I'm new :)

[Michelle12]

Hey! I'm new here and was wondering how ZT works.

I've decided I need to do something about my picking. My skin looks horrible. My family and fiance hate that I do it. He bitched me out because of it lastnight. We went out and I looked fine. But when I came home and washed the makeup off, he noticed all the welts from when I picked my face earlier in the day. He explained how much it bothers him that I destroy my face everyday and how he doesnt want me to be depressed when I get older and have scars because of it. (Kind of late though, I have a couple already). So please, If anyone can tell me how this zero tolerance thing works, I'd appreciate it sooo much. I really hope it will help because my face can't take much more of this.

Michelle
Miami, FL

[hoppe]

Hi Michelle

Welcome to the board!
Coming here and admitting your problem is a big step in the right direction.

At first, I am sorry about your family. Having CSP issues is hard enough but having a family that critizes you for it makes it even worse. I hope that you at some point might be able to explain to your family/fiance that you do not do this because you want to or because you do not care about them - this is a disorder and out of your control. If you feel comfortable with it you might consider to tell your family to read more about CSP on the internet, so that they will understand what it is about.

Now to the ZT. Actually, ZT is not so much about what you do, but about what you don't do. If you do Zero Tolerance you are not allowed to harm your face (or whatever other area you usually pick) in any way, meaning, not picking/squeezing or scratching at all! The idea behind is that by not touching your skin at all, you might be able to let the skin obsession go and become pick free. I think you can compare it to an alcoholic that wants to stop drinking - he/she is not allowed a single glas of beer. Some people say that a single spot will not matter, but you have to remember that picking at one spot often leads to picking at the next spot and so on, and before you know it you are in the middle of a big picking session.

However, there are different opinions about if ZT works or not. Some people say it is not possible to stop completetly from one day to the next but they need to gradually pick less. Others benefit from ZT very much, especially because they can count the days they have not picked at all and it gives them a lot of strength. Most people aim at trying to do ZT for 21 days, because there is a saying that it takes 21 days to break a habit. Because ZT is very hard, it is best to have a ZT partner to report to how the picking is going. There are some people who have found a ZT partner and share a journal with them here. However, you can also write a journal here without doing ZT - it can help you a lot to write down when you pick, why, how you felt etc..... .

I can tell you that despite several attempts, so far I have not been able to do ZT for more than a couple of days at a time. However, already this is great progress for me. My skin looks so much better. I never believed that this was possible!

If you consider to try ZT and find a journal partner it is best to find her/him on the Support Board.

Good luck.

hoppe

[yikes]

Hoppe I'm new..thanks for explaining ZT. Actually I've thought of it on my own, but your explanation breathed life into the idea for me. You may have read elsewhere that I went to a shrink and he said we can achieve 100% pick-free with drugs and therapy. So far, seeing him has knocked my total "spots" in half in 6 weeks. I used to have 50 lesions on my bod. Anyhow, I'm just wading thru all the posts, looking for everyone's ideas and experience. It's so interesting that all in our isolated little lives with this secret, we come up with many of the same (and ineffective) solutions. What strikes me about the posts I have read so far is the amazing SHAME associated with this disorder and the fact that pickers will go to any length to hide it, even ruining their own life by avoiding intimacy etc. (I myself have done this). Finally I got so out of control, I had to force myself to bear the shame and seek help. I am glad that I did, as progress is being made.
My heart goes out to everyone here....I know how awful this problem is. This is a hidden, secret disorder. I think the cure is to quit hiding and seek help. I see posters here who still want to hide by just hanging out here...I sure tried self-help myself for years and years, but I finally admitted defeat.

[hoppe]

Hi yikes

Welcome to the board.

I have also several times been surprised/shocked how so many of us have come up with the same ways/solutions to deal with this, despite the enormous secretness that surrounds CSP. It just makes it obvious to me how this is nothing strange but a rather normal coping mechanism, to which we respond in rather similar, normal ways.

The shame is also a thing I have noticed - I wish people would not feel so ashamed. I think a lot of people here would benefit from seeking help. AND it also makes an enourmous difference how you see yourself if you regard your behaviour as shameful/wrong and feel guilty/embarrassed - or if you accept this as a normal coping mechanism/disorder that is not your fault. Personally, I am not ashamed of having CSP. I have had no problems seeking help (psychologist/psychiatrist) and to talk about my problem (however, I still did not get much help, since the various psychologists I saw did not understand what CSP is, but that is another problem -the lack of knowledge among doctors/psychiatrists/psychologists .... ). Now I finally found a private therapist, who costs me a good deal of money, but I feel it helps me to go there, so it is worth it. However, I should add that although I am not ashamed of having CSP, I still feel embarrassed to go outside with large wounds/scabs and prefer to hide on days like that. It is something I am working on though.

It sounds great how much success you have with therapy. Congratulations on that and I hope the success will continue for you.

hoppe