OSPA - Obsessive Skin Pickers Anonymous steps1-12

[Springangel]

The point is, we have suffered so that we can help another to recover from her suffering, and as they say in AA "You have to give it away to keep it"

Keep Coming Back!

[Spring Angel]

Diane,

This is the OSPA thread. Hope you find it helpful, and IM me if you want, we can work the steps together.

luv,

Spring

[Spring Angel]

Feeling very down. It sure doesn't seem like anyone is sticking with the steps or really wants to do the work needed to stop, and I am losing heart here.

Please help me to feel better about this.

Sad,

Spring

[alex21 in cali]

spring angel, where do you live? I live in CA and I've been attending al anon, which has gotten me thinking about something along the lines of ospa... I wish there was some way we could start a real meeting, in person... I know that would be more powerful. I have never met face to face anyone else who shares my aweful problem. so on that note do you or does anyone else here live in southern CA? thanks and good luck to you all.

[Spring Angel]

I live in northern ca. My sister lives in manhattan beach. Maybe we could hook up somehow. Still down, but will try to post more tomorrow,

luv,

Spring

[Spring Angel]

Here is me, after quitting smoking for 60 days and losing 30 pounds. I am 45. I am much happier with this picture taken at work than the picture that was taken in around October and went on my Company ID badge. Yuck. So I asked if they could please take a new picture and make a new badge for me. I hope they will do that for me.



I sure wish the moderator would come back to the site so I could ask her to set up a new forum for OSPA cuz on the other website lots of people are doing steps, and getting a lot of comfort from them. It works better with it's own forum.

Hope you guys are doin okay. It has been rough not smoking because of my dissociative disorder, it makes me dissociate more, not smoking. Smoking was another masking behavior like picking, for me. Smoking masked a LOT.

I worked the steps to quit smoking, and to lose the weight. I've lost 34 pounds now. Today I was late for an appointment, and the lady called and I said I'd be right over, and I ran into my room and grabbed a random pair of jeans that I knew was in my "These don't fit" pile, and THEY FIT!!! It was awesome. I feel so much better. My workouts are going really good too, I started working out in the morning before work, instead of driving in early to miss the traffic, then taking a nap in the parking lot. I just have so much more energy now, it is amazing, so I work out twice a day now if possible, to hurry up getting the rest of my weight off, and because it makes me feel so good.

I love working out, then starting from scratch with my makeup and getting dressed after showering or taking a modified "towel bath". I like the vanity at the gym, and putting my makup on there, cuz it's fluorescent light, like the light in my office, so I feel like I am looking more like I will look when I get upstairs. My light at home is soft and nice, but I can't really tell if my makeup looks right.

I've started pulling my hair back again since I lost all this weight. In the picture it looks like I chopped it all off, but it's just in a ponytail. It is a little longer than shoulder length.

I just feel really grateful to my higher power for giving me these total miracles in my life. Another one is my dog Buddy. He and my 3 cats (Princess is my new kitty, 1 year old) are such joys in my life, and my son is living with me right now and he is so sweet and gentle. Just a lot to be grateful for right now.

Rambling,

luv,

Spring

[Spring Angel]

Wow,

The board is fancier now. Well I see that there are new people on the board, and since there are so many new people on the other board too (www.selfinjuriousskinpicking.com) I decided to repost the 12 step OSPA thread, in case someone would like to start working the steps.

It seems like October is the start of the skin picking reactivation season or something, because I suddenly have all kinds of new sponsees. So here goes.....

luv,

Spring

[beautiful]

I want to do that. MSN? I only can use yahoo well. Let me know. I need it. I am losing control and I am 30 but getting more insight to what it is about for me.

[guest]

Okay, so what is step one and what should I do. I am curious about the dissociative disorder.

A few days ago I realized that when I pick in front of the mirror, I go to do so because of have lots of thinking to do. When I had things to think about, figure out and priorities or go through in my head this morning, I was ready to run to the mirror to pick while i did my "thinking" and "processing". I stopped myself and grabbed a piece of paper to think and write. However,my hand wanted to go straight to my face, or else I couldn't think out all of the stuff in my head that was overwhelming, without picking.?? Anyone had that before. Maybe that is why I pick while I work in the computer or after major stress. HELP! I'd like to talk to someone back and forth, not just read a board occasionally. -beautiful

[Spring Angel]

Hi,

If you send me a PM I can give you my phone number and you can call. Can you get a copy of the Big Book? It's "Alcoholics Anonymous" the main book. Any book store will have it. Then we can work the steps online and on the phone, or e-mail (your step work). But you will be able to follow along in the Big Book when I read the instructions to the steps, and we talk about them. Sound good?

Good for you for seeking help!

luv,

Spring

[princessdrp]

HI, I am interested in and in very much in need to obstain completely from picking. Yes, I will have to feel the feelings like normal people or maybe not so normal people, but I have to do this for myself, before it gets the best me. I feel so out of control sometimes, and of course My hectic, extremely stressful life does not help at all, but whatever the reason, I am capable of quittting. I am just tierd of doing to myself(self critizing and constant picking), what has been done to me all my life. The ironic thing, or be not so ironic is that I actually physically pick, until I have no self-esteem. I will posting and would appreciate your support, I support your progress as well. Thanks for letting me vent. Hopefully I will have more encouraging and insightful stuff to post from now on, and if not that will be ok too, as long as I am willing joing this journey and willing to give my 100% huh?

Loves to all and take care of yourselves, because we all deserve it.

[Spring Angel]

Hi Princess,

Welcome,

If you would like to work the 12 steps of OSPA (Obsessive Skin Pickers Anonymous) for your skin picking, I would be happy to sponsor you. We can work the steps from this thread, and you can post your step work here, or we can have phone conversations and work the steps that way. If you want to start, simply start reading this thread on page one, on Step One, and then when you see it is starting Step Two, stop and reply to the post from page 8, and write about your powerlessness over picking, and the unmanageability of your life. See, although we at first think that certainly we must be strong enough to control this picking, and are just not trying hard enough, the truth is, we don't have enough power to control it, so we will be seeking a higher source of power, a spiritual source. It is not about God, necessarily, but a power greater than ourselves, whether it be love, hope, or the universe, (or God if you believe in God). But that is Step 2!

I hope you will join us on the path of recovery. It is so worth it, and it is so much more than just not picking. See picking is just a symptom of a bigger problem, and it is that bigger problem we will work on. As you work on it, you will see that you are picking less, and enjoying life more, life on life's terms. You will be lifted from your difficulty.

I set phone appointments with most of my sponsees, so I will private message you with my number, and you may feel free to call me for support at any time, okay?

In friendship,

luv,

Spring

[Sunny]

I'm glad I found this place. Like many people, I didn't know other people did this, or at least, I didn't realize there was a place of support. Finding this, and reading everyone's posts, I can't stop crying; from feelings of shame and guilt, and also relief realizing that there are people here going through the same things and may be able to help me out.

I've been picking at my skin since I was old enough to climb up on the bathroom counter and stare at myself in the mirror. For years I would pick at my face, the back of my arms and backs of my legs. I've gotten to the point now where I only pick at my face. I'm glad for that, but still embarrassed after a session in front of the mirror...there's such shame for me coming out of the bathroom, wondering what my boyfriend thinks of me, seeing these reddened sores all over, only made worse by my picking.

I feel good about stopping...I know it'll take quite some time...and lots of hard work...I also know that it might not be done completely at once. I hope that this will work, that I can stop.

Thank you for being here. All of you.

[princessd]

testing

[princessdrp]

thanks spring angel for your support, the name is very fitting. I think it would be a good idea to talk over the phone and write briefely on the board. I have written several times about my ""powerlessness story and my beliefs/theories about powerlessness and this computer doesn't post, unless i write it all in a short amount of time. How will you email me privately?

luvs to all, and take care of yourselves first, because we all deserve it.
princessd