Embracing Dermatillomania with Gratitude

For those of us with dermatillomania, it can be the furthest thing from our minds to embrace our disorder with gratitude. How can we possibly say thank you to this thing that we called "It" before we even knew it had a name but we absolutely knew that "It" was destroying our self-esteem? It may have been destroying any enjoyment of our lives in general as we walked through each day, hiding our wounds behind makeup or under our clothes or hats.

I believe that being grateful for our mania can transform our experience of it, and in this blog post I will provide steps for experimenting with gratitude.

All that I am, all that I see, all that I’ve been and all that I’ll ever be, is a blessing…it’s so amazing…and I am grateful for it all. — From the song “Grateful” by Nimo Patel and Daniel Nahmod

What is Gratitude?

Gratitude is an energy. In fact, it’s the purest vibrational energy with which we can align. When we’re in a state of gratitude, there is no room for any other emotion. So, for those of us who focus so frequently on our skin, what would it be like if we could incorporate the words “thank you” during that focused time?

I know it sounds hard, and it will be, at first. But can you start by being grateful for the parts of your body that are already vibrantly well? Maybe you have beautiful, expressive eyes. Can you look into them in the mirror and thank them for helping you to see the beauty of your surroundings?

Maybe you can thank your strong, healthy legs for taking you everywhere you want to go, or thank your hands for doing all the daily activities you depend on them to do. Begin to practice gratitude for anything and everything that shows evidence of your physical health and vitality.

Once you’re comfortable with that, start saying thank you to your imperfections. Yes, even those!

It took me over fifty years, but I can honestly say that I am grateful now for all of my bumps, scabs and wounds. I’m grateful because, while my dermatillomania caused me so much physical and emotional pain for so much of my life, that pain pushed me to continue seeking healing. I finally found the answers I was looking for through my connection with a higher consciousness.

Without my pain, I wouldn’t have begun my spiritual journey. And without this journey, I wouldn't have learned about the incredible power of my own thoughts.

When I began to notice that my thoughts were feeding the constant barrage of negative emotions of self-doubt, self-criticism, and self-loathing, I made a conscious choice to shift those thoughts to gratitude. When I chose to be grateful instead of hateful, that's when I began to experience freedom from the shame.

Wouldn't you like to experience freedom from your shame, too?

Once you’re comfortable saying thank you to the healthy parts of your physical body, start saying thank you to your skin. Focus on the worst spots of all and say out loud: “Thank you, skin cells, for your ability to heal,” and mean it. You know your skin will eventually heal, so know, in your heart, that there is truth to this statement.

Now, watch what happens. Healing will begin, I promise! And when it does, give even more gratitude for your skin’s miraculous ability to heal.

Be grateful for the gift of your disorder for it has brought you to this turning point. Love and bless your skin cells in whatever state they appear.

In gratitude, you can wear your wounds without shame.