Acne is one of those conditions that you can’t overlook or numb yourself to. Especially face acne. It’s there every time you look in the mirror, touch your face or accidentally bump it. Pain, redness, white heads. Underneath the skin, right on top.
I’ve suffered from painful, cystic and hormonal acne for over 10 years now and it’s done a number on my mental health. And I’m not alone. Everyone who’s ever had acne knows the mental and emotional damage it can cause. Whether you get an occasional zit, or chronically have a face, or body full, the effects can leave a toll.
Self esteem is one of the most affected aspects of dealing with acne. You wonder what other people are thinking of it, you see the person with the clear glowing skin look beautiful even under the brightest of lights, and you’re scared to wear makeup for fear that it might worsen it. You know that self is esteem should come from within but when your face is covered in painful cysts that not only hurt, but leave scars on their way out, it becomes hard not to let it be the source of your esteem .
Fear of food is another common side effect of dealing with acne. Myself personally I’ve tried so many diets, removed so many foods and beverages in hopes that it would be the silver bullet to my skin issues. And yet it still persists. And the only thing you’ve gained from it is a fear of eating. You begin to identify with what you can’t eat, what breaks you out, what must be avoided to avoid the blemishes. This carries over into holidays, going out to eat and grocery shopping. At one point, I was so afraid of food I was down to two foods and about 700 calories per day. Of course this also led to another host of health issues.
Being let down is another common side effect of dealing with acne. You try a new product that works for a while, you get your hopes up and then BAM it returns again. One zit turns into an outbreak. Money down the drain, heartbreak and feelings of hopelessness returns again. When you’ve dealt with so much heartbreak around acne you begin to wonder if you are doomed.
From my personal experience, acne has affected my mental health in so many ways. From self esteem, to fear of food, to recurring heart break. There are days when it gets better, and days when it’s not so good. Here’s a hug, to anyone out there that can relate.
Pen and Page Journey 