just to say hi

[ceej1]

Hi guys
i found this site yesterday....to be honest its the 1st time i've ever heard of other people other than me and my sister doing this.... so this is all new to me.....its so good to know i'm not alone and i'm not going insane.......is this site purley for people in america or can anyone join in?

[scaredycat]

Hi ceej1 and welcome to our gang!

there are people from all over the place here, I'm in Ireland where are you?

[ceej1]

hi mate im from berkshire in england....you will have to bare with me cause im new to all this and only justr finding out how to reply and all that

[ceej1]

where are you from......how long have you been coming on here?

[scaredycat]

don't worry, we all have plenty of patience on here. I'm living about 30 miles from Dublin. I lived in England for 8 years....in Surrey and my brother is married and living in Kent, so I feel like England is my second home.

I discovered this site a couple of months ago and it's been great...it's so good to know I'm not the only one with this problem, I no longer feel like a freak!

[ceej1]

Yeah i know surrey its not far from where i live now.........i know what you mean about finding this site.....i honestly didnt know until yesterday that there was anyone else out there like me.........it has come as a bit of a shock....ion fact its quite unbelievable........that i now have people that i can actually relate to and they know what i'm doing and know why i'm doing it......how long have you been doing it.....can i ask you what you do?please only tell me if you so wish too don't want to pry into anybodies business im just so overwhelmed by all of this......

[scaredycat]

don't worry...it's not prying...we are all curious! I pick...pick ..pick!! I have to admit that I pick almost anywhere on my body and I have the scars to prove it. My face is pretty much under control thankfully but my arms, back and scalp are pretty horrendous at the moment! I've been picking for as long as I can remember....it's almost been a way of life for me (I'm 35 now). I've always knew that other people pick at their skin sometimes but I honestly thought that I was the only one who does so extensively and so compulsively.

It's great finding a group of people here who share the same problem and totally understand how you feel and why you do it. I've been to a therapist before and although she tried to be supportive, she had never encountered it before and really didn't know how to help me. Nobody who doesn't pick compulsively can understand what it's really like!

I hope you find this group helpful, I know I certainly do, it's good to be able to talk about all of this....that's the best therapy there is....and best of all we can laugh about it too. The other good point is that I now realise that if others can beat this so can I!

[ceej1]

yeah it does seem so much better when you think that others are in the same boat as you are.......it is quite unbelieveable that yr therapist had never encountered it before.....you would think being a proffessional she had seen it all....but obviously not.....i suppose its a silent problem isn't it.....i know ive never gone up to someone and said "hi my names claire and i've completly picked myself all over my body since i can remember" hardly a conversation starter is it!........i wrote in the guest book today and told them a bit about myself.....just to do that was such a relief.......never been able to do that before with anyone.....it was always about being ashamed and gulity before but hopefully if i come on here and speak to a few people i can share with them my thoughts and feelings on the matter and i know they will understand exactly where i'm coming from......thanx for listening to me mate......