how to break an addiction?

hey i’m not sure the title is accurate but i couldn’t think of anything better

basically i’ve been struggling with skin picking for my entire life

it started small

picking some overhangs and scans around my nails at 6

nothing too serious

as years went by it evolved into pretty severe skin picking, where i wasn’t able to go a day without making a lesion

and recently (like in the past year) the habit developed into full blown dermatilomania

i keep on picking to the point where my lesions can’t heal properly

the worst of it is i started picking skin on my heels to the point where i can’t walk properly anymore and when i do it causes me a lot of pain

it catches up to me in the evening when i’m bored

i’ve been advised to “occupy my hands with something” but what nobody seems to get is that it’s something i do absentmindedly i’m not sure what to do anymore

does anyone have similar experience or am i beyond help at this point ?

have a nice day

justlookingfordragon,
@justlookingfordragon@lemmy.world avatar

In addition to what others have said already (seriously, see a doctor), it can also help to redirect the urge. If your brain currently demands something to be picked, it doesn’t have to be your skin - plucking on loose threads or fabric fuzz in an old towel until the surface feels smooth again, peeling labels off glass bottles until there is no paper left, anything with “tiny imperfections” that you can remove with a bit of fumbling can help to easen the urge without you damaging yourself in the process.

This is not “the solution” tho - it is only an additional little help to medication and therapy.

Scarronline,

Dip your finger I’m pvc glue, letcit dry, peel it off. Repeat.

Or find an activity to distract. Don’t sit on the sofa and watch TV (if that’s where you pick), keep busy with other things.

lntl,
@lntl@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

im an alcoholic. one day, after a long trip down a dark and broken road, i decided to stop.

i used to drink in the evening when i was bored. nowadays, after dinner, in the evening, i take long walks. they’re typically 6 miles and last two hours.

you’ll stop if you really want to. getting the help of a professional or support group helps lots of people. good luck

Damaskox,
@Damaskox@lemmy.world avatar

Reminds me of one video. I recall his friends made a prank. The dude woke up from drinking too much in a hospital room where the nurse said that the had been comatose for many years.
To be clear, this wasn’t the case - it was just a prank.

…but I bet experiencing that would put some people to think.

Damaskox,
@Damaskox@lemmy.world avatar

I love wasting spending lots of time on the computer.

I’m friends with Beeminder.
I started at one minute less per day. At the moment I get one day in the countdown when I’m off the machine for 165 minutes. I raise the value when I feel it - slowly and steadily.

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/152c47d7-25ba-475c-92b1-0ff2c5326777.png

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