How to Stop Skin Picking

Are you a nervous person?  Do you have acne prone skin that is made worse by picking at it?  Here’s how to stop skin picking to look / feel better.

Skin Picking and OCD

If you tend to be a nervous person, that could mean that you have certain habits that may not serve you.  Sure, lots of habits fall into this but if it’s affecting your skin, this affects how we not only look but feel on the outside.  In fact, we realize that the outside world sees us – our skin – and it only magnifies the problem.  So, if you have even a little bit of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and your issue is skin picking, how can you work on your anxiety to make your skin look better?

Stress

First, what causes OCD?  It can be any number of things from stress from our jobs to stress in our personal lives.  It could also stem from post traumatic stress – something that happened to us years before.  We may not remember it, but it is still affecting us.  Stress is a normal part of life but when it gets to be too much, we try to make ourselves feel better and sometimes it is in destructive ways.

We don’t mean to hurt ourselves, but sometimes it’s the only way to cope – or so we feel.  Some people get angry (and are angry people), some take to drugs or alcohol, and some skin pick.  If you want to learn how to start looking and feeling better – and start to lessen your skin picking, I’ll tell you how to stop skin picking.  Otherwise, it can lead to more emotional problems with the added physical deformities of scarring.  Acne scars can be unsightly so figuring out how to stop the skin picking is key.

How to stop Skin Picking

First and foremost, you have to realize you are doing it.  Once you notice you are doing it, then you can take steps to stop.  But, how do you do this when it seems to be so compulsive?

Don’t beat yourself up.  We are all human.  The best, most effective way I’ve ever dealt with issues is to realize I’m doing it then to stop and take a deep breath.  Then, take another.  This is what led me to start meditating.  I never thought I was good at sitting still but when I realized that I only needed to sit for one minute and take some deep breaths, I actually felt better.

It didn’t always work but the amazing thing was that the cumulative effect was amazing.  You may think this won’t help and you may actually fail at it a number of times.  But, each time (and I mean each time) you stop and do this, you stop the behavior.  Eventually, you will lessen the amount of skin picking.  Trust me.  Over time, you will see how you have improved.  The key is to not beat yourself up.

This may be easier said than done but just see how you feel a month later.  Each month that goes by that you lessen your bad habit means that your skin has time to heal.  The more positive results you see, the more you will be motivated to not pick your skin.  And you may actually pick up a different (albeit better) habit…one that can help calm you – meditating.  We aren’t perfect and it is OK.  As long as you continue to try in life that is all that matters.