Abstract: Wearable items having wear-susceptible areas or indicia for influencing an emotional or psychological state, after a progressive amount of wear occurs on the area or indicia, are disclosed. The wearable item comprises a substrate that includes wear-susceptible areas, wear-susceptible indicia, and/or a combination of wear-susceptible areas and indicia. One or more wear-susceptible areas incorporate markings and/or indicia such as words, pictures, symbols, which progressively “wear away.” These phrases, symbols, and pictures can relate to emotional and/or psychological obstacles and impediments, which are adversarial in nature.