If you tend to pick more during stressful events or periods in your life, any means of lowering your cortisol levels and increasing endorphins and other feel-good, healing molecules can help bring you relief and curb your urge to pick, says Wechsler. This can be accomplished with anything from stretching to jogging to yoga to visiting a friend to having sex. Basically, to pick less, move your body more. “Due to its beneficial actions on glutamate and dopamine, NAC can be an effective part of treatment for behavioral disorders,” integrative neurologist Ilene Ruhoy, M.D., Ph.D., told mbg. “I often see improvement in irritability and aggression as well as impulsivity.”* In broad terms, CBT involves working with a practitioner to identify the thoughts you’re having while picking or engaging in any unwanted behavior and replacing them with healthier thoughts. “But it only works if you’re motivated,” says Wechsler. To find a therapist, search the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors’ database.
