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azure , 29 Nov 2009

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

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?
162 Answers
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violet
April 14, 2010
hey! we're all at the same place here, pretty much! (wildflower, thanks for reposting my post here... it's a little confusing keeping up with all these different notes sometimes!) i'm about to finish day 4 today too! i've made it twice as far as my first attempt! sometimes, it's SO tempting... i've got these three giant whiteheads that are driving me nuts! but i'm learning to identify the situations that lead me into picking sessions... and i'm doing my best to avoid them. i told my counselor about this forum and my 40-day commitment, and he was really proud of me. i'm proud of me! let's do this!
freshstart76
April 17, 2010
Thanks, wildflower... problem is I just relapsed. :( I posted in more detail what lead to it on another forum topic, but boy oh boy, am I feeling down right now. I just want to beat this already... another evening potentially ruined by the desire not to be seen. This is not the life I want to lead. Back to day one...
wildflower
April 18, 2010
so sorry to hear this. it sounds like it was a bad session. hopefully you won't get infection and it will heal up soon if you can resist any more picking. i can't remember if you were keen on the idea of bandages but if there were any a time for them it would be now. a rest over night and as long as possible to allow the sores to heal as much as possible. i hope you can look at it as just a setback and you can make good progress from here on in. <3
freshstart76
April 18, 2010
Thanks again wildflower for your great advice and support... :) It's funny, I wasn't notified of any replies to my posts yesterday, and I have to say, I went into that terrible place where I felt so completely loco and so completely alone. Woke up this morning recommitted to beating this thing, and when I signed in here, I was pleasantly surprised by the replies to my posts. As always, they only further fuelled my resolve to look at what happened the other day as a temporary setback and reminded me that I'm not alone... I'm so looking forward to beating this darn thing!
wildflower
April 10, 2010
awesome, new posters !! ... and welcome to the challenge !! ... remember post your progress using the "reply" under your posts ... best wishes to yas !! ... <3 --------->> maybe these guidlines will help .... http://www.skinpick.com/node/922
wildflower
April 11, 2010
just putting violet's post here .... :) Posted April 10th, 2010 by violet So, my first attempt at 40 days ended after 2 really good days. Last night, for some reason, I just started in again, and of course I couldn't stop, so I picked open most of my face. Damn. BUT, I'm starting over... I rewrote the calendar I'd made for myself, and today is day 1 again. I think I did pretty well today -- no major picking other than a little on my cuticles. No bleeding. No obsessive, mindless picking session. Ok. Here we go again. How's everyone else progressing?
randomshelly
April 11, 2010
got through my first day =) feeling alot better about myself too, positive thinking really helps!!!! Gna go out and face the world. My boyfriend is helping me about my confidence by setting me tasks everyday, so i dont just stay in obsessing about it and feeling i cant face the world. It's only small things like, going to a park and sketching the landscape, or making fish cakes from scratch... I'd say definitely give that a go, It gets you outta the house and concentrating on other things, and makes you realise nobody really cares bout how you look, and that it doesn't even matter, if you feel good about yourself then it shows through!! So try and get family or friends to set you tasks you wouldn't normally do, I've found it really helps =) takes your mind off it, gives you a sense of achievement and reminds you why you are such a great person =) Much love to everyone! sheila x x
leeler489
April 12, 2010
I am with you. I am 21 and have been picking my legs, arms (behind my arm and lower arms) face and back since middle school. I had recently cleared up my arms to be able to wear a t-shirt...and then picked again..I dunno why i did it and it really sucks having to always cover up my arms and not to be able to wear shorts. Hopefully hearing that there are so many other people in the world that do the same thing I can get myself to stop.
wildflower
April 12, 2010
welcome. there's a lot of information within the topics created here that could help you and many individual's experiences to inspire you. feel free to post your progress and all the best to you! <3
wildflower
April 15, 2010
my bad ...... :( ....... i have to come clean, i picked at the white head that was on the side of my nostril. what makes me crazy is when they hurt. this one started to hurt from my washcloth exfoliation and then i couldn't take it and i just took the head off. i didn't do any further mining but i guess it still counts as picking even if it was only one. so i'm starting over, i may as well start over here too on another 40 challenge even tho i took on a 30 day challenge too. i made it to 49 days and then blew it. oh well. i'm human and if i did 49 days once, i can do 49 days again. it was just a little blip in the big picture. it could have been a lot worse, but i stopped where i did and didn't go tooo far. for that i am proud. i am loads better than i was before. i'll go back to being real good again now. :)
moonowl
May 07, 2010
Leeler489, you sound like me. I also pick at my arms and legs, although wherever something shows up I'll be tempted. My legs are where most of my picking has occurred (and it's been 13 years for me), so they're VERY noticeably scarred....it looks like I had a bad case of chickenpox and every one left a scar. On top of that, I also have a large incision scar on my abdomen from a surgery when I ws 13, generally sensitive skin that always has some new blemish, and a large tattoo on one arm that I wish was gone. Sooo, I end up covering up a lot. This is the time of year that is so difficult for me because of it. I often find myself reminiscing about the early days in high school, before whatever triggered this awful compulsion to start, when I could wear shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits in public, and I actually thought my legs looked nice! It's as if I had NO say whatsoever in that changing. Like I just woke up one day and it was gone forever...of course, we know that in reality it's taken me many years of picking to get to this point. I never had great self-esteem, but now it's really a struggle to make it through sometimes. I was so inspired when I first found this site, by the idea of the 40 day challenge. At least if I have to have scars, I would like to heal my newer open wounds so people don't think I have a contagious disease should I dare to brave a pool. Sadly, like so many of us, even that proves to be a tremendous challenge. I'm sorry I don't have any great advice for you. I was just comforted to read of someone in a very similar situation, although you're a few years younger than I. At my age, one of the absolute hardest parts is being too ashamed to take my kids swimming...it breaks my heart to think about it. This is the main reason why I am staying up late at night to write on this forum when I could actually be resting. I, like all of us, do not want to live like this, and I will keep *trying*. If I make it through even one day without picking, I will be back on here to celebrate with you all, the only people I am able to speak freely with about picking at this point...although I know none of you personally, I thank you all for it.
alex56
April 14, 2010
I am 16 too and it makes me so happy knowing their are so many other people out there with the same habit. I pick my face, chest, back, arms, legs, and scalp but I'm going to try 40 day! I haven't gone any more than 5 but I'm going to try a lot harder. My face was really clearing up until today i was upset at my boyfriend and had to look in the mirror, i have a huge scab on my cheek now. How embarrassing. But I am not going to think about what the people at school think, I'm just going to pretend nothing is there because i find it easier not to pick or feel low on myself when I don't think about it. I'm going to try to post how I am doing everyday, I find it really helps being open about it rather than keeping it to myself. Thank you so much for doing this!
wildflower
April 15, 2010
erika28 and alex56 .... welcome!! i'm so glad you both found this place and sound so hopeful to beating this condition! that's exactly what it will take, a really strong will, along with good support. i hope you will cheer each other on here being the same age and will know that others are cheering you on as well. please read the many many good topics here posted by so many people trying to help each other with this disorder and apply anything and everything you think will help you with the 40 day challenge. do a lot of research into it. really get serious about it. the bad news is, if you don't change your behaviours now, they'll more than likely be with you when you reach my age and you don't want that. i don't want that for you either!! no one does. but the good news is, with information on your side, with a determined effort and commitment to do it, and a good support system, you can do it !! i managed for 49 days that that was huge considering the many many years it's been my bad habit. but the earlier it is tackled, the easier it will be to beat. all the best to you !! <3 and me too because i'm starting over along with you :):)
Erika28
April 14, 2010
I'm 17 and I have been suffering from depression, anxiety, and OCD my whole life. I have been picking at my skin since I was in sixth grade. I constantly pick at my arms, back, and face. I have to wear long sleeves all the time and I live in southern California where it gets very hot in the summer. I'm so glad to finally have found other people with my same symptoms. My senior prom is in 2 weeks and I'm moving across the country for college in a few months so I would really like my skin to clear up. I have really bad scarring on my arms but hopefully they will heal if I stop picking at them. I'm starting my 40 days today!
forthebirds
April 16, 2010
I'm 24 and today was the first day that I even tried looking for a name to describe what I have been dealing with for the last 11 years. I am a skin picker and want a way to stop. Obviously if 11 years hasn't been a good enough reason, the love of my family and my own sanity will. I tell myself that it was my mom's fault that I started. I used to try and copy everything that she did. I used to pick out my eyelashes to remove old mascara (which just ended up taking my eyelashes out), I used to scratch at my scalp until I had little welts, and now I pick at my skin because I saw her do it once or twice. I am not a mother yet, but one day I want to be, and I cannot fathom my child going through what I have gone through. There are days where I try to be really good and not pick, but all it takes is 5 minutes and my arms are screwed up for days. LIke today for example, I can consciously go into a day knowing that I may get bored and pick, and I will wear long sleeves and jeans (even if I am at home) to try and discourage myself. Alas, even that wasn't enough and 5 minutes later, here I am looking for answers as to why I did what I just did... I want to be able to stop so bad. I am tried of having to justify why I am wearing long sleeves and pants in the summer. I am tired of being ashamed of my arms. I am tired of worrying about what people think when they see my arms and legs. I am going to start my day 1 right now!
alex56
May 04, 2010
I've been trying really hard on trying not to pick but i just keep giving up. I have been having so many problems with my boyfriend, and very stressed from school. I do have nice skin, with the exception of scars. But a couple months ago i developed these tiny bumps all across my forehead. The dermatologist told me what it was. I forget what he said now, but it was something describing black heads that aren't exactly formed yet? their very deep in my skin. they just look like little bumps under my skin, not red or anything. but they will occasionally itch and become inflamed black heads which really temps me to pick at them. I lose my confidence so easily. not just with picking, but with everything. i don't know how to help myself anymore. Please help, i don't know how to get through this. i have scabs all over my face again.
starfish
May 04, 2010
Alex...I am almost 25, and I have been where you are. I have been doing this since the 8th grade, and it has only gottin worse since I got older. I made the decision to quit on Saturday and I am so impressed with how my skin looks already. This may be the longest I have ever gone. You can do it too. FIRST....Go get vasoline or neosporin. Wash your face and put a very thick coat of the neosporin/vasonline on your scabs. DON'T PICK THEM OFF! They will get very soft and you are going to want to pick them off but DON'T!!! It isn't worth it because it will leave nasty scars. I believe you are in highschool, right? I think I saw that on another post. Well...you are still at the age where your skin has good elasticity. Well....mine used to too. Now that I've gottin older, it has gottin much harder for my skin to heal. I have nasty scars, but I promised myself if I can go just 1 month without picking, I will treat myself to microdermabrasion. Leave your blackheads alone. I promise you that no one can even see them! On the products forum I posted some really good tips on how to get rid of scabs and how to cover up pick sessions.

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