Okay, so this is the first time I've talked about it to anyone other than family, but I have some bad habits of picking at myself. I don't know when they started, but I just can't stop.

 

I've picked at my acne, under my fingernails, my underarms, my eyebrows and sometimes my belly button. The worst is the eyebrows, now they look so weird and misshapen and I draw them back in using makeup but it just doesn't look real. And it makes me feel so embarrassed but I know that it's my own fault and I've just done it to myself.

 

My parents have told me countless times to stop, and I've tried to tell myself countless times, but I just can't.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to stop? I just can't keep doing this to myself...

Well, you can't stop it,dont pick on it

Everybody goes through this. Its a good time to except how you look

(I hope you didnt took it offensivley,but you can use products that can stop it)

tutti frutti. I would say that whenever you get those urges do something else that you would otherwise get your attention: work, school, gaming, being with friends & family, etc. Try to watch when you do that habit and do something listed above whenever someone points it out, or you realise that you're doing that habit until you've stopped. Though bad habits in general tend to be difficult to get rid of. Good luck in getting rid of it.

 

Hmm, if it was biting your nails I'd recommend nail polish but since it's scratching, let's try something different.

 

Oh! Put burning acid on the parts you scratch! That way you won't want to touch those places with your hands so that your hands don't burn too! It's the same concept!

 

...

 

Maybe not. You could try wearing long sleeved clothing so that you don't scratch your arms, and try to remind yourself every time you try to lift the clothes to scratch.

Or you could give yourself a reward. Such as an extra hour of television on Saturday night if you don't scratch, and you have to subtract 5 minutes for every time you catch yourself scratching. That could work...

Hmm, if it was biting your nails I'd recommend nail polish but since it's scratching, let's try something different.

 

Oh! Put burning acid on the parts you scratch! That way you won't want to touch those places with your hands so that your hands don't burn too! It's the same concept!

 

...

 

Maybe not. You could try wearing long sleeved clothing so that you don't scratch your arms, and try to remind yourself every time you try to lift the clothes to scratch.

Or you could give yourself a reward. Such as an extra hour of television on Saturday night if you don't scratch, and you have to subtract 5 minutes for every time you catch yourself scratching. That could work...

 

Picking, not scratching, there's a difference. Wearing long sleeves could help with picking under my arms, but I can't think of anything for under my nails. There's always gloves, I suppose.

 

The rewarding myself thing is a good idea. Might give it a try.

 

Well apparently picking at yourself/pulling hair out is actually a condition.

 

http://www.trich.org/dnld/HelpYourself.pdf

This gave some good suggestions for ways to stop. Distracting my hands by playing with putty, putting on hand cream so my hands are too slippery to pick at myself. Hopefully I can finally put a stop to this!

Keep your hands busy at all time, it only takes a few days to break a bad habit.

Keep your hands busy at all time, it only takes a few days to break a bad habit.

 

Really? I've heard two weeks. A few days sounds a lot better.

Really? I've heard two weeks. A few days sounds a lot better.

 

I've heard different things but I don't think it's dreadfully long

Keep your hands busy and maybe wear a rubber band around your wrist to snap when you catch yourself picking at something.