I don't know how much longer I can take this. I been suffering from acne for about 2.5 years close to 3 years. But it feels like I been suffering for about 10+years. I don't even remember the last time I had clear skin. Every time people see me they expect me to have clear skin and they start questioning why I still have acne But I don't blame them for thinking that way. I feel alot of pressure because everyone else seems to have clear skin but I'm the odd one that doesn't. It is the holidays and people are having fun and celebrating and I should be happy but am not. I am generally a happy and energetic person but this acne is tearing me apart mentally. I try to put on a smile everyday and stay positive but I can only do that for so long. It doesn't seem real to me to fake my emotions but I also do not want to show that I'm sad and miserable either. I am around people all the time but at the same time I never felt so isolated and alone in my life. I know that time heals everything but I am on the verge of losing every part of who I used to be. All I want is to be happy and return to my old self with no acne. I just wanted to get this off my chest and I really don't want to talk to anyone about this so I will just post this here. I will probably be laughing this one off in an couple of months/year on how silly I was for posting this when my acne is gone. I can lose everything and be at my lowest point but I will never ever lose hope.
That's a good thing to always remind yourself - don't loose hope, don't give up.
Remember you're not alone in what you're dealing with or with how you're feeling. I've been dealing with acne for about 7 years now and there would be people out there who have dealt with it even longer. No matter how long you've had acne - we can all understand how horrible it is - and I think the worst part of it is how it can affect us emotionally/mentally.
You said you try to stay positive, and I agree that's a good thing to do, but remember it's still ok to have bad/down days - just try not to let those bad days (of negative thinking etc) become the norm for you, if you can. Try and distract yourself from worrying/stressing over your skin - which won't help things get better anyway. And try to find things that make you happy now / work on being happy despite having acne. Acne can't and shouldn't stop you from doing what you want to do and living the life you want to live if you don't let it.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Hang in there.
I don't know how much longer I can take this. I been suffering from acne for about 2.5 years close to 3 years. But it feels like I been suffering for about 10+years. I don't even remember the last time I had clear skin. Every time people see me they expect me to have clear skin and they start questioning why I still have acne But I don't blame them for thinking that way. I feel alot of pressure because everyone else seems to have clear skin but I'm the odd one that doesn't. It is the holidays and people are having fun and celebrating and I should be happy but am not. I am generally a happy and energetic person but this acne is tearing me apart mentally. I try to put on a smile everyday and stay positive but I can only do that for so long. It doesn't seem real to me to fake my emotions but I also do not want to show that I'm sad and miserable either. I am around people all the time but at the same time I never felt so isolated and alone in my life. I know that time heals everything but I am on the verge of losing every part of who I used to be. All I want is to be happy and return to my old self with no acne. I just wanted to get this off my chest and I really don't want to talk to anyone about this so I will just post this here. I will probably be laughing this one off in an couple of months/year on how silly I was for posting this when my acne is gone. I can lose everything and be at my lowest point but I will never ever lose hope.
Sad fact is dude you may have acne a hell of a lot longer.
I have had acne for 16 years. I had to learn a long time ago it is apart of me and it goes everywhere with me. If you can learn to accept that it will set u free and you will get on with your life.
Choose to react differently to your acne. If a bully at school kept insulting, sooner or later you're just gonna ignore it because it is getting boring. Same principle applies here.
If someone asks about your acne then tell them it is a genetic thing, i react badly to certain foods, hormonal or whatever your reason may be. Fact is it is largely out of your control.
I use to be quite ruthless about this with people. As soon as they asked me about acne i'd ask them why are too fat or too skinny. Why must you ask me questions to deflected away your own social anxieties? Fact is asl a stupid question you'll get a stupid answer. lol
Agreed! This crap is soooo persistant! I'm doing accutane now after years of resistance to using the drug and hoping for the best... So far so good, though no real changes in the amount of acne I have yet. I'm 29 and have had acne on and off for at least 15 years now. I've had complete clearance for 5 1/2 years with topical tazorac before this recent, severe breakout, my worst ever. Glad you are staying positive! I am hoping for the best as well and am sure we're gonna beat this crap eventually! It sucks cause I'm soooo careful about my appearance anyways. I workout contstantly, eat healthy, and stay slim. I've been so careful with skin care my whole life and am sooo clean in general. Its BS that what you put into your body causes acne or that its a cleanliness or a lifestyle thing. If that were only true I'd never even get a blackhead, ha! Best of luck to ya and keep ya head up! 
I know it's difficult, and as a teen I used to be INCREDIBLY frustrated when my mom would say "oh you'll grow out of it!" and...I never did. Even now I have to 'maintain' my acne, meaning I use Dan's Regimen and it keeps it under control, but I cannot just use nothing, or the acne will persist.
Instead of throwing a pillow across the room and stomping my foot, I learned to accept it as a part of me. Not a good or a bad part, but just one element. Just like my straight hair, my eye color, my body shape...it's one part of me. But what it brought me, or forced me to learn, was so much more important. And that's what acne reminds me of now, personal growth. Try to work towards that...because you'll be a much happier and satisifed person, trust me. It's difficult and yet so worth it!
that sucks dude but i'v been dealing with this shit for 7 years, SEVEN YEARS!!!!!!! if your tiered then imagine how i feel, just hang in there my acne is much less then what it use to be and my scars are slowly fading away and if it can go away for me, i think it can go away for most people. trust me my shit was bad and when i say bad i mean BAD!! probably one of the worst cases ever on this site at one point or at least up there in the worst skin section lol. i just hope it goes away by the time im 20 or 21 at least then i can put this shit behind me and just enjoy my life. i swear i'll never take those little things for granted if i ever get cleared up. clear skin people have no idea how lucky they are