Lauren's BFRB Advocacy Work, AS SEEN IN...

#PickingMe's Global Impact:

• Supported over 35k social media followers, the world’s largest online Skin Picking community
• Trained thousands of Dermatologists, Estheticians and skin care providers to work with skin pickers
• Hosted over 3,300 attendees to our bimonthly online support group, the first for Skin Picking Disorder
• Shipped over 18k Dermatillomania resources to sufferers, supporters, and education providers worldwide
• Presented at conferences for college counselors, OCD specialists, HR execs, high school nurses, therapists, day care providers, and more, teaching skin picking & prevention/management
• Brought the first Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior speaker to share on Capitol Hill
• Featured in BuzzFeed News, Vogue, Women’s Health Magazine, Daily Mail, Stylist, Refinery 29, The Breakdown, New York Post, and more; telling Lauren’s story plus encouraging her method and strategies
• Partnered with medical council on multiple Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior university based research studies, advancing the understand of skin picking
• Raised + distributed Skin Picking Disorder funds and resources in Gambia, South Africa; establishing much-needed BFRB resources for the local community
   

More Ways to Get Involved:

(Past #BFRBweeks!)
#BFRBweek 2022:

#BFRBweek 2022 Pledges

#BFRBweek 2021

Click here to learn all the ways you can take action and help fellow BFRB strugglers feel less alone during this important awareness week!

#BFRB Week 2020

#BFRB Week 2019

This year, #PickingMe will be featuring some amazing people in our BFRB community and sparking discussion on different topics on Skin Picking Disorder. We have also compiled special video poem showcasing sufferers of Skin Picking Disorder.

OCT 1

We're kicking off this week with an awesome tweet by @haffner20, that embodies Picking Me Foundation's goal to be a never ending source of ssupport! Who or what is your greatest source of Dermatillomania support?

“Don’t judge. Don’t grimace if you see a spot or point it out. We’re well aware of how we look, but you’re not aware of how it makes us feel. Don’t lecture or scold. Don’t ask us why we can’t ‘just stop’. We don’t understand it either and we wish we could. Don’t smack our hands away from our body. Distract us. Ask what’s got us wound up. We may not always know, but it’ll help us to redirect the energy. Or, just keep it all to yourself and simply support us. #PickingMe has shown me that I'm not alone and that there are people trying to help us.” -@mrsvon08 What does #SkinPickingDisorder support look like for you?

OCT 2

“Picking again. They started as bites whilst we were on holidays and I have picked at them. Some times not even realising I've been scanning until my fingers are wet with blood. I pick because I am anxious, stress, having trouble focusing and the list goes on. I've been picking in my sleep, which is never a good sign for me but at least I am addressing what seems to be my main issue. My period and hormones.” -@damnedmenace What are your picking triggers?

“Picking affects me the most in that when I have an attack, doing anything else becomes a struggle. During an attack, not picking is like sailing into the wind. It means I can't focus on work but it also means I can't do anything I enjoy either. And while there are things I can do to curb an attack once it has started most of my work is in keeping my general picking down enough not to hit that level, since there are sensory feedback loops that push the picking up. I also don't have one thing or emotion that causes my picking but I can pinpoint risk factors that increase the likelihood of an attack. I can't always avoid the risk but I can enter it more prepared.” -@seppo.n_c How do you prepare against picking triggers?

OCT 3

"The white scar under my pisces/aires tat is my most hated. I've had it for 5 years and my friends and family still freak out when they see it, saying “Hey there’s something on your back.” -@nitpickyskinpicking / @ittybittytittycommittee_ Have you experienced unnecessary comments from a #picking scar?

OCT 4

“Caught myself picking and actually stopped once I had ripped a thumb tack out of the wall to pop a pimple that hasn't even surfaced, its a weird cycle. Thankfully my picking episodes this last year have been less frequent and less severe but i still feel sad that I want to rip my face off every time i see my reflection, its a work in progress ¯\_(ツ)_/¯” -@gothiccgoblin When was a moment when you were able to stop a picking urge?

"As a European, it’s hard to imagine how someone suffering has such little access to medical treatments since you have to pay, and gets left out without receiving any help. #PickingMe has shown me hope and a community for people living with #skinpicking, not only based in Northern America, but also on a more international scale. They provide me and us with so much support and remember me to pick me over anything." -@hautfarbenschwarz What does #picking treatment look like in your country?

OCT 5

“This is what I look like now! (With no make up, my go to look more and more. Well, trying) Sometimes it's really hard for me to be okay with myself without make up on. Because of my dermatillomania, there can be periods where my face is really "bad". Covered in pimples or scabs or red spots or all of the above, so I'm so embarrassed to leave the house bare face. This was taken in a "good" time for me where my face is cleared up, for now. Hopefully I pick less and less and I can keep a good stretch for longer and longer and feel better and better in just my own skin. Picking Me Foundation has given me a community I can get support from and know I'm not alone and don't need to be embarrassed anymore." -@mind.me.blog What is your relationship with makeup while having Skin Picking Disorder?

“When I take the photo, my gut reaction is to delete it or try to edit the marks on my face to be invisible. I post the photo thinking “God I can’t wait for these marks to be gone”. I see the feed of my own Instagram and just struggle with how awful it is – my blemishes on show, no smiling, no angles, nothing. Every picture I take I feel looks like a mugshot. Yet y’all send me these unbelievably thoughtful messages and comments that leaving me crying. And still y’all follow me? … I think because this is not a shallow or skin deep Instagram. This is not a fake or edited story that I am sharing. My transparency and honesty is valued. I am not judged by the marks on my skin, but my willingness to share them with others. I don’t know, maybe I’m reading too much into it… Chances are that y’all won’t even read this. But it means a lot and it has made me realize that I need to stop withholding understanding for myself and my own experience. I need to halt my own judgements of my own skin. Going off of that… Most of the time it’s difficult for me to remember that I am more than my skin. For anyone else struggling with this disorder or anything similar, y’all know what I mean. I preach the need for everyone to not be shallow and skin deep in their opinions of others and themselves… and while I maintain this standard when thinking of others, I don’t when thinking about myself. Why don’t I allow myself that same luxury of understanding? So, here are some pictures that remind me of who I am and how I am more than my skin. I’m not perfect, my skin isn’t perfect and life is never perfect. But there are a lot of parts of me that I am proud of and they are more than the skin on my face.” -@candidlycori How do you combat the pressure of needing to have 'good skin'?

OCT 6

“Since I was a child, my picking has made me feel both isolated and singled out for negative attention. Even after discovering my picking problem wasn't unique, by finding an article about #BFRB on NPR, I still felt isolated. It wasn't until I discovered the Picking Me Foundation that I found other people that understand what I'm going through every day. Other people who share the same struggles and can offer advice and encouragement that stems from a shared experience. Because of the Picking Me Foundation I no longer feel so isolated by my BFRB.” -@kitten_qat How often do you feel isolation with this disorder?

"When my compulsions are bad, I will always be able to find infinite places on my body to pick at, regardless of acne or anything else. Tonight I was feeling lonely and stressed about the prospect of not making friends in my new city, and I’m sure that this was the trigger for this lil episode... I have struggled with skin picking all of my life, especially in times of stress or boredom, and just discovering that it had a name - dermatillomania - was such a huge thing for me as I knew it wasn’t just me being ‘weird’ and ‘gross’. Since then, finding out about #pickingmefoundation has been such a big help as I am able to see that I am not alone and that there is support out there." -@beauty_inthe_blemishes How often do life things affect your #picking frequency or urges?

OCT 7

"When my compulsions are bad, I will always be able to find infinite places on my body to pick at, regardless of acne or anything else. Tonight I was feeling lonely and stressed about the prospect of not making friends in my new city, and I’m sure that this was the trigger for this lil episode... I have struggled with skin picking all of my life, especially in times of stress or boredom, and just discovering that it had a name - dermatillomania - was such a huge thing for me as I knew it wasn’t just me being ‘weird’ and ‘gross’. Since then, finding out about #pickingmefoundation has been such a big help as I am able to see that I am not alone and that there is support out there." -@beauty_inthe_blemishes How often do life things affect your #picking frequency or urges?

“I was on the fence about starting this self-help blog here on Instagram. I was never comfortable showing my skin, especially on social media. But ever since I made the leap to start, I've found immense support, support that I never thought I'd get from anyone, let alone complete strangers. And #pickingmefoundation is a place where I can go to find people like me, read their stories, try their advice, and feel less alone. Body focused repetitive behaviors are really hard to overcome alone, so finding people to make you feel less alone will make everything so much easier, and you'll feel understood and appreciated the whole way.” -@hopefuldermatillomaniac How has the #BFRB community helped you?

See ya next year!

#BFRB Week 2018 (Oct 1 - 7)

This year our awareness campaign was Air BFRB, where we showcased our favorite destinations everyday that week across the U.S. and Canada who are dedicated to BFRB advocacy.
Check out these amazing organizations below!

Air BFRB Week Day 1

Our first stop is in Santa Cruz, CA
The TLC Foundation for BFRBs is your one stop shop for #BFRBweek & headquarters in general... They provide support, awareness, and fund Trichotillomania & Dermatillomania research studies. We love their style. 5/5 stars would recommend. Check out their website bfrb.org to learn even more about this amazing nonprofit

Air BFRB Week Day 2

Our next stop is in Minneapolis, MN
HabitAware is an amazing group of individuals who invented the Keen Bracelet, a device that can help you recognize subconscious BFRBs. Check out their website habitaware.com to learn more about what they do and use our promo code PICKINGME to get 15% off your order from 10/1-10/14!

Air BFRB Week Day 3

Today's stop is in Denver, CO
Heart & Soul Academy is an organization that promotes BFRB recovery and provides a wonderful and loving community, founded by the #BFRB trailblazer, the OG, Christina Pearson. So much love :))) Check out hasacademy.org to learn more!

Air BFRB Week Day 4

Todays stop is in Nova Scotia, CA
Skin Picking Support showcases Angela Hartlin's journey with Skin Picking, as well as provides support for other sufferers. Check out her website skinpickingsupport.com to learn more!

Air BFRB Week Day 5

This stop is in Toronto, CA
Canadian BFRB Support Network is a great nonprofit that educates and promotes BFRB support. Check out their website canadianbfrb.org to learn even more about this important organization 

Air BFRB Week Day 6

Todays stop is in Burbank, CA 
Stop Skin Picking Coach, run by Annette Pasternak, is a lovely resource designed to coach BFRB sufferers. The best part is her sessions are online, so she can coach patients from all around the world! Annette is a great member of the BFRB community (shes pretty much just an all around great person!) Check out her website stopskinpickingcoach.com to learn more about Annette's program!

Air BFRB Week Day 7 (1/2)

Today we're in London 
Liz Atkin is an amazing artist and advocate, spreading BFRB knowledge and support in the most creative ways! She shows how therapeutic art can be, no matter how or where you make it! Check out her website lizatkin.com

Air BFRB Week Day 7 (2/2)

We're back in Chicago, IL
It's US!!! We’re sure you already know what we do! You know our self-advocacy promoting Pledges, our growing Drawing with Derma collection, our #WhatsWithUrSkin challenge, the list goes on.. But none of that is possible with out you and the amazing BFRB community you’ve created! Thank you for continuing to spread advocacy and challenge the stigma of mental illness!