Advice on battling compulsions (specifically picking at acne)?

[Anonymous]

I am in my early 20s and have been battling acne for almost ten years now. It's not super severe, not the worst case out there by any means. But at any given time I always have multiple breakouts on my face. I've tried so many things and spent so much money, but I haven't found any real solution yet.

One thing making my acne worse is that I do pick at it (squeezing pimples and clogged pores, general poking around). I know that this is the absolute worst thing you can do to acne, and I've seen my own skin get worse when I pick at it and better when I don't for a few days. But no matter how thoroughly I know this, it doesn't seem to stop me from continuing to pick at my skin. It's definitely a compulsion. I find myself doing it even when I am consciously telling myself not to.

Again and again I have made resolutions not to pick at my skin, even going so far as to write it down and pin it to my mirror. But even if I stop myself for a few days, I'm always right back at it soon enough. It makes my skin worse, it makes the acne look much more obvious, and I hate the feeling of not being in control of my own actions. I need to kick this compulsion.

Do you have any tips, tricks, or advice for battling this type of compulsion? What can I do to help myself be successful this time? What am I doing to get in my own way? What are the steps that you would recommend?

Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it.

Updates

+1 y

I don't have a perfect diet by any means, but I eat much healthier than most people I know and I do incorporate a lot of fruits and veggies into my diet. I also take multivitamins religiously, and I try to take apple cider vinegar at least every couple of days.

[UberTroll]

I have a horrible nail biting compulsion so I can relate. I just started a log of my nail biting habits and so far it's been pretty helpful. I keep a piece of paper where I write down the date and time of when I bite my nails, this has two benefits: first it helps bring the nail biting to a more conscious level, it keeps me more aware of what I'm doing, second it takes my hands away from my mouth just long enough to let the urge subside.

If you find your compulsion especially stubborn then you may want to consider seeing a therapist to help. Dermatillomania (skin picking) and onychophagia (nail biting) are now thought to be closely related to OCD. The compulsions can be quite strong which can make it hard to break yourself out of the habit but I've heard that people have been finding a lot of success in treatment using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The nice thing about CBT is it's fairly easy to implement self-assessment throughout the treatment. This site might be helpful: link

[UberTroll]

thanks for BA

[bluexqueen]

Catch yourself before you pick your acne and stop. And if you don't eat healthy, lots of fruits and vegetables with no junk food that will help your acne. And I think you should look up the oil cleansing method. It sounds bad but it has cured my acne. I tried Proactiv, Noxzema, St. Ives, Neutragina, Skin ID and Clearsil. All had no effect but the natural remedies changed my face and life.

[Asker]

Thanks for your answer! I actually was just looking up the oil cleansing method the other day, and castor oil is on my shopping list! What ingredients do you put in yours?

Stopping myself before I start is definitely a good idea, I think that might be the key. Now that I think about it, the times when I have been able to take breaks have been the times when I didn't start in the first place. Maybe I need to just keep away from the mirror!

[bluexqueen]

For acne scars I would recommend Tamanu. To help with acne prevention get jojoba and grape seed oil. There are many other oils but that's what I can name right now. Argan oil is also great for dark acne scars and revitalizing skin. Eliminate caffeine in your diet too. Exfoliate with baking soda to buff of dead skin and scar tissue sicne it's been softened by the oil. Oh and get extra virgin olive oil too. And also you have to know your skin type for oil ratios. And only buy cold pressed oils.

[Asker]

Thanks! I already avoid caffeine completely, so that's good. I will give tamanu oil a try. I think I read that jojoba wasn't the best for acne, but maybe mixed with the castor oil it works. I suppose there's some trial and error involved since everyone is different.