Why do you pick and when did it start?

[Weirdo13]

I was just wondering when everybody else started and why(if you know). For me, I was always prone to picking. When I was little I would pick my lips when they were dry(still do). Although I didn't scratch when I had chicken pox in 3rd grade, when they scabbed over I picked everything single one.
It didn't get bad til my sophomore year in college. I was paired with a random roommate who liked to have her boyfriend over all the time and made out with him while I was in the room. It was very awkward to feel like you shouldn't be in your room, your haven. I was too nonconfrontational and immature to do anything about it. I had so much anxiety and I didn't know what to do with myself so I released it with picking. I didn't even realize what I was doing. I ended up switching roommates, but I was stuck with the habit.

[Froglet]

I think I too had a predisposition to pick, but it became a real problem when I was a young teen. My parents had raging arguements that would sometimes get violent. I would hide in my room and not know how to deal with it. I had alot of pent up anger, anxiety etc as a growing teenager because of this. I got mild acne I turned into severe acne by constantly picking. It was a coping mechanism, picking my skin gave me peace from all the stress I had at home. Those days where bad - when I think what my skin looked like then it makes me realise Ive come a long way!
Lara

[JoAnna]

I started picking when I was a teen also. I started with my arms then went to my legs. Now I pick my face and torso. I don't know why I started but I notice that I do it most often when I am anxious or depressed. I didn't know anyone else had this problem until I decided to research it online. Now I can go and seek help...

[pending member]

I'm still waiting for my approval to register, but I kind of need to post something, and this seemed like the best thread to do it in. I've been a reformed picker for about five months and have been feeling very scared and stressed lately because I've been feeling the same anxieties I used to feel that caused me to pick. Even though I no longer pick, the mild scars and blotchyness left behind from the old habit makes it hard to hold my resolve. One of my big issues is I am so jelous of the people who can go out without makeup on their skin and feel okay about it. For me, makeup is like getting dressed in the morning. I can't feel good about myself without makeup on my skin, which is upsetting because I don't think I look too bad without it-it just doesn't look as good as it would have if I had been able to keep my hands off it back then. I just want it all to heal, not to be so obsessed with how I look! It's exhausting!
But I am really glad to be on the forum-a major part of what helped me quit is reading this board-knowing that other people had this problem helped me stop feeling like a freak. You all seem really supportive and I hope I can offer up advice as well. Much love. -Josiegirl

[lalalalucy]

I'm also still waiting for approval. I just found out about this whole skin picking thing and I feel so totally amazing... it all makes sense now.

I guess I've always picked. When I was a kid, I used to pick my scabs from when I fell over. Then when I started getting acne, I started to pick at that - I guess I found it kinda fascinating at first, but then I started feeling disgusting when I had even the slightest spot on my face, so I started to stick pins in my pores at the first sign of a pimple, to try to get the pus out before it got too big.

The most major problem with my picking, though, is my arms. I've always had really hairy arms and I used to get teased about it at school. When I was about 15, I started to shave my arms because I couldn't put up with the teasing any more. I got a few ingrown hairs and so I started trying to dig them out with tweezers and pins. Now it's got to the stage where my left arm (I'm right handed so I can't pick at my right arm very well) is so scarred and scabby that I haven't been able to wear a short sleeved shirt in a couple of years now. I also am really scared of wearing tshirts because there might be some hairs visible on my arms. I've also started picking at my bikini line, and so now I'm scared to do anything that might involve me taking my pants off because I don't want anyone to see my scars. I also have pretty bad eczema, and I tend to scratch it in my sleep. I've tried wearing gloves but I take them off without noticing. Then, once I have a scab, I can't ignore it - I keep trying to pick at it.

I feel so much better now that I've found out about picking, though. Now I feel like there are people out there who understand that I can't stop.

[Guest]

Also waiting for approval and also couldn't wait to write something. Thanks to everyone for telling their stories, it's helped me already.

I picked a little bit as a kid, but not in a major way. I did used to wash my hands over and over compulsively but I grew out of it I guess. The picking wans’t a problem until I started my job two years ago (I am in my mid-twenties). My job is high stress and leaves me alone for most of the day, which are both very bad for picking.

Compulsive behaviors definitely run in my family, and I guess I’m trying to figure out how much of this is family history, how much might be the job, and how much is me. Aside from the stress, I like my job, but it doesn’t seem to be healthy for me. If I left to find a new one, though, would this habit stick with me? The reason I haven’t left is because I figure that the problem is in my own attitude. But the picking is getting worse and is really embarrassing. My face gets all red and I’m sure people notice.

So, should I worry about changing me or my job/life? Or both? I don’t expect answers to all my questions but if anyone has had an experience that might help, thanks. It feels better just writing this.

[spotty]

Hia

I also worked alone and this made my picking horrendous! I used to sit in the mirror for ages I was so bored. When customers came in I used to think oh what have I done! I have actually had to change jobs to stop me its as if i need my hands to be busy or they go on overdrive!! I was working in a design office sat on a chair infront of a computer all day my hand would creep up and attack my face all day. I pick a lot on here at home, computers must give of a anxiety fume or something! I am now working outside at an animal shelter and I dont pick all day as I am so busy and dirty its the drive home thats fatal! I have been good but today the bumps have flared up PERIOD WEEK so I will destroy them till the cycle starts again... good luck )

[Dee13]

We are influenced by genetics but when we can we can control our environment as well. I am very lucky at work that I am around a lot of people so can not indulge in picking. Dee

[pendingrequest]

I started picking later on in life-my junior year in high school, when I started feeling trapped in a relationship...picking helped relieve my anxiety and frustration. Around that same time, I had to have a small bit of skin cancer on the side of my nose removed, and it seemed like going through that (it really hurts!) made me much more aware of my skin. I've never had really bad skin, but taking the wrong type of birth control and some stress caused some breakouts here and there.
I am now 19 years old, and am at the point where I can proudly say I feel I have beat this. My mind is still too obsessive about how I look, but I no longer pick... I can listen to how I really feel before I pick, and recognize that if I pick, I will feel worse about everything because I won't feel good about going out. I can put a brave face on my problems-literally. Today was the first day since I was 17 that I haven't worn foundation and a coverstick to go out. I woke up early today and my skin looked good-I put on some moisturizer and a dab of light coverup on the mostly imagined marks.
A few of the things that helped me quit:
I told someone supportive and encouraging, who really didn't find the way my skin looked to be a big deal. It helped it feel like less of a big deal to me too. It's hard to admit to such an embarassing problem, but it was like half the weight off my shoulders.
Getting good sleep. I read recently that even non-pickers with no OCD tend to pick in a trance-like state when they are not getting enough sleep.
Do things that I know make me feel pretty and clean when I do break out, so that I feel okay with having that one-or three-blemishes and don't feel the need to pick.
zit zappers instead of popping anything. Clean and Clear advantage works great when used in small doses.
moisturizing. I work at a Bath and Body works store and I really think that's one of the major reasons I was able to stop.
And one of the most important ones; take it one day at a time. If you expect your skin to be flawless once you stop picking, it's easy to give up when it doesn't. Eventually, the scars will fade, but skin is never perfect. But it feels so good knowing I'm not hurting my skin.
Just keep limited contact with it, too.
Thanks again for giving me a safe place to talk about this.
-Josiegirl

[anonymousartist]

Josiegirl,

Thank you for posting this. It's always good to hear from someone who has had success

I see your username is "pendingrequest" so I'm guessing you signed up and never got an approval. As far as I know, no one has gotten an approval for this board in quite some time (I'm not the moderator and the moderator was unable to be contacted a couple months ago). If you (or anyone else reading) would like to discuss further topics as a member, I started a new board at skinpicking.proboards77.com/index.cgi . Feel free to check it out and join if you'd like.

[pending request]

absolutely! thanks for letting me know.-Josiegirl

[singingk23]

hello I need help please I have been picking my fingers, my back for years, I am ready to stop but I don't know how to stop can you please tell me how to stop thanks.
My e-mail addres is [e-mail] you can e-mail me on this topic please thanks again.




































;D

[Susan]

I started at about 20 and 30 years later I'm still doing it.
I've had in and out patient therapy, meds and now I'm doing Neurofeedback. After testing my brain, it turns out that my Beta (anxiety) waves are dominant and my Alpha(calming) waves are minimal. My therapist says that I have a "hot" brain, and that I'm always in an anxious state even though I might not realize it. I'm so used to it, I guess. Klonopin worked for me, but then stopped. This "brain training" I'm doing is supposed to make your brain calm down like the Klonopin did. We'll see. This hot brain is usually the result of trauma. I had an alcoholic father and a very traumatic childhood as a result. Lot's and lots of anxiety that was never expressed to anyone for years. Gotta keep the secret, ya know . This treatment takes a long time, no guarantees and pretty expensive. 3 times a week for months. If it ends this hell it will be worth it.

[Beefree]

I started when I was 12. I had a very stressful childhood because my mother was Im guessing bipolar. I wasnt allowed to be me, and also my father had gotten very sick twice.
It started with a bad dandruff breakout on my scalp. As I scratched my head they turned into scabs. I marveled at the scabs at first, and began to pick at them. Ever since then it has got me.

I will quit!!! I know I can do it. It just takes discipline and conscious effort.

[Giraffe]

i can remember picking (mostly the callouses on my feet - i know- yuck) from a very early age. I still do it- espeically after a particularty stressful time -but it has improved greatly. I do have the ominous tweezers and pin on my night stand - but usually hidden. I do hace to say, that i am glad that i found this site -i have felt all alone since i was a young child.