Alayna Clair said 10 years, 4 months ago:

Growing up…. My mom was a picker. I remember she would literally pin me down and spend hours picking at my skin…. At my face. When she would finish with me… she’d pick at herself. I haven’t been around my mother in quite some time…. But within the last few years…. I’ve become a picker. I not only pick at my skin…. But I look at my face and see blemishes. And I don’t see them as ugly…. I mean they are… But what I see is an infection. Something that immediately needs to be removed from my body, no matter the cost. I know picking… Popping…. Etc… I know it’ll only make things worse. I have poc marks now… Because of this. Who else goes through this??

Yawn said 10 years, 4 months ago:

I am not a picker but I have been through other means of self mutilation. It was wrong of your mother to force her picking onto you. But let’s not dwell on the past, she must have had her reasons.

I know it is hard to resist, but just try, at least try not to touch your face as much. You can destroy your own skin and cause other bruises and scarring, and as you mentioned: infections. I know that sometimes you don’t even know you’re doing it, so I want you to relax and just breathe. If you feel the urge again, try making your hands busy with something else like knitting, decorating, drawing etc. If your face is becoming worse such as swelling or more bleeding, then you should have a check up with a doctor to see if you have any infections to get rid of. Oh and about your pockmarks, they are a result of infection and /or other skin conditions. They are normally hard to get rid of so having a checkup with a doctor is the best start. Other than having to visit a clinic, try my tips: Relax, just breathe calmly and keep your hands busy with other activities.
Good luck to you <3

Alayna Clair said 10 years, 4 months ago:

Thank you for all of the great advice!!! This is a daily thing for me…. So when the urge arises later today… I will give all of these a shot and see how things go.

Yawn said 10 years, 4 months ago:

Good to hear~ =)

Velvet_Glove said 10 years, 4 months ago:

I have onychophagia, undiagnosed, but I absolutely know I have it. It is nail-biting, but not limited to just that. It’s cuticle, nail bed, nail, etc. torture…lol. I mean, I shouldn’t laugh, because it freaking hurts how badly I chew/pick, etc, almost always to the point of bleeding. I have not yet mastered dealing with it. But, I think the act of smoking (ecigs) has helped a little with the compulsion…I know, I know…feeding one bad habit with another, but it makes my fingers less raw, and It’s only nicotine vapor. Since I noticed I pick more in the car when I’m bored, I substitute that with the e-cig, and also, sometimes chewing gum helps. I know this might not be as helpful to you, it sounds as if you are dealing with some past abuse, and I understand that – it’s hard to understand and deal with at times for me also.

Deleted User said 10 years, 3 months ago:

I scratch (picking) and bite my fingers bloody and I wasn’t able to stop it yet.

Sometimes I don’t for a few days, but then I can suddenly end up doing it until it bleeds.

From what I have seen so far, it’s whenever I am “out of balance” (inside); maybe sometimes also when I am “bored”? I don’t know for sure, because I am not sure that it is boredom. It is more of “Not knowing what to do”, if that makes any sense? ._.

I sometimes try to keep my fingers busy by playing video games, so I can’t scratch.

In addition to my fingers, I also scratch the rash on the back of my neck or anything else that “stands out”.

I have Asperger’s, so I don’t know if it’s somehow related or not.

Sara Correia said 9 years, 8 months ago:

Remember that having ourselves busy makes it easier.
I remember that I was addicted to cut myself everywhere and slap my own face.
But I found it out something that helped me as a therapy, every time I wanted to self-harm, I would paint something about. For example If I wanted to slap myself I would paint an abstract woman or men where the hands would be the highlight of it.
Make sure you keep your mind busy always.
And if you struggling about it try to pick something that it’s not going to harm you or harm other people.
You are beautiful, don’t hurt yourself never!
xxx

My Frozen-Over Soul said 9 years, 7 months ago:

I go through this,every day I pick. I can’t help but do it. if I’m not busying both hands, if I’m bored, sad, angry, depressed, alone, neutral, I just can’t stop myself, it feels therapeutic in a way.

Lily said 9 years, 7 months ago:

I do this from time to time , cutting myself , or slapping myself , anything coz for me physical pain always helps me get rid of the emotional one

Autumn said 9 years, 2 months ago:

I pick at my face. I usually do it when I’m super stressed or anxious or on my period. My mom gets super pissed about it, but she doesn’t understand it’s an impulsive thing I do. Keeping busy hands definitely does help, I haven’t picked in a while, if I do, it’s the occasional zit.

mzmarie said 9 years, 2 months ago:

I can relate to your story, when I was 12 yrs. old I started to break out. My mother would also pin me down and pick at my face. She constanly pick at my face, because the more you pick at it the worse it gets and ther more you get (which I did not know at the time). So the more she would pick , she soon stop but then I took over. I befan constanly picking at my skin. I hated the way I looked and still do. At that time instead of my mother trying to help me with my acne , going to the doctor, informing about how to properly clean my face. Instead she showed me how to cover it with make up. I’m always picking I try to stop but I cant, sometimes when I go into the bathroom I won’t even turn on the light. Because if I can see my face I’m going to pick. I pick at any little bumb I see any where on my body. I’m so embrassed by my skin. I get into the picking so much I get in a daze and can’t stop. I don’t even realize at the time what I’m doing is harmful. Luckly eventually I am able to snap out of it.

Beautiful Mess said 8 years, 8 months ago:

I am a chronic picker, mostly my fave. I do it when I’m stressed, bored, anxious, etc. I will pick and re pick anything that’s not smooth on my face, and I do it pretty deep. I’ve been fortunate enough not to leave scars, but ut is a very bad habit that just triggers my social anxiety even more and causes me to not be able to leave my house. I don’t know how to stop, even occupyin my hands doesn’t work. When someone tries to gently push my hands away, I get angry. I wasn’t always this way, I believe it manifested as a result of past drug addiction. It’s a leftover behavior, or ‘tweaker tick’ that I can’t get rid of…

LoveAMonster said 8 years, 6 months ago:

I struggle with picking every blemish I can find whether it’s a scab, zit, bug bite. It’s become an addiction I do it more if My anxiety is acting up or I’m bored. Every once in a while I’m able to distract myself and stop for a few weeks but the impulse to pick always comes back. I feel like it’s apart of a small OCD that leads me to pick any imperfection. But it leads to social anxiety because I am embarrassed and people think I’m on meth because of the scabs. Any tips on how to stop for good would be extremely appreciated.