A critic’s picks

I’m going to dive right in to something I’ve been contemplating writing about for a long time but haven’t had the courage. Because it’s embarrassing and gross. And I tend to only want to write about embarrassing, gross things in past tense with a dollop of self-deprecating humor once I’ve safely moved on.

But this is a present-tense thing I’m struggling with and it’s not over yet. I know some others caught in this cycle too and they know the cyclical frustration and ecstasy involved in it.

I’m a skin picker. Have been all my life. Lately it’s worse than ever and I’ve finally had that moment where I’ve decided that I have to fix it, have to do whatever it takes to stop, because it’s spiraling and it’s stressful, and I know it’s indicative of a deeper problem.

I’m putting this after a jump because I think it might get long. And gross.

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