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claxon89 , 31 Jan 2014

Anyone find that weed helps?

I've picked since I was about 11, and I'm 24 now. I primarily pick my face, although my back also gets some. I used to pick my legs, breasts, and bikini line, but that's stopped as I've gotten older. I pick because of stress, self-soothing, and also because I love the feeling of getting zits, pimples, etc, out of my skin. CBT has never helped, medication didn't really help, the only thing I've found that did was hypnosis. I did it once, and didn't pick for about one whole week, the longest I've ever gone. It was amazing, I think I need to try it again. But in the meantime, I noticed once when I tried weed with my ex, that my urge to pick just melted away. I felt so happy, and calm, and completely free of the uncomfortable, itchy, dirty feeling that normally makes me want to pick. I know medical weed is illegal in most states, but does anyone know of or has anyone used weed to cope with picking? Do any doctors recommend it? I wish medical weed was legal in my state, bc if it was, I can only imagine how much my life would improve vis a vis stress and picking if I could treat it with a combo of weed and hypnosis.
13 Answers
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fentagurl
February 01, 2014
I'd skip the hypnosis and invest in dome Med marijuana if I were you, relief from stress is a good thing and an alternative method of medicating, get a catd don't make it hard.
OnyxOrchid
March 25, 2014
We have the same life. lol. I have also tried CBT and found that it was not helpful at all. I've tried lots of other things and the one thing that I always come back to is smoking weed. I have a very similar experience, with everything just kind of slowing down and that irresistible urge taking a backseat to how good you feel while high. I'm happy that you brought this up because I've always smoked weed, I'm 31 and started smoking it in grade 9. Over the years, I've found that there are far more personal benefits to marijuana than just "..getting high, man.." I use it to redirect my skin picking urges, to fall asleep when I'm super stressed, to relax all of the random muscles that cramp up while I'm in awkward picking positions, etc. I find that I am far more comfortable using weed than taking a cocktail of prescriptions that are full of chemicals that may or may not work to alleviate my issues.
aaronbti
April 02, 2014
I am 23 years old and have picked my skin around my fingernails for as long as I can remember. I have never been able to stop. I started college when I was 19, was introduced to marijuana by a good friend. My life was changed forever. To this day I smoke, and my skin picking is minimal. If it was legal in my state I would never pick again. Sometimes if I cant get out of the house to take a hit, I pick my skin till I bleed, then I move to the next finger. The feeling of stress relief I get from peeling my skin back and yanking a decent chunk of it off is indescribable. It's pleasurable and relaxing to slowly feel the ripping skin and see the new fresh pink layer underneath. Picking my nails is the same way. If I have my leather-man on me, I take out a small serrated knife and carve off some nail. But if I can medicate and get the stress relief from smoking, I don't touch my fingers ONCE all day long.
utopia78
April 03, 2014
I've picked for most of my life, mainly scabs on my legs, skin around my nails and scalp - I pick until my skin bleeds and I almost then feel relief. I'm 35yrs old and have been a marijuana smoker for yrs, pretty much on a daily basis. I found that I'd still pick at anything, no matter how stoned I was. It may help for you ?! It didn't help for me and I've now stopped smoking weed and my realization of my obsessive picking has really heightened. I think it's a good thing as I now have better self awareness and try doing something about it.
pickynikki03
April 14, 2014
Well ive been smoking pot on a regular basis for many years and although i dont feel it has helped me stop picking i certinaly know it helps with my stress and anxiety so if it helps u feel tht relaxed i wud say a.go for it! B.maybe ur picking is from stress and anxiety its sounds obviouses but i know i pick wen im stressed so maybe you could focus and other destressers!
silkemarie
May 12, 2014
I tried weed for the first time last summer and found that it definitely helped me relax. I have obsessive thoughts and end up fixating on something stupid for days at a time, then I try NOT to pick, which stresses me out more...it's a terrible cycle. I have found that different strains of weed affect me differently, unfortunately I don't know what they were....but I've learned to be careful. If I get too far gone I come out of it covered in blood and a billion fresh wounds. Other kinds mellow me out and I can't imagine why I ever did it in the first place. Alas, it is not legal in my state either. Hopefully soon! I'd love to experiment with different strains and their effects, there's a lot of reading to be done online about it so if you've tried it but it didn't help or made it worse, maybe try a different strain?
Atif khan
July 23, 2014
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MrSkin
August 26, 2015

Yes. In my opinion that is. When I'm under the influence of pot I have no desire to chew or eat my skin. I don't know why.

MrSkin
August 26, 2015

Also, as said above, I agree that it tends to make me forget my obsession of skin chewing

NotTooPicky
August 07, 2017

Smoking weed ABSOLUTELY CURED me of urges to pick. I am a college student and bite the tops of my fingers and the area on my finger between the bottom knuckle and middle knuckle to the point of bleeding, swelling, and the skin keeps growing back thicker and thicker, leaving me with welts. I especially like biting the hairs out of my fingers and pulling them out by the root. When I am at school, I smoke weed pretty much all day every day, AND I NEVER PICK AT ALL.

However, I got an internship this summer (which drug tested) and I had to quit smoking completely. In addition, I was more stressed because I had to work all summer. I immediately started picking really bad again and now the welts and marks have reappeared on my fingers and hands. I HATE THIS!

It's so fucked up that I have found MY CURE (and its a 100% natural plant) and I am unable to use it to treat myself if I want to keep my job. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend using weed to help with picking problems! LET'S LEGALIZE!!!

serene
August 07, 2017

I used to have a medical marijuana card while living in CA and smoked regularly. It helped my skin picking urges....but it did not complete eliminate them. For me it was a combination of things that helped... exercising outside, doing regular facial peels, and smoking weed 2 to 3 times a week. Exercise helps a lot. I have also noticed that sun exposure calms me down and lessens the impulse to pick.

serene
August 09, 2017

How does hypnosis work? Were you aware of everything going on around you when you were hypnotized? I've been wanting to go to a hypnotherapist but am a bit unsure of the procedure and what to expect.

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