Tips for Quitting

- Cover your mirror with paper. This is a very drastic action to take, but it is also very effective. Keep the mirror covered for as long as you need to; this may be weeks, this may be days, this may be months. Decorate the paper with something inspirational and beautiful. For example, mine had picture drawn by my favorite artist on it with the Lisa Gerrard poem “With one wish we wake the will within wisdom. With one will we wish the wisdom within waking. Woken, willing, wishing.” I felt strong enough to take it down after about a month and a half after I put it up.

- Tell someone. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have somebody who will understand. I was blessed with an awesome, supportive mom. I was completely scared to tell her. But after I did, I felt so much better. She encouraged me to quit. Keeping it bottled in side of you is not healthy; telling someone takes a lot of weight off you and gives you more initiative to stop.

- Keep your skin as clean as possible. Use anti-bacterial soap or an oil-free cleanser. Try to see a dermatologist. The more clear your skin is, the less of an urge you’ll have to pick at it.

- If you slipped up: rub affected skin with alcohol and apply antibacterial ointment.

- Have a loved one write a little note or draw an anti-picking picture. Tape it on the corner of your mirror. Or, write yourself a note urging yourself not to pick. Make the following rule: you can pick your face at any time, but your only condition is that before a picking session you have to read the note you wrote to yourself. Make the note as emotionally appealing as possible. Dissect and refute any arguement you may have for picking.

- Set records for not picking and try to beat them.

Tips from others:

- Luvox and other drugs against OCD.

- Long, fake nails! The thick tips help reduce picking. There has been a lot of positive stories from women who got fake nails.

[Found on a message board]

Submit tips: mailto:saveface@mailcity.com

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