lol at tags. I can relate so much, just that i have redmarks and redness, obsess over lighting, things that make me warm which makes it look worse. Whatever, it will be over soon
what do you mean exactly?
I have the same obsession as you do, jus tthat i have red marks and not active acne, what don't you understand?
"whatever, it will be over soon"?
I mean are you taking accutane or something that will be a permanant fix?
Ahh, what i mean is that my red marks will fade soon anyway. Accutane is for active acne as you know
I understand. How is it going for you with the accutane? you clear?
someone..
arqua originally didnt post a diet per se but what NOT to eat.
dairy
gluten
citric acid
nuts
soy
eggs
He says if you cut out these for a month no more acne. The theory is basically acne is an allergic reaction to these (or one of) foods which manifests through the skin. Sounds simple but these are hidden in lots of other foods. SO basically no processed stuff.
That said its still important to eat a lot of good nutrients.
corn also could be a trigger
now corn sounds pretty easy right? wrong.
in many processed foods there is corn syrup [most of the time its "high fructose corn syrup"] so watch out on the label.
the plot thickens!
I know a lady who is allergic to corn and corn syrups, which is in practically everything processed. She gets so mad at the commercials on tv which state "corn syrup is procesed no differently in the body than sugar."
Um, it is if youre allergic to it!
I completely know how you feel, Auguries. We sound very similar - I have panic attacks over my skin too, to the point where my vision will start to fade out and I'll almost faint. I obsess so much over my skin that it's unhealthy. It's gotten much worse this year so I started seeing a therapist, and I can definitely say it's helped.
A lot of times, people who obsess over acne have OCD tendencies (obsessive thoughts, and a compulsive need to 'check' in the mirror constantly). So, therapy and meditation can DEFINITELY help. Opt for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which targets the obsessive thoughts in your brain and includes actively working at home to resist checking in the mirror or inspecting your skin. Meditation can help put your mind at ease. And, if you don't mind taking medication, antidepressants like Prozac can REALLY help with stuff like this. I'm on Prozac now, and I can definitely feel a difference in my mood, how stable my moods are, and how obsessive I get.
When you feel yourself freaking out, try laying down in a quiet place and taking deep breaths, and thinking rational thoughts. Listen to your logical brain, not your emotional one. Even though your emotions may be going crazy and saying you look ugly or something, think about it realistically- this isn't something that horribly disfigures you. Many, many people in this world get pimples and acne - you're not alone. And it WILL end some day. And when it does end, how would you rather look back on your life - knowing you missed out on things due to pimples, or knowing you still had a good time despite some insecurities?
Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon.
As you can see from the responses, so many of us on this website feel exactly the way you do. And its not fun.
We all have acne, and we all stress about it because for some reason, we worry about what we look like on the outside. We can't accept ourselves because society tells us we have to look a certain way, and we don't fit that image. We end up becoming neurotic in effort to match the clear skin standard and this creates a whole host of problems like depression and anxiety.
Maybe we would all be better if we could just take a few deep breaths, close our eyes and say to ourselves, "I have acne. It is a part of who I am. Many people have acne. I am not alone. Even though I have acne, I accept myself unconditionally. Even though I am not happy with myself on the outside, the inside is more important. I like ___, ____, and ____ about myself."
Practice saying this every night before you go to bed and every morning when you wake up. Great way to start and end the day with positivity. Also, force yourself to smile a few times when alone, it wakes up the happy buttons in your brain.
In fact, this technique is very similar to "biofeedback." Research biofeedback/tapping, I urge you to try it. If you're interested in hypnosis, it can be wonderful, but don't think it's going to cure you. You have to face your issues close up and personal if you ever want to completely overcome them. There is beauty in rAdiCal AccEpTance.
What many of us don't realize, is that we can beat our acne WITHOUT being neurotic about it. Follow your regimen, the stricter the better, but view it more like climbing a mountain than following a drill sergeant. It doesn't have to control you. Go with the flow and let your acne regimen be your new way of life, while understanding that clearing your skin takes time.
Patience is a virtue. Love to you all.
-Indigo
I used to be totally obsessed with acne and trying to fix it. I tried everything down to ridiculous details and was unhealthily preoccupied. Then I finally did 'fix' my acne (with 'the regimen') and I stopped obsessing about it for six years until I tried coming off it to see if I'd grown out of it... Now the obsession is slotting right back in... However, whilst during the six year interim I wasn't obsessing about acne I was obsessing about other things. I developed a severe eating disorder and bipolar disorder. Acne is an affliction that attracts this kind of obsession, but people with certain personality traits will be worst affected - perfectionists for example. Now I see the deep life consuming obsession I had with acne as a symptom of a deeper problem. My main battle now is with my mental health. This may not be relevant to you but if you're worried, don't be afraid to ask for help, the earlier the better.
I think most of us who come to this part of the forum are going through the same thing. At times, my obsession over my acne has completely taken over my life. Every waking minute is about what I'm doing to help my skin. It becomes an addiction, and in a way it's very similar to how people with eating disorders obsessively manage food to attempt to control their weight. It isn't really even about the weight, or the skin, although on the surface it feels like it is. It's about trying to find control in a miserable situation that has robbed you of your life, your confidence, your beauty.
It's difficult not to become obsessed, especially when your acne is related to other health issues and these other health issues give you a real reason to carefully watch what you eat. For example, I am horrifically allergic to gluten. The stuff is pure poison to me, and if I accidentally ingest some, acne is the least of my concerns. It makes me feel like I've been drugged by something horrible. I don't know what I'm doing and often go into fits of insanity. The last time I had a gluten exposure someone had to hold me for hours because I was screaming and bashing my head against the ground. I barely even remember it.
My fear of gluten has led me to have fear of many other foods, some which are nearly equally harmful, some for which my worry may be exaggerated. It's very difficult to know where the line is. And because so many things can affect our skin (sleep, stress, etc) it's hard not to stare in the mirror constantly, watching for changes and trying to track what is doing what.
I wish I had an answer, but I'm still lost in this mess myself. I want to get better so I can't just give up on my interest in natural healing and my mission to end my suffering. I won't accept suffering. I can accept less than perfect looks, but my acne is cystic and painful and I won't accept being in pain for the rest of my life.
It's hard. 