New and in awe!

[brad]

Hi,

I just found this site and I've been looking for a site like this for a long time. I am a 38yo male who has been struggling with "picking" issues for years now. In high school and college it was my acne on my face. But when I turned 31 or so, I started messing with the cuticles and calluses around my fingernails. All day long, every day, I pull, pick, create hangnails, bite them off, pick, pull and jab at them with various implements including fingernail clippers, nail files, screwdrivers, sandpaper, once I even took a dremel after them. It may sound funny, and it probably is, but it's absolutely true. I just wish I could make myself stop!

I also have a small round callus on the back of my neck. The dermatologist called a "picker's spot". When I am not messing with my fingernails, I am probably messing with that. I pull at the skin and try to get the skin off it. It grows back, etc etc. and so on for eternity.

I read a report I found earlier by a doctor who said, when the person who has this trait is picking, they may feel like they are "zoning out" or staring off into space. I do both and it makes me feel like I am losing my mind.

Lately, I've started putting tape on my fingers and bandaids when the tape isn't handy. But this isn't working as well as I hoped, I still find ways to make trouble for my nails.

I am going to look through some of the other posts here. I just thought I'd introduce myself. It looks like a number of people here do the acne/face picking - oh how I long for those days....just kidding, but it seemed like I could control it better back when I was attacking my face and not my fingers/neck.

[anonymousartist]

Hi Brad, welcome to the boards!

You're not going crazy, at least, I don't think so. There's so many people who do this, and a lot of us do zone out (I used to do it all the time, probably every day). Hope you can find some help around the boards, and I do think that interupting your habit byt making trouble for your fingers is a good idea. Once you get around it though (and you'll probably find a way around it) go pick out a new way to help you stop. It doesn't do any good to create extra habits like learning how to pick with bandaids on. Have some faith, give it time, don't try to be perfect. Progress is progress.

Good luck,
--becca

[brad]

Thanks Becca

[Froglet]

Hi Brad, Wecome to the forum! ;D
Its great to have like minded people to talk about this problem with. I think most of us for a time thought we were the only one in the world. I hope you read the info in a website address I posted on the tips for quiting forum. Maybe not for everyone, but It has helped give me that little push to try and stop. I have not picked for two, nearly three whole days now, and my skin is already showing signs of vast improvement. I just have to keep telling myself that my skin is an amazing thing, it doesn't need my help to get rid of spots etc.
Aaaaanyway...
We all look forward to having you round the board!
Lara

[brad]

Thanks Froglet, I'll see if I can get some time today to read that article. Just logging in last night and reading some posts has made me a bit more conscious. I haven't picked (that I can remember) for an hour or two.

I am wayyyy stressed today so I don't know how well this will go today, but I have hope.

[MonDoTwist eDMoJo]

It's nice to have men around

[brad]

We'll I've made it over 24 hours and my skin around my firngernails is sort of smooth and thick (callous). Very tempting. Having a hard time not going after it with a fingernail. Same thing with my neck. That spot is just calling out "I'm here! I'm getting bigger! You better get rid of me before I keep growing..." ughhh...

P.S. I notice when I am most likely to pick, I have a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders.

[anonymousartist]

Is that spot on your neck anything like a big blackhead that comes to a whitehead and gets well, poppable? I'm only asking 'cause you said it never goes away, and my sister has a spot on her cheek that gets kinda bubbly that she used to pick at (dunno if she does anymore) and our derm looked it up and found it was a birthmark. I guess it only got big enough to be bothersome as a teen.

[brad]

anonymousartist said:

Is that spot on your neck anything like a big blackhead that comes to a whitehead and gets well, poppable? I'm only asking 'cause you said it never goes away, and my sister has a spot on her cheek that gets kinda bubbly that she used to pick at (dunno if she does anymore) and our derm looked it up and found it was a birthmark. I guess it only got big enough to be bothersome as a teen.

Well, I've had them on my neck before. It usually starts out as a pimple, yes. But then after I've popped it and picked the scab off about 300 times it gets tough and unruley. If I left it alone for a solid 3-4 weeks, it would be gone until another new pimple came in that spot.

[asphinctersayswhat]

Hi Brad,

I have a problem with my neck at the moment, I have about 3 or 4 heavy duty (ones that dont wash off easily)small bandaids on my neck right now so I can't get to them (lucky for me I can cover my neck with hair!)

I find if you leave a bandaid on for a few days (if it's possible to leave it on depending whereabouts it is ofcourse) it keeps the skin moist and heals alot quicker, Perhaps you can try a small bandaid on your neck (maybe a see-through one or perhaps that liquid bandaid stuff?)

LJ