Psychological Effects of Acne | Emotional Burden and Social Life Isolation | Overcome Acne Effects and Boost Self-esteem
Acne can affect more than your skin. Acne is technically a skin disease, but it can also contribute to emotional problems, such as low self-esteem and depression. Next to weight, American teenagers say that acne is the hardest part of being a teen. Studies have shown that acne can have a huge impact on the way a teen looks at his or her life. Acne may even affect how you feel about yourself as an adult. There is no single disease which causes more psychic trauma, more maladjustment between parents and children, more general insecurity, feelings of inferiority and greater sums of psychic suffering than does acne vulgaris. There are many myths about acne. Such as – It is caused by not washing or by eating chips and chocolate. It will always get better on its own. It is just a cosmetic problem. You can catch acne from someone. It’s because you have too much sex. All of these are wrong but commonly held beliefs and contribute to a lack of understanding of the problems caused by having acne, and this can worsen the psychological effect. Having acne is bad enough without being told that it is all your own fault because you eat the wrong things and don’t wash!
Psychological Effects of Acne
Acne can cause the following:
- Decreased self-esteem
- Poor body image
- Lack of self-confidence
- Problems with family members
- Withdrawal from friends and activities
- Embarrassment
- Anger and aggression
- Higher rates of unemployment
- Frustration
- Poor academic performance
- Depression
Emotional Burden and Social Life Isolation
If you have that common skin disorder called acne, you’re not alone. Close to 90 % of all teenagers are bothered by acne sometime between the ages of twelve and seventeen. For some it’s only an occasional pimple or so. But for others it could mean painful red sores all over the face, neck, chest, and back. Most people grow out of acne by their late teens, but for some it can last until their twenties, thirties, and forties. Acne can also leave behind scars that cause psychological stress for a person’s whole life. Most people don’t think of acne as a disease or a disorder. It’s just one of those awful things teenagers have to face while growing up, and there’s really nothing much you can do about it. Of course, these effects are not felt on their own. One will often lead to another and another, and so on, each new problem feeding back into the first in a kind of downward spiral, leading to despair. If you are experiencing any or all of the above, it is important to talk with someone about it as soon as possible. A close friend, guidance counselor, family member, or doctor needs to know that you are having these problems. Dealing with issues that stem from acne is just as important as treating the acne itself. Acne can have serious consequences as you get older. Feelings of low self-esteem can continue into adulthood. Many adults who suffer or once suffered from acne say their bad skin discouraged them from pursuing things in life, such as jobs, relationships, and hobbies.
Overcome Acne Effects and Boost Self-esteem
Because your acne appears on your face and everyone can see it, you may feel desperate to make it go away. But because it’s not life threatening, you may feel reluctant or embarrassed to go to your healthcare provider about it. Certain people prey on that knowledge. They want to sell you expensive over-the-counter acne “cures” that don’t do you any good, or get you to order them after watching testimonial-filled infomercials. The people giving those acne “testimonials” on TV are almost always professional actors reading a script. And even those stories that are “real” generally mean nothing. You can always find one or two success stories while ignoring 99.9% of failures. Even if it’s on TV, on the radio, the Internet, or in magazines, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily true. The world of acne fighting is filled with snake oils and false promises. Today, people spend more money on skin treatments, nearly 75% of which goes toward nonprescription acne medications alone. We lavish millions on expensive special soaps and cleansers, prescription therapies, and visits to physicians. Besides money, we also spend an enormous amount of time at beauty counters, salons, spas, and tanning parlors. Much of this extravagance is encouraged by the messages we get from the media that market unrealistic promises. Ad campaigns promote skin care products using models and movie stars that have perfect, radiant skin. They perpetuate the idea that clear, youthful appearing skin is the only way to go; imperfections are to be looked down on as something to be ashamed of. Many myths and misconceptions about skin care in general, and acne specifically, continue to be widely believed. Keep in mind that attractiveness to others is much more than physical beauty. It also includes such factors as intelligence and personality.