I have been a little slow to reply to my comments lately and am just going through them now. But I noticed a particularly inspiring one from Maddison which I wanted to draw your attention to:
I have a similar problem where I pick at my skin. I had a teacher tell me that your mind learns from repetition and telling yourself that you can do something can make it happen. I kept a journal or a log I didn’t write in it everyday but I wrote when I felt like picking, or after I had picked. It’s not just telling yourself that you can do it but you also have to believe it. Something that worked for me was looking at myself in the mirror (where I usually pick at my face.) and said I CAN STOP PICKING MY FACE over and over and over. I did this every time I was feeling stressed out at home. I also would write down I CAN STOP PICKING MY FACE on a piece of paper or sometimes several pieces of paper, but you have to believe it. I would write my self notes all over the place saying I CAN STOP PICKING MY FACE. I surrounded my self with these messages to myself. I had to identify when, where, and why I picked. I kept a journal or a log I didn’t write in it everyday but I wrote when I felt like picking, or after I had picked or if I didn’t pick. I wrote notes and put them in everyday places like the inside of my door, on the dashboard of my car, in the shower (I laminated them), on my computer, on the refrigerator door, on the inside of my refrigerator door, I wrote it down in my daily planner on every single page. I put these notes around and it was a reminder that I could do this and I would remember not to pick. I would pick anywhere and everywhere, at school for example. I would go in to the bathroom stall and pull out my compact mirror but I had written a note on the inside saying that I CAN STOP PICKING MY FACE. These three things among other methods helped me stop picking. I would start with not picking for days at a time then weeks at a time and now I have not picked my face in a year! I am just letting you know that this doesn’t just happen over night you truly have to surround yourself in your goal/message. I have been picking my face among other things for as long as I can remember (like pulling my hair, biting my nails, picking scabs, etc.) But picking my face was the worst. It was easy for me to admit that I had these particular problems and I would say that I wanted to stop but the words didn’t mean anything to me it was me just going through the motions. One day I decided that it really was time for me to stop. Because I didn’t want to do this for the rest of my life. but when I told my self that I could stop picking my face I started to believe it. I got compliments and that was even more encouragement for me. I would recommend that you try this with any form of treatment you think will help or is already helping you.
All the best to you
MSPennyLane – thank you for reposting this. I have dabbled and “pretended” that I was going to do this, but often time I just say things and don’t believe me. It may be a cliche thing to say – but the mind is a powerful thing.
Abby Leora Rohrer made a book – why can’t I stop pulling – that I downloaded many many years ago. I printed it out and had it sit on my shelf for years upon years. I stopped reading it because it challenged me by saying something to the tune of:
You don’t want to stop pulling, you say you do, but deep down there is a part of you that likes pulling. Let’s face it you found a creative way of dealing with this crazy world.
For me to read that made me face the reality of pulling. I do like doing it, it feels great. I hate the consequences, the bald patches, the destroyed self esteem. She suggests after you pull, don’t hate yourself, say “good job you found a way to deal with your problems, but now lets find another solution” I have not done what she suggests, but I feel it falls in line with what Maddison is suggesting.
Funny thing is I don’t want to put signs everywhere that say “I can stop pulling” b/c then everyone knows I pull. So I guess the key is to write it on tweezers with black magic marker! Or I do it at work so maybe I can make an ical pop up reminder with “I C Stop P” every hour, so I would know what it means, but not everyone else.
All in all what I am getting at – you mind has to be made up, deep down in your mind and you have to stay committed. The more Yoga I do the less I pull as well exercise helps keep the mind focused on positive decisions for your body I feel.
Thank you for reposting her comment it is a simple strong thing that can make a difference to help train your brain.
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