body-focused repetitive behaviour help
i keep picking at the skin on my upper arms an d shoulders. i have a little bit of acne there, like once and a while- it started off as "fixing" that, but i dont have it anymore and still pick at the skin there. i've done it for years but it's so annoying because i bleed too- like i pretty much made a small hole in my upper arm by picking at it over and over last night and today.
i also pick at the skin on my face. i have pretty clear skin, but still pick at the tiny little pores when im supposed to be doing skin care, and that bleeds a bit too and hurts.
ive always had bad habits- biting my nails, my lips, picking at my scalp as a kid. all of this until i bleed. i have scars on my thighs by picking at them too. i once cut myself on some stupid ****ed up urge, and all i was thinking that i preferred picking at my skin there because it hurt more. i didnt even let the scabs heal properly because i kept going at them.
i'm honestly really sick of it. i don't wear super-short sleeve shirts anymore, because i literally *can't* because my upper arms and shoulders are red. what do i do? i asked chat gpt and it said this was body-focused repetitive behaviour. which didnt really help.
i don't really want to ask my parents about it, im self-conscious. no, u cannot convince me to talk to them about it. this is my issue. just how do i motivate or make myself stop? i barely notice when im doing it. i just zone out when im alone.
i also pick at the skin on my face. i have pretty clear skin, but still pick at the tiny little pores when im supposed to be doing skin care, and that bleeds a bit too and hurts.
ive always had bad habits- biting my nails, my lips, picking at my scalp as a kid. all of this until i bleed. i have scars on my thighs by picking at them too. i once cut myself on some stupid ****ed up urge, and all i was thinking that i preferred picking at my skin there because it hurt more. i didnt even let the scabs heal properly because i kept going at them.
i'm honestly really sick of it. i don't wear super-short sleeve shirts anymore, because i literally *can't* because my upper arms and shoulders are red. what do i do? i asked chat gpt and it said this was body-focused repetitive behaviour. which didnt really help.
i don't really want to ask my parents about it, im self-conscious. no, u cannot convince me to talk to them about it. this is my issue. just how do i motivate or make myself stop? i barely notice when im doing it. i just zone out when im alone.
Reply 1
21
a skin picking disorder. it's sorta related to ocd and usually caused by stress.
Reply 2
Original post
by Ciel.a skin picking disorder. it's sorta related to ocd and usually caused by stress.
but how could I have been stressed since the age of 4?
ive had habits like this nonstop since that age
Reply 3
21
Original post
by Anonymousbut how could I have been stressed since the age of 4?
ive had habits like this nonstop since that age
ive had habits like this nonstop since that age
kids absolutely can get stressed by all sorts of things, even at a super young age. of course, this isn’t a diagnosis or anything like, just saying what it sounds like to me. especially when you mentioned always feeling the need to 'fix' imperfections whenever the skin doesn’t feel even etc. - that’s a classic sign. stress can definitely be a trigger, but it’s not the only one. sometimes it’s boredom, anxiety, even adhd
Reply 4
Original post
by Ciel.kids absolutely can get stressed by all sorts of things, even at a super young age. of course, this isn’t a diagnosis or anything like, just saying what it sounds like to me. especially when you mentioned always feeling the need to 'fix' imperfections whenever the skin doesn’t feel even etc. - that’s a classic sign. stress can definitely be a trigger, but it’s not the only one. sometimes it’s boredom, anxiety, even adhd
i guess that makes sense. i still dont know how to stop tho. i was kind of aware when i was doing it since made the OP and it's been over 10 times i've picked at my skin pretty badly. im just kind of sick of it
Reply 5
21
Original post
by Anonymousi guess that makes sense. i still dont know how to stop tho. i was kind of aware when i was doing it since made the OP and it's been over 10 times i've picked at my skin pretty badly. im just kind of sick of it
idk, tbh i've been doing this since i was little too. i've never really seen anyone talk about it, so i always thought it was some super niche behavior, lol. but yeah i've kind of trained myself to keep it limited to just one spot on my body. i definitely do it less when i'm on benzos, but i've never been able to fully stop. sometimes i'll go a few days without touching it, when i'm less stressed and stuff, and it starts to heal but eventually, i always end up picking at it again
Reply 6
Original post
by Ciel.idk, tbh i've been doing this since i was little too. i've never really seen anyone talk about it, so i always thought it was some super niche behavior, lol. but yeah i've kind of trained myself to keep it limited to just one spot on my body. i definitely do it less when i'm on benzos, but i've never been able to fully stop. sometimes i'll go a few days without touching it, when i'm less stressed and stuff, and it starts to heal but eventually, i always end up picking at it again
how did you get yourself to limit it?
Reply 7
Original post
by Anonymoushow did you get yourself to limit it?
Hey i have a suggestion
Let's say u do it's like 10 times a day compulsively like picking at your skin.
Allow urself to do it 8 times every day for a month then next month reduce it to 7 times a day etc. Till u get once a day then once a week then once a month then non existent.
It's a habit from young age nothing will change you over night yet these micro gains will help u lit not do it. Also if u mess up write it down on thr calendar or whatever tracking system and don't restart the countdown
Also whenever u have the urge to do it quickly write down why in a journal. What emotions r u feeling? Boredom anger hatred stressed nihilistic anything it will rly help identify the root cause
Wishing u the best of luck
Reply 8
21
Original post
by Anonymoushow did you get yourself to limit it?
whenever i'd catch myself picking at a 'non-desginated' part of my skin, i'd redirect myself to just that one spot. at the time, i was pretty into instagram and doing some minor brand sponsorships, so trying to cover up the marks and editing them out was a pain. that gave me extra motivation. but medication defo played a part too
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