Friday 5 June 2009
Too tired to count
Things have been hugely busy here and I'm feeling too tired to be on top of things. At this stage, I am trying to focus on not scratching and let go of the counting. If I can get through the next few days without regressing I will be happy.
Thursday 4 June 2009
Wednesday 3 June 2009
Day Five - Behavioural Prescription
Dr B. suggests that I draw up a behavioural prescription which will guide me through the tougher times and help me to be conscious of my behaviour -
1. Itchy skin on waking (I don't necessarily scratch but it becomes quite trying) - Get up and get straight into bath.
Also, I find I am itchy and would normally scratch a bit when I try to get back to sleep after my daughter first wakes in the morning (she wakes at 6am for a bottle and we all go back to sleep for an hour) - I may need to stop climbing back into bed after giving her a bottle in the mornings and start the day earlier.
3. Scratching while concentrating on computer screen at night - limit my working at night so that I do bare minimum and am focused on scratching pattern during that time.
4. Rubbing my face as I walk into the toilet/leave the toilet - remind myself that this is what I do. And place a note on the door!
On the whole, I feel that things are progressing well, and I am reducing my scratching and feeling positive.
My total is coming down (slowly but still) - 22.
1. Itchy skin on waking (I don't necessarily scratch but it becomes quite trying) - Get up and get straight into bath.
Also, I find I am itchy and would normally scratch a bit when I try to get back to sleep after my daughter first wakes in the morning (she wakes at 6am for a bottle and we all go back to sleep for an hour) - I may need to stop climbing back into bed after giving her a bottle in the mornings and start the day earlier.
3. Scratching while concentrating on computer screen at night - limit my working at night so that I do bare minimum and am focused on scratching pattern during that time.
4. Rubbing my face as I walk into the toilet/leave the toilet - remind myself that this is what I do. And place a note on the door!
On the whole, I feel that things are progressing well, and I am reducing my scratching and feeling positive.
My total is coming down (slowly but still) - 22.
Tuesday 2 June 2009
Day Four
Back on with the counting today - a grand total of 25 scratches. This is half of what I had been when I started the programme so and improvement. But still a way to go ...
The majority of scratches I have recorded are not scratches or rubs of the old pattern - those are attempts at the new behaviour. (I would say 25 - 30% are old behaviours.) What I have done successfully so far is when I move to the area (sometimes this is still automatic), I allow myself to push the itchy area.
The majority of scratches I have recorded are not scratches or rubs of the old pattern - those are attempts at the new behaviour. (I would say 25 - 30% are old behaviours.) What I have done successfully so far is when I move to the area (sometimes this is still automatic), I allow myself to push the itchy area.
Monday 1 June 2009
Day Three
Today I left my hand little clicker at home so I didn't count properly. I continued to click in my mind but at the end of the day I do not have an accurate tally. I would say that I scratchhed no more than the previous day and I hope a little less. I will have to count carefully tomorrow.
Sunday 31 May 2009
Day Two
I spent the day working on Habit Reversal for Chronic Eczema and my total for scratching (see the definition of what I mean below - in my case I do a lot of rubbing) is 25.
I am also busy working on my Behavioural Prescriptions - these are things that I am going to do while I am on the programme to avoid the typical times when I find myself scratching the most. Every night I sit at my laptop catching up on e-mails and blogging and I started noticing that I rub my face and hands a lot during this time. So, my behavioural prescription is not to work at night for the next 2 or 3 weeks while I am establishing the programme. Dr Bridgett assures me that I can come back to working at night after we have entrenched the programme.
I am also busy working on my Behavioural Prescriptions - these are things that I am going to do while I am on the programme to avoid the typical times when I find myself scratching the most. Every night I sit at my laptop catching up on e-mails and blogging and I started noticing that I rub my face and hands a lot during this time. So, my behavioural prescription is not to work at night for the next 2 or 3 weeks while I am establishing the programme. Dr Bridgett assures me that I can come back to working at night after we have entrenched the programme.
Saturday 30 May 2009
The Grand Total
At the end of day one on the habit reversal programme to end my life with chronic atopic eczema, I have reduced the number of times I scratch my skin (Remember: scratch = scratch, pick, rub or touch the skin), from 52 times a day to 26 times a day!
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