Any fellow ‘pickers’ out there?

I un-learned picking in two separate ways… firstly when I wore foundation often in college, I just learned not to touch my face at all. Secondly when I lived with my inlaws for a few years… my lovely father in law has a habit of noticing picking and lovingly going STOP PICKING LOL sometimes what you need to unlearn something is to be made self-conscious :-p

Hi, I pick the skin around my fingernails. I used to do it only a little while I was at uni (probably because I was studying a health degree and so often needed to use hand sanitiser, which stings far too much if you have any little exposed areas where the skin has been picked), but once I graduated and started full time work it really kicked up – so I’m pretty sure it is stress related.

One thing I have found helpful sometimes is using a fidget object, so that my hands can be busy and have an outlet during times when I am most prone to picking (e.g. during work meetings, listening to presentations, watching TV – so when I am bored or socially anxious!). I have used a fidget cube which I found helpful – each side is slightly different so you can get a variety of sensory stimulations (e.g. rough, smooth, moving, not moving, rotating, clicking). I have also liked using a fidget object one similar to this: https://intothewind.com/osm-fidget-black-white.html as it has a nice repetitive motion to it.

I have considered seeking psych support to manage it but I think I will wait. It tends to come in ebbs and flows, so sometimes I will spend 20 mins picking at my fingers until they bleed and not even notice, and other times I will have a good week where I won’t really pick much at all. But I am aware of my triggers, so when I know I’ll be heading into a meeting or a movie where I’m feeling a little anxious or “on edge”, I bring a fidget object to keep my hands busy. I work with paediatric occupational therapists and they sometimes like to get my feedback on different types of fidget objects in their equipment stock!

So sad to hear of this terrible urge. I don’t know if this suggestion is of any help but could hypnosis assist? I know hypnosis is available for other issues like smoking, eating disorders, gambling and a few others so perhaps your doctor can refer you to a well-qualified practitioner. The community centres sometimes have people who do hypnosis for smoking but not sure how effective they are. I think you also have to be ready to quit for hypnosis to work.

Yep, used to bite my nails. Now they are longer I pick. Zits. Scabs. Dry skin. Bumps. Ingrown hairs. I know I shouldn’t, but anxiety needs an outlet.
No solution has been long term for me I’m afraid.

Me. I do this. I did this as a kid. I did this when I got diagnosed with PCOS. I still do this while heavily medicated for psychiatric disorders. I just make sure to keep things clean.

I have combo skin, mostly dry, so I get a lot of flaking. I’m also using retinol at the moment to help with my acne problem (I went off the pill for a bit, so I’m suffering the wrath of hormonal acne), the retinol also makes my skin flakey, but the acne part is finally dying down. So many scabs.

Have you thought about going to a Doctor and trying a anti-anxiety medication? Or meditating, using essential oils to relax and to help the urge to pick.

I used to pick a bit when I was younger and squeeze zits but not anymore, maybe thinking about what a pain in the butt it will be to heal it and the fact that it might leave scars would help?
Avene make some great creams, their Calcifate cream is recommended for those types of skin conditions, to help heal and soothe skin.

EDIT: it’s called Avene Cicalfate restorative skin cream . It’s quite thick and needs to be rubbed in quite a bit, or left to be absorbed, like a ointment. You can get it from Priceline, chemist Warehouse etc…