Hi

[cookie]

Hi everyone. I hope you are all doing better than me. I'm cookie. I have been picking for over 15 years. The past year has been the ultimate worse. My face is a horror show. I have tried everyhting except the anti-pschotic meds a doctor recommended to be at a low dose. I tried to apply the 12 steps to this problem but it just doesn't work. I pray to god to help me, no does not work. I have gone on these support boards and yes that helps in that I know I am not alone. There really needs to be live group meetings like in AA for this.
I really can't take this anymore. I hate going around feeling so ugly. I will do anyhting to be able to stop.

[firegirl]

hi, cookie.

i wish i had a solid answer as to why we do this to ourselves, or how we can stop it. i think that if a drug was 100% effective, one of us would have tried it and would have told everyone else. we'd all rush out to get it, and poof!~ problem solved.

maybe the only way to stop is to treat the problem as just a bad habit, like smoking, and then do whatever it takes to quit. of course, i can't seem to quit smoking, either, because i have absolutely no willpower. i, too, have tried the twelve steps unsuccessfully, but there are thousands of people who have habits just as bad as ours, and after years and years of self-abuse, finally just quit.

the biggest issue is the 'compulsive' part- even if our mind is telling our fingers to stop, our body doesn't listen. picking is something we use to cope, and it's too hard to take away the crutch. stopping this behaviour would solve so many problems~ but, for some reason, our minds won't let us follow through with the plan. this indicates some sort of disorder or imbalance, which medication might be able to fix some day. we need a miracle drug!

i dunno~ hopefully coming to this board will help you in some way. this time of year can be brutal~ please feel free to share whatever's on your mind.

welcome here, cookie

[Cookie]

Thanjk you firegirl. This is a bad habit. It is almost harding than stopping smoking because it is complety unconscious for me. I automatically look into the mirror and start to pick. One of the things I must overcome is to be able to catch myself before I lean into the mirror and if I don't I have t obe able to tell my mind to stop picking before any damage is done. Easier said than done. Well tahnk you for your support.

[Secret]

Hi, Cookie my name's Connie. I'm bipolar and I'm a COmpulsive picker, I also have a little eating disorder, but it mostly falls under the obsessive compulsive category. I take buspar, which is supposed to make everything "further away." It's possible that I would be picking more if I wasn't on it, but it certainly doesn't eradicate this disorder. I also take erythromicines to keep my skin clear, and if I pick, the sore doesn't become as infected. I'm also taking inositol powder. I'm feeling O.K. I'm certainly glad to have people such as yourself to relate to, and I think you will find some peace of mind by talking to us. Thank you for being here. Love- Connie.

[Canuck]

Hi Cookie,

I'm sorry to hear that you're having such a tough time with this. We're all struggling, though, and we're all recovering in one way or another.

While live meetings aren't available, try to use this board as a crutch. We will all help you to the best of our ability.

I wish that I had answers for you. All I can offer is my good wishes, my advice, and the reality of this: you're not alone.

[Me2]

cookie,
its okay, honey. You sound like yo are at the end of your rope! All of us have been there. The truth is, most of us will probably be there again and again. But, that doesn't mean that we are helpless and beyond control. I know that picking is automatic. Can we revise that to say that picking is only partially automatic? When you find yourself picking, give yourself a reason to stop! (consider rewarding for resistance of urges or ability to stop mid-pick).
Just because you start, doesn't make the rest of the day a right-off. Remember that minutes spent not picking add up just the same as minutes spent picking. Try to focus on fewer minutes rather than no minutes. It will be less stressful- and we all no that stress is our enemy. Good luck. And you know what? If you have been doing this for 15 years, you're tougher than you think. i think you can take it and I think you'll definately be able to reduce your picking in the near future.
Understand that this is coming from someone who has also been picking for 15 years.
P.S. Why not try some serotogenic drugs? Sometimes, they are very successful!
P.S. Sorry for the lecture, but it sounded like you needed a bit of tough love from some one who knows.

Feel the love, cookie. It's there. We're all pulling for you. Welcome.