Post by cindigirl on Nov 7, 2003 12:09:29 GMT -5
hello everyone!
im sitting here in disbelief at how widespread and common my problem is. i had kept it hidden as best i could (only my mother and husband know) and then came across this site, and suddenly i don't feel so alone in this! this is wonderful, and i think (i hope) a step toward recovery for me. i have been a skinpicker since around age 11 and i am now 27, with kids of my own who see me do it, and i desperately want to stop so they won't learn this destructive, horrible habbit. it has caused me to really hate myself at times, and i always feel guilty and bad about it after i do it. it is a real waste of valuable time too. i pick my face, my arms, and my legs. i also chew the inside of my mouth during times of stress.
i read through some of the suggestions for help and i think they are great; i have a few tips of my own that seem to help:
-first of all, sheer willpower is not enough. if you rely on this alone, you are setting yourself up for failure every time. it's like any addiction or compulsion. i won't say that it can't be done, or that it has never been done, but this is a very, very hard way to do it. (you just feel even more worthless)
-this is how i remove the temptation. i notice that my skin looks better in the winter because it's usually covered up. sooo...i wear lightweight long (or 3quarter length) sleeves quite often even in the summer. and capri pants to cover my thighs/knees....still summery, but covered.
-i have discovered that if i clip my thumbnails really short, there is less leverage there to pick with. (some people suggested gloves, etc)
- there are certain seats in my house i usually sit in to pick, for whatever reason. and certain times of day when i do it more. i avoid those chairs, and i purposely fill up those times with other chores/behaviors. some people suggested the rubber band on the wrist. (dr phil says that bad habbits aren't usually quit, just replaced with other habbits/behaviors). make a conscious effort to replace the habbit. when you feel the urge to pick, do something you enjoy instead, like reading sciptures, or working out, for example. and remember, after 21 days, a behavior becomes a habbit. (i have heard!)
- finally, when i see a bump, i think, "well, i'll just pick this one and leave the rest alone", but how stupid is that??? it gets me every time! just don't even get started. (this is where willpower will help:-)
i really hope this helps. i have already gotten some good info from a lot of you!
thanks,
cindi
im sitting here in disbelief at how widespread and common my problem is. i had kept it hidden as best i could (only my mother and husband know) and then came across this site, and suddenly i don't feel so alone in this! this is wonderful, and i think (i hope) a step toward recovery for me. i have been a skinpicker since around age 11 and i am now 27, with kids of my own who see me do it, and i desperately want to stop so they won't learn this destructive, horrible habbit. it has caused me to really hate myself at times, and i always feel guilty and bad about it after i do it. it is a real waste of valuable time too. i pick my face, my arms, and my legs. i also chew the inside of my mouth during times of stress.
i read through some of the suggestions for help and i think they are great; i have a few tips of my own that seem to help:
-first of all, sheer willpower is not enough. if you rely on this alone, you are setting yourself up for failure every time. it's like any addiction or compulsion. i won't say that it can't be done, or that it has never been done, but this is a very, very hard way to do it. (you just feel even more worthless)
-this is how i remove the temptation. i notice that my skin looks better in the winter because it's usually covered up. sooo...i wear lightweight long (or 3quarter length) sleeves quite often even in the summer. and capri pants to cover my thighs/knees....still summery, but covered.
-i have discovered that if i clip my thumbnails really short, there is less leverage there to pick with. (some people suggested gloves, etc)
- there are certain seats in my house i usually sit in to pick, for whatever reason. and certain times of day when i do it more. i avoid those chairs, and i purposely fill up those times with other chores/behaviors. some people suggested the rubber band on the wrist. (dr phil says that bad habbits aren't usually quit, just replaced with other habbits/behaviors). make a conscious effort to replace the habbit. when you feel the urge to pick, do something you enjoy instead, like reading sciptures, or working out, for example. and remember, after 21 days, a behavior becomes a habbit. (i have heard!)
- finally, when i see a bump, i think, "well, i'll just pick this one and leave the rest alone", but how stupid is that??? it gets me every time! just don't even get started. (this is where willpower will help:-)
i really hope this helps. i have already gotten some good info from a lot of you!
thanks,
cindi