OSPA - Obsessive Skin Pickers Anonymous steps1-12

[Sassy1021]

I want to join too. I can't stop picking ive told myself thousands of times and then i just HAVE to pick..i cant look at myself anymore..its horrible..i cant show my arms either..PLEASE HELP ME

[Spring Angel]

Hi Sassy!

I'm so sorry you are suffering like this. It's great you are joining us! It works, it really does. What we are doing is working the steps on Instant Message. Do you have yahoo, or AIM (AOL) instant messenger? If not, sign up for one of them. My IM icons are on my posts. So just click on whichever one you signed up for and we'll get aquainted a little and get you going on your first step. Meantime, please read this thread through the beginning of step two, and then scroll down a bit and read the list of 12 steps so you can get an idea of where you are headed. Okay? Then, since it's really late for me now, 10:00, why don't you IM me at about 8:30 tomorrow night.

How does that sound?

luv,

Spring

p.s. Good for you for taking a positive step toward recovery!

[diagram]

i want to be part of this but i do not share a belief in a conscious higher power as you all. i ran into this difficulty when i tried NA a couple years ago. i think the whole program is very faith-based and i tried to apply it to other philosophies i have on life but i find it sort of inapplicable. i'm not sure what to do.

i suppose i'll just wear gloves and suck it up.

[Spring Angel]

Hi diagram,

Actually there is a way to work the program without a God, or religious type figure. The higher power concept is very large, you can use the OSPA group as a "power greater than yourself", or perhaps the concept of Hope or Love. We can talk about this more if you like. Please fee free to IM me.

One of my steeppers is using, Great Ocean of the Universe. I have my own individual beliefs that are sort of God/universe related.

It is a very broad concept. Let's try to find something however tiny, that you have faith in, just to open the door a tiny crack on the concept of faith, and that is enough to work the steps on. No religious stuff necessary.

What do you think?

luv,

Spring.

[stherngirl4him]

Hi Everyone!

I am fairly new here. Spring has been working with me and I am on Step 4, Personal Inventory. I have been feeling soo much better, today was a pick free day.

Diagram - This is a great program, even if you do not believe in God. All you have to do is find that higher power that you believe in... wether it be wind, fire, water, God, Buddha, Allah , etc. This is a non-religious, non denominational program to help people like you and me who have a picking problem. ;D Just do a little meditation and think about who or what your higher power is.. see if you can connect with it.

Thank you Spring for all the help and support you have given. Your great!

Talk To Yall Later Bri

[diagram]

thanks, i will try to think about it differently.

i didn't pick today... finding this site did something for me...

[Susan]

When I first started in AA it was suggested to me that GOD could stand for Good Orderly Direction. That concept helped me alot when working the steps.

[Lucy]

Hey all. You all sound like you are doing great so far. I would love to join, even though it is so late.
I have AIM.
If it is okay, just tell me. I would love to give this a try.

[Spring Angel]

Hi Lucy!

All you need to join is a desire to stop picking! Sounds like you are our newest member! I have AIM too so we can work the steps on AIm if that's okay with you.

Welcome! There is a solution. Thank Goodness. So perhaps you started reading at the beginning of this thread? Step one is covered first, and a little further down ALL the steps are listed.

Why don't we make an AIM date to get aquainted say tomorrow at 8:00 Pacific Daylight Time. Let me know if that time is not good for you. Also, what part of the country are you from, or in other words, what is our time difference. I am in California.

This is a great way to heal Lucy, and anyone can do it.

So let's get started!

luv,

Spring

p.s. just click on my AIM icon to send me a message.

[Spring Angel]

Hi 12 steppers!

I just wanted to let you know that I have posted the instructions for Steps 5 through 9 on the other website, and have not yet had a chance to transfer them here, so to see them go to:

www.selfinjuriousskinpicking.com/bb/

and click on the OSPA forum, the steps are all listed there as threads, click on whichever step you want to learn about.

I am so excited by your enthusiasm. We have steppers on step 9, step 5, step 4, step 3 and step 2 now. I am honered to be working with you and so proud of you for your hard work. Let's keep up the good work so we can pass it on to others! (Step 12).

luv,

Spring

[stherngirl4him]

Hi Spring Angel,

As you know.. things have been really stressful for me. Mom messed her foot up. She went to and had her MRI done today but won't know the results for probably a few days. Things have really been stressful on me... helping her do stuff, take care of the kids and cook. I've really just become kinda "burnt out". I realize now what my mom does everyday... right now I am praying my butt off that she gets better really soon. I know it will probably be a week or two before she gets better so I just better get use to it. *sigh*

I was doing really good... saying my prayers...resisting the urge to pick. But, then Sunday night I looked myself in the mirror and thought how ugly I looked.. I then picked. I stayed away from the unhealthy friend like you asked. I just felt like crap. I think it was the stressful days before that caused it. I am done with the Inventory.. do I start on the next step? I am sorry I haven't been able to talk to you. I don't get online much at all when dad is home because I like to spend a lot of time w/ my dad. (Daddy's Girl... ;D ) Actually when I have support I actually do better. (guess cause someone is rooting for me. )

You can email me at [e-mail] .. I check that email a lot more than the other right now. Probably right now it is best just to email rather than IM late at nite. I'm getting ready to go to bed right now. Going to drink my tea and relax and say my prayers.

[glow=red,2,300]Yall Newbies - - Welcome to the group! [/glow]

ttyl- Bri

[hoppe]

Spring angel -
I have been considering this for a while and I think I might want to try the 12 step thing. I feel, I have nothing to loose. I do not believe in God, but I think I can find something to replace him with.

I do not know much about this program, so can you tell me how to get started?



hoppe

[Spring Angel]

Awesome!

Yes, we can start with Step One, and the way we do it is with Instant Messaging. What you would do is IM me on either Yahoo or AIM in the evening (my icons are on my posts) and we'll talk and set up a time to work Step One, and then when we are done with that one we set up a new time to work Step Two, etc. It takes about 45 minutes or so to work step one. What you would do would be to read the welcome on www.selfinjuriousskinpicking.com/bb/

If you click on the OSPA forum you will see the Welcome Thread and the 12 step threads, You would also read on Step One before our appointment. Then we chat on IM about Step One, you do most of the thinking about your life, and type a lot, and then we are done and we set a new appointment. I also give some simple suggestions, for daily maintenance in the OSPA program.

You do not need to believe in God. We explore that in Step Two, so don't stress on that.

I will be looking so forward to working with you Hoppe, I know how much you try and how much you desire recovery. I believe that the OSPA program can work a miracle for you as it has for me.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

I get home from work about 7:30 California time. Depending on where you are in the country you may be one, two, or three hours ahead.

Take Good Care,

luv,

Spring

[hoppe]

Hi Spring

Thanks for your reply!! I am looking forward to try this.

To IM you, I guess I need to have Yahoo IM myself? I need to find out how to set that up then.

Another thing - I thought you knew - I am in Sweden, so the time difference is quite a lot. It is 4 pm here now (6 hours ahead of the board). What time do you have right now?

Thanks for your help!

hoppe

[hoppe]

Spring - I think the time difference actually might turn into a problem. I looked it up and I am 9 hours ahead of California time.... . But maybe we can figure something out. I don't mind doing it early in the morning (6-7 am), in which case it would be evening at your place (9-10 pm). Let me know what you think.

hoppe