Acne – Staying Positive

Posted: October 11th, 2009 | Author: acne-scar-cream | Filed under: Acne Scar Cream Tips | No Comments »

Acne and How to Stay on top of the Emotional Roller Coaster (Acne and Your Self Esteem)

Most of what has been written about acne scars covers the topic of skin damage and how to treat it. But there’s a lot more involved than just your skin. Acne can have wide-sweeping implications across your whole life – even a mild breakout could result in negative thoughts about you and your place in the world. Family, friends and colleagues might start treating you differently…they may not fully understand how their treatment of you, including disparaging remarks, can affect your self-esteem. That can put a dent in the level of optimism you have about the world in general. It’s yet another reason to treat acne as quickly as possible – the shorter the duration of the acne, the less likely it is that you’ll be bowled over emotionally. Long-term sufferers have a much higher likelihood of emotional problems.

The British Journal of Dermatology published a finding that the level of social, psychological, and emotional problems experienced by acne sufferers was of similar magnitude to the emotional problems experienced by people with chronic health issues (for example, epilepsy, diabetes, and arthritis). Those who call acne a ‘trivial’ problem are very wrong indeed – the emotional consequences of acne should be given the same level of serious attention as the skin problem itself.

One surprising outcome of studies looking at the relationship between acne and quality of life has been that the extent of emotional damage isn’t really related to the severity of the acne – the likelihood of suffering anxiety and/or depression is just as high for those with mild acne as for those with a more severe case of acne.

Not surprisingly, studies confirmed the anecdotal evidence, that having acne increases the likelihood of depression and anxiety, compared to the general population.

Also, adults who experience acne feel it emotionally more than younger people – acne is frequently long-term in nature in adults (i.e. resistant to treatment); and because there is a perception that acne is a skin condition affecting the young, an adult with acne is thought to be an ‘oddity’ – there is, therefore, more social stigma attached to adults with acne.

In a world where the importance of ‘looking good’ hits us between the eyes through every available media type, it is extremely easy for self-esteem to suffer if we don’t have the good looks – it begins with feelings of being different because you have acne, which leads to feeling uncomfortable and possibly embarrassed. Given that there’s a lot of inaccurate information doing the rounds – myths such as acne results from eating greasy food, or it’s a punishment for ‘questionable’ sexual practices – it’s no wonder that developing acne might lead to a sense of guilt or shame i.e. things become more difficult to manage because the sufferer might feel responsible for creating his or her own acne. Once this type of thinking gets started, interacting with others gets to be more challenging.

The actual impact might be relatively mild – such as not wanting to have your picture taken – or it could be more severe. Some people become shy and avoid eye contact; some decline invitations to go out with friends; even worse, some can develop depression and suicidal thoughts.

So, what to do? If acne is undermining your emotional wellbeing and your self-esteem, it’s important to get help as soon as you can. There are community centres that employ counselors who will help individuals restore their self-esteem free of charge, and there are also plenty of paid professionals who will do the same thing (assist in bringing about a more positive attitude), but there will be a fee involved. Even if you’ve been limping along for quite some time, it’s never too late – it’s worth taking this seriously and getting help.

We tend to think of dermatologists as people who just look after the skin, but that’s far from the full story – if you select one who has good communication skills and a willingness to provide advice on the emotional aspects of acne, you’ll make faster progress with your recovery. Honesty is important – don’t try to put on a brave front and tough it out with your doctor if the truth is that your acne is significantly undermining your self-esteem, causing difficulties with your social interactions, and creating anxiety or causing depression. Tell the truth – you’ll benefit in the long run.

It’s time also to think of your support framework – is there someone (or more than one) who you feel you can trust, and who will understand what you are going through? Just having a good friend who is easy to talk with can make a world of difference. Putting effort into that connection (and being honest about how you are feeling) can help create a new feeling of balance and determination, rather than the struggling with feelings of isolation and hopelessness . Similarly, there are acne support groups and online forums available; a well-informed doctor will have some suggestions…a place to start, at least.

A lot of people develop new skills that will serve them well in the longer run, with life in general, not just with acne – they find a way to channel their emotional negativities into learning how to live their lives well – they get closer to understanding what they value in themselves and in others…this can help them create more meaningful lives overall. People who have successfully managed adversity will often be more emotionally mature than those who have not. It helps to fill your mind with positive thoughts. Don’t be too tough on yourself – be reasonable about the expectations you have of yourself…give your life more emotional freedom. Attract happiness into your life. There are a lot of aspects to what makes us beautiful people – it’s not all about our outer casing (the skin). Find your own beauty by diminishing any tendency you might have towards self-deprecation. Don’t put yourself down. When anxiety and sadness want to take over, deliberately shift gears to create positive thoughts and feelings – engage in an activity that you find enriching, or spend time with people who are fans and supporters. This will increase your energy level, which will heighten your ability to enjoy life. In turn, that will lead to more positive emotions, more laughter, clarity of thought, and mental focus, which you can use to live better and do everything you need to do to get on top of the disfiguring acne.

Accept who you are, and tell yourself that the emotional price of being desperate for flawless skin right now isn’t worth it – place high value on the people who take you as you are, people who are not judgmental. You’ll actually start to see the whole world differently – the ‘perfect people’ of this world are often miserable individuals, and exhausting to be with, as they have to put in the effort to maintain their supposed perfection. They feel that society will not allow them to have human flaws…but you can develop the mindset of accepting yourself as you are, and by doing this you will be advancing yourself emotionally. Along with that, focus on treating the acne in the best possible way, and the skin problems will soon be a thing of the past.

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