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Skin Picking: The Freedom to Finally Stop
Free yourself from the destructive cycle of compulsive skin picking
Annette Pasternak, Ph.D., the Stop Skin Picking Coach, teaches you everything you need to know about why you pick your skin and how to break free of this frequently devastating behavior. Step-by-step she leads you through:
1) Exercises to help you to break the habit of the behavior.
2) Techniques to reduce stress and anxiety naturally, thus reducing the body’s need to pick.
3) How to release negative thoughts and emotions holding you back.
4) Lifestyle changes to restore physiological balance, including which foods to avoid, which to eat more of, and natural supplements to help you stop.
This comprehensive guide is a lifesaver for those suffering from skin picking, and is invaluable also for health professionals interested in learning how to help their patients who pick.
Annette Pasternak, Ph.D., the Stop Skin Picking Coach, teaches you everything you need to know about why you pick your skin and how to break free of this frequently devastating behavior. Step-by-step she leads you through:
1) Exercises to help you to break the habit of the behavior.
2) Techniques to reduce stress and anxiety naturally, thus reducing the body’s need to pick.
3) How to release negative thoughts and emotions holding you back.
4) Lifestyle changes to restore physiological balance, including which foods to avoid, which to eat more of, and natural supplements to help you stop.
This comprehensive guide is a lifesaver for those suffering from skin picking, and is invaluable also for health professionals interested in learning how to help their patients who pick.
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 8, 2014
101 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 8, 2019
Early Feb 2019: Quick read, very helpful advice. I appreciated that the author was so open with her own experience as a skin picker. I struggle with skin picking due to mild adult acne. While the issue has tremendously improved for me as I've gotten older, I still have a habit of touching my skin or biting my nails when I get nervous. Pretty gross, right? It's not something I admit to anyone. I know it sounds trite, but this book made me realize that I am not alone in this issue and that it's normal to feel ashamed and embarrassed. It also made me realize that it IS possible to stop, but it requires a lot of attention, effort, and perseverance. I will post my progress in a few months to see how things are going.
Update Feb 25, 2019: I have stopped biting my nails since I read this book and reduced my picking by keeping my hands busy. I’ve been using Play Doh and kinetic sand to distract myself from picking urges and so far it’s going well...
Update April 8, 2019: I am amazed at how much I have improved myself since reading this book. I went to a food allergist and discovered I am majorly lactose intolerant. One of Pasternak's suggestions is cutting out lactose or trying an elimination diet along with sugar, alcohol, caffeine, ect.. It was something that I had thought about for a long time, getting testing for allergies or cutting out certain foods, but this book was exactly the nudge I needed to do so. Also, there are some good vegan cheese alternatives made with coconut oil that still are very delicious. Changing my diet has definitely reduced the number of breakouts, thus making the temptation to pick less powerful.
I commented at the end of Feb. that I had stopped biting my nails, and it was great but I fell off the wagon. I am happy to report that I have since stopped biting them and love the way they look, nice and painted. More updates to come...
Update Feb 25, 2019: I have stopped biting my nails since I read this book and reduced my picking by keeping my hands busy. I’ve been using Play Doh and kinetic sand to distract myself from picking urges and so far it’s going well...
Update April 8, 2019: I am amazed at how much I have improved myself since reading this book. I went to a food allergist and discovered I am majorly lactose intolerant. One of Pasternak's suggestions is cutting out lactose or trying an elimination diet along with sugar, alcohol, caffeine, ect.. It was something that I had thought about for a long time, getting testing for allergies or cutting out certain foods, but this book was exactly the nudge I needed to do so. Also, there are some good vegan cheese alternatives made with coconut oil that still are very delicious. Changing my diet has definitely reduced the number of breakouts, thus making the temptation to pick less powerful.
I commented at the end of Feb. that I had stopped biting my nails, and it was great but I fell off the wagon. I am happy to report that I have since stopped biting them and love the way they look, nice and painted. More updates to come...
March 7, 2014
The thing I like about Annette Pasternak's book is that it's not the same old book that shares tips we've heard a thousand times and it doesn't push some magical medication. Most importantly, it doesn't promise a cure. What it does offer is new ways to look at what might be affecting or contributing to skin picking, and suggests ways to change those habits to help reduce the urges to pick. Simple steps that can be done at home, by yourself, at your own pace. From yoga to changes in diet, these are new ways to think about skin picking, and from someone who knows what she's talking about. This is her area of practice, which she presents to us in an understandable way. She explains how we will be affected biologically and what improvements can be made from taking these different steps; she doesn't just throw around words and expect us to make sense of them, but takes the time to explain what she means.
If you're looking for a legitimate self-help book for skin picking, this is one. It's not just a compilation of things you can find anywhere or a simple little workbook, it's got substance and suggests new ways to help with this disorder. A good read, for sure.
If you're looking for a legitimate self-help book for skin picking, this is one. It's not just a compilation of things you can find anywhere or a simple little workbook, it's got substance and suggests new ways to help with this disorder. A good read, for sure.
January 2, 2020
I really wanted to like this book, but felt it lacked depth. It focused on personal approaches and was vehemently anti-medication and pro-holistic approaches. While I appreciated and benefited from some of the exercises, I felt that it judged other kinds of approaches and minimized experiences for those who recover/cope with the disorder that is Excoriation Disorder through multiple means.
September 1, 2016
Full review at The Pluviophile Reader: http://wp.me/p3VFNP-3g
5/5 stars.
ebook, 148 pages.
Read from January 17 to March 07, 2014.
This book is by far the most comprehensive, supportive and positive guide out there right now for Dermatillomania. I can't say enough good things about this book!
For those that don't know, Dermatillomania, or Excoriation disorder, can be defined as:
This is a condition that I have personally struggled with deeply. I can safely say that through my own methods I was able to battle this condition for the most part and I am now an advocate for awareness and support. I wish that this book existed during my most troublesome times as I definitely would have battled the worst of the condition a lot sooner with this kind of help. This book has truly provided me with the final resources that I needed in order to say goodbye to this habit forever.
*** Just some quick shameless self-promotion here: I've actually recently published my story in a collaborative book called Project Dermatillomania that's available for purchase now . ***
I took a long time reading this book in order to go through all of the motions, guides, suggestions and exercises so that I could give it a good comprehensive review. I can honestly say that if you follow Annette's methods, you WILL get results!
So many people find themselves completely controlled and at a loss with this disorder. It's a helpless feeling. This book shows you how to get back that power, and more importantly, that you cannot define yourself as this disorder and cannot submit to its definition. It shows positive strategies to curb your urges and shows you that in order to fully tackle the habit you must determine the emotional reasons and routines for carrying out the vicious cycle of picking.
People start picking for so many reasons but it's always to find relief. Often times it's a matter of dealing with stress because we haven't found other methods of doing so. One thing that Annette stresses is the readiness for a person to stop picking. It's hard thing to admit and even harder to give up something that feels good and that you've relied on for so long. Her book not only provide methods with how to start this process but how to keep a long standing positive replacement to the picking.
In summary, her programs focuses and takes the reader through these steps:
1) How to stop victimizing and beating yourself out. Forgiveness and acceptance is crucial.
2) You are not powerless to this condition and you can stop. In order to stop you need to accept this.
3) Track your picking in a habit log. This is the one part that she stress the most. If you aren't able to recognize the feelings associated with picking as well as when and where they occur you're not going to able to stop it before it begins.
4) Recognizing your negative thoughts and behaviours. Retraining how you think is necessary for overcoming this as most of the time urges come from an unnecessary uncertainty or beliefs.
5) Actual techniques to block and prevent urges. Gloves, toys, exercise, meditation etc, and just why they work.
6) Long standing methods to deal with your stress and emotions in a healthy positive way. Annette takes a very holistic approach.
7) Other things that could contribute and make your urges worse (sugar and alcohol etc).
Compassion oozes from this book. Annette herself used to struggle and live with this disorder herself so she completely understands what every sufferer goes through. Her writing is so gentle and soothing. She knows that we're all going to mess up but that there is still progress and success in each mess up and mistake.
What I believe makes this book the best resource out there is that it's the first to really go into the emotional sides as to why people pick and tackles those issues directly as a step for overcoming this disorder. In my own struggles, that was the only thing that worked for me after countless other resources. Overcoming this disorder is truly a process of steps and Annette can take you through them. She provides so many additional resources in terms of supplements and other reading material as well. What makes it even better is that Annette is a life coach and personally deals with helping her clients combat this particular disorder. You can find more information about her services on her website.
For those that are affected by this disorder, please, PLEASE, read this book!
5/5 stars.
ebook, 148 pages.
Read from January 17 to March 07, 2014.
This book is by far the most comprehensive, supportive and positive guide out there right now for Dermatillomania. I can't say enough good things about this book!
For those that don't know, Dermatillomania, or Excoriation disorder, can be defined as:
"...an impulse control disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pick at one's own skin, often to the extent that damage is caused. Research has suggested that the urge to pick is similar to an obsessive compulsive disorder but others have argued that for some the condition is more akin to substance abuse disorder. The two main strategies for treating this condition are pharmacological and behavioral intervention." - Wikipedia
This is a condition that I have personally struggled with deeply. I can safely say that through my own methods I was able to battle this condition for the most part and I am now an advocate for awareness and support. I wish that this book existed during my most troublesome times as I definitely would have battled the worst of the condition a lot sooner with this kind of help. This book has truly provided me with the final resources that I needed in order to say goodbye to this habit forever.
*** Just some quick shameless self-promotion here: I've actually recently published my story in a collaborative book called Project Dermatillomania that's available for purchase now . ***
I took a long time reading this book in order to go through all of the motions, guides, suggestions and exercises so that I could give it a good comprehensive review. I can honestly say that if you follow Annette's methods, you WILL get results!
So many people find themselves completely controlled and at a loss with this disorder. It's a helpless feeling. This book shows you how to get back that power, and more importantly, that you cannot define yourself as this disorder and cannot submit to its definition. It shows positive strategies to curb your urges and shows you that in order to fully tackle the habit you must determine the emotional reasons and routines for carrying out the vicious cycle of picking.
"It is imperative to go beyond these labels and reveal how chronic skin picking plays a part in each individual's life" p. 18
"You may be genetically predisposed to a condition but that does not mean you are powerless over it." p. 27
People start picking for so many reasons but it's always to find relief. Often times it's a matter of dealing with stress because we haven't found other methods of doing so. One thing that Annette stresses is the readiness for a person to stop picking. It's hard thing to admit and even harder to give up something that feels good and that you've relied on for so long. Her book not only provide methods with how to start this process but how to keep a long standing positive replacement to the picking.
"Stopping skin picking is hard. Is that any reason to feel badly about yourself? NO." p. 16
In summary, her programs focuses and takes the reader through these steps:
1) How to stop victimizing and beating yourself out. Forgiveness and acceptance is crucial.
2) You are not powerless to this condition and you can stop. In order to stop you need to accept this.
3) Track your picking in a habit log. This is the one part that she stress the most. If you aren't able to recognize the feelings associated with picking as well as when and where they occur you're not going to able to stop it before it begins.
4) Recognizing your negative thoughts and behaviours. Retraining how you think is necessary for overcoming this as most of the time urges come from an unnecessary uncertainty or beliefs.
5) Actual techniques to block and prevent urges. Gloves, toys, exercise, meditation etc, and just why they work.
6) Long standing methods to deal with your stress and emotions in a healthy positive way. Annette takes a very holistic approach.
7) Other things that could contribute and make your urges worse (sugar and alcohol etc).
Compassion oozes from this book. Annette herself used to struggle and live with this disorder herself so she completely understands what every sufferer goes through. Her writing is so gentle and soothing. She knows that we're all going to mess up but that there is still progress and success in each mess up and mistake.
"Practice makes better... Practice makes permanent" p. 137
What I believe makes this book the best resource out there is that it's the first to really go into the emotional sides as to why people pick and tackles those issues directly as a step for overcoming this disorder. In my own struggles, that was the only thing that worked for me after countless other resources. Overcoming this disorder is truly a process of steps and Annette can take you through them. She provides so many additional resources in terms of supplements and other reading material as well. What makes it even better is that Annette is a life coach and personally deals with helping her clients combat this particular disorder. You can find more information about her services on her website.
For those that are affected by this disorder, please, PLEASE, read this book!
October 16, 2014
By reading this book I have gained knowledge about my problem and become aware of the reasons that I pick my skin. I will try out some of the exercises such as meditating every morning and hanging up post-it notes in the places where I pick so I will read them when the urge to pick rush through me. By reading this book I actually believe it is possible for me to stop picking, but it will take time to redo my bad habits and make them into good habits, but it is possible:-)
July 27, 2018
Skinpickers rejoice
I read this in three days. I recommend it for therapists who work with skin pickers. And of course people like me who pick.
I read this in three days. I recommend it for therapists who work with skin pickers. And of course people like me who pick.
September 10, 2019
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to stop skin picking. Much of its advice also applies to hair pulling, nail biting, and other similar Body Compulsive Repetitive Behaviors. However, I think even people without BFRBs might benefit from this book as many if its techniques are also applicable to anxiety and depression. Unlike many recommendations this book covers on thepsychological, dietary, medical, and spiritual causes of skin picking instead of having a narrow focus. Many of the treatments are not commonly administered by traditional medicine and psychology practitioners. However the author doesn’t claim these treatments will definitely work, only that there is some evidence they do and they are probably worth trying. And often the few scientific studies of these treatments are much more promising than those of traditional treatments.
July 10, 2024
While I read this book to gain insight to help a dear family member, it left me questioning whether my nail biting habit is related! It’s the worst when I’m stressed!My family member started skin picking after taking pain medications for a few years and even though they are off of them, can’t seem to stop the “itch” which brings them great shame.
She provided a lot of great techniques to overcome anxiety, depression, and poor health through holistic means, yoga, meditation, dietary changes, and supplements. She also provides a lot of resources which I’ll be sharing. What she points out is that our body systems are all connected and some exhibit symptoms of poor health differently than others. I now feel better equipped to assist someone with no judgement. It’s a hard conversation to have and it’s important that outsiders come from a place of no judgement!
She provided a lot of great techniques to overcome anxiety, depression, and poor health through holistic means, yoga, meditation, dietary changes, and supplements. She also provides a lot of resources which I’ll be sharing. What she points out is that our body systems are all connected and some exhibit symptoms of poor health differently than others. I now feel better equipped to assist someone with no judgement. It’s a hard conversation to have and it’s important that outsiders come from a place of no judgement!
August 7, 2020
Hilfreiche Tipps
June 2, 2021
I work with patients who have acne in my naturopathic practice, and also have a history of acne myself--so I wanted to learn more about treatment for chronic skin picking. Fixation on skin flaws and imperfections can become a habit when you have acne and it can be difficult to talk about with health providers. Annette (the Stop Skin Picking Coach) provides a safe and caring space in her book for people to learn about how to stop skin picking. Her book is comprehensive, covering both the physical and mental-emotional sides to treatment. I like the tone of the book too: accessible, full of helpful metaphors, encouraging, and not blaming or judgmental. In a world where acne and skin picking/popping is being glorified on social media and in videos (under the guise of body acceptance and for sheer entertainment), Annette's book is refreshing. It tells the reader honestly that skin picking does not have to be a habit that controls your life, and that you can work your way toward a healthier lifestyle and mindset. I would recommend her book to my patients, with confidence they'll experience good results.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews