTHER – this is the best, to know we are not alone. -- RESEARCH relevant topics: wound healing, skin needs, picking disorders, stress management. Information is power. Best wishes to all. And again, feel free to add tips and suggestions that have worked for you and may for others. We are in this together.
20 Answers
inner_turmoil
March 15, 2010
thank you so much for this. Very helpful tips. I should read this daily! xxx
allegory
March 15, 2010

In reply to by inner_turmoil

This was really helpful, thanks for posting. I think changing the behaviour from destructive to healing is going to be the first step for me and if I were to put my energy into these things instead of picking/biting/stressing I'd be halfway there. Have been good to myself so far today and this forum is helping me stay on track. :)
wildflower
March 17, 2010

In reply to by inner_turmoil

it is my hope that people will adopt these principles committedly. surely, if adhered to, so many problems would become history. replace bad habits with good ones for long enough and the bad habits will eventually be gone.
wildflower
March 18, 2010
cheftk mentioned in her "i missed all of you" post an interesting technique called "body talk therapy". it is a holistic approach that i believe merits investigation also believing that within each of us is power to successfully address many of our own concerns with commitment and diligence to healthy practices. the mind is powerful and our bodies are complex energy systems that merit our investigating the innate healing potential within.
wildflower
March 20, 2010
please, if you have any tips or suggestions to add to this list of helpful healthy practices to tackle this disorder, please add them to assist others in their difficult times. we need positive information here to encourage each other.
wildflower
March 21, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

debfl555 mentioned in a post that NAC N-acetyl cysteine a specially modified form of the dietary amino acid cysteine thought to help the body make the important antioxidant enzyme glutathione is helping her with her battle with skin picking.
wildflower
March 23, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

all this is working fabulously for me !! i am 4 WEEKS tomorrow with NO PICKING! if you are also beating dermatillomania, please add your tactics here to help others. if you are seeking a solution, begin with committing to these healthy practices and whatever else necessary. it feel fabulous at this point in time for me and i'm hopeful i've broken the cycle and wish that for everyone. <3
wildflower
March 28, 2010
rewards work. use facials, manicures, pedicures, massage sessions, anything that makes you feel rewarded for making it past a certain period. entice yourself to health! :)
wildflower
March 30, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

i can't stress enough how important and helpful healthy practices are and have proven to help me with my success so far. i am at DAY 35 in the 40 day challenge and feel it is directly due to a committed effort to replace my bad habits with healthy practices. i'm sure i've not listed all the possibilities out there. please add to this topic with other tactics that others might find inspiration to try incorporating or even provide your thoughts on this topic. let's keep these healthy suggestions alive for all to find and consider. :)
wildflower
April 04, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

DAY 40 of 40 !! these practices have brought me to the end and i'm vowing to keep this up one day at a time now. i still have urges. i'm getting bumps and white heads and the like but i am resisting the urges and am being loving to my skin rather than being at war with it doing it a total injustice. my skin has healed and i feel proud. i have made significant headway with changing years and years of horrible self destructive behaviours into healthy practices and that's proof that it is possible. i'm not unique. i just got serious. that's what it takes.
40daysfromnow
April 04, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

Yay!!! I'm so happy for you! I'm on day 8... You must feel so good that you made it so long. I hope you continue treating your skin delicately even though you are done the 40 days! So proud of you!
wildflower
April 04, 2010

In reply to by 40daysfromnow

and i am thrilled for you!!! how are *you* feeling?? you must be experiencing some wonderful feelings. what differences are you noticing? what is it that is helping you along? and me? i do intend to keep at this, one day at a time. many thanks for your support. i know you've been with me in this. ((hugs)) and <3 <3 <3
40daysfromnow
April 04, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

:) I am feeling fairly good. It is nice to see the marks fade and motivating knowing that if I keep this up they will fade completely soon. The warming weather and Easter has made me more cheerful, so I have less stress = less picking urges. I have been using a sticker chart again to visualize my progress. Being aware of my "risky times" (right after I wash my face in the morning and before bed) has helped me because I can prepare myself for the temptation. I have been washing my bedding more often and have stayed away from harsh face products. I also read this forum obsessively. When I see new posts, it reminds me that we are all fighting this together and the support encourages me to keep fighting against it. I can't thank you guys enough. Hugs to you too Wildflower :) You've been so helpful.
moonowl
April 05, 2010

In reply to by wildflower

Many, many congratulations!!!! I have been 'trying', but have failed to make it even one day without picking yet. I feel more stressed out than I have in a long, long time and I can't tell if it's the trying not to pick pushing me over the edge or if it's the stress making it impossible for me to not pick. Either way, I HAVE to figure this out because I just have way too many things to manage right now, most importantly being my kids. I totally agree with you that living a healthy lifestyle is essential to succeeding in something like this. I do for the most part, but time constraints during this season of my life do make it very difficult to find a whole lot of peace. Exercise is absolutely essential to maintaining my sanity, and finding the time to do it regularly has been near impossible for the last many, many months. But, I'm digressing. I don't want to take away from your success and achievement by complaining. It's just that it's been crisis time for me lately with all this, which is how I ended up here in the first place, and I'm still trying to get it all out. 40 days!!! I hope you celebrated lovingly today! And even though the urges remain, I hope that they continue to subside for you. Keep it up!
wildflower
April 05, 2010

In reply to by moonowl

thank you so much !! and never apologize for including info about you. we're here for each other. believe me, i hear you. i know how it is having to deal with so many obligations and how easy it is to put yourself lower on the totem pole. i couldn't do what i have just managed to do for soooooooo many years, but i didn't have the information that we do now and perhaps much more that is needed. that i've since acquired the tools and have been successful (so far anyway) i hope to help anyone receptive through the process so don't mind your expressing yourself. as for my day, it wasn't the best, but it was in the sense that i managed not to pick in spite of it. just keep trying, even tho life will go on being that way - trying. i'll keep watching your posts. :)
wildflower
May 21, 2010
these practices have been working for me. EDIT - FOR THE MOST PART - i have only picked 3 EDIT - 5 times in 11 EDIT - 12 weeks now !! it does get easier, but there still are urges from time to time. i just keep vigilant and remind myself to love my skin rather than harm it ......... all the best to everyone in their quest to address your skin issues. <3 <3 <3 EDIT - replacing good habits for the bad habits and being responsible regarding skin and body care is very important but exercising mind over matter is a very important component that must not be let up upon. i am intelligent, i am strong. i will overcome this. i will overcome this. i will overcome this. i will be good to my skin. i will be responsible.
wildflower
May 14, 2010
i have added oil pulling to my regimen. from my research, the practice can't hurt (unless you have an allergy to a particular oil - then just change oils) and if it helps, the great !! ---------------------->> http://www.nhne.org/news/NewsArticlesArchive/tabid/400/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/3652/language/en-US/Concerning-Oil-Pulling-A-Reported-Cure-For-Almost-Everything.aspx
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