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Hello, does anyone on this forum suffer with acne dysmorphia? If you don't know what acne dysmorphia is, this website has described it as
' Acne dysmorphia, put simply, is the obsessive thought that the skin is irregular or disgusting. In most cases the person suffering with acne dysmorphia does have acne, but even when the acne is very mild or even non-apparent, the person will believe that they have "horrible skin" or "terrible acne." A sufferer is usually not far from a mirror, and may obsessively and relentlessly check for imperfections.'
I'm a 15 year old teenager in school, and looks are very important at this age, I suffer with 'minor' acne, but if you were to ask me I'd say it is severe, but deep down I know it isn't. This year, my confidence has completely gone. I don't like hanging out with friends or even family anymore. My acne controls my life. I hate having my picture taken or even talking to teachers and friends.
This started at around August this year, as I started this new acne treatment that made me break out really bad, and I lost all my confidence and became rather depressed. I know my skin isn't bad really, yet I still walk arund with my hand covering my face, iteraly, as I don't want people to seemy skin.
This is really taking over my life.
Should I go see my Dr.? Or just get over it and realize that my skin isn't bad, which is extremely hard for me to do!
If you know what I'm talking about please respond, or if you suffer with this!
Thanks
Hi, yes I suffer from Body Dysmorphia Disorder (acne dysmorphia specifically) . It started around your age and I am now 33 years old. I still deal with BDD but it's not nearly as bad. I am currently suffering from it at this moment along with very mild acne. Around the time I was 20, my BDD was so bad that I quit going to college and also quit my job. I was essentially disabled because I couldn't function like a normal human being. I would spend all of my time staring at myself in the mirrors in my house. I wouldn't leave my house. When I wasn't staring in the mirror, I was obsessing about my acne and doing research on how to get rid of it. My acne consumed my entire life. My dad quit his job to take care of me. My depression and anxiety lasted for a good few years and life was miserable. I would abuse myself both physically and mentally. I don't like to talk about it because it's a very painful part of my life. If you are suffering from it, I highly recommend seeing a psychologist or sociologist. They will do cognitive behavior therapy and most likely put you on anti-depressants. I know what it's like to suffer from BDD and how awful and alone it can be. No one understands what you're going through unless they also suffer from this horrible disease. If you need someone to talk to- let me know. I will say it's gotten easier over the years to deal with. Also, 1-2% of the population deals with BDD so you're not alone.
I also suffered with BDD, and same as ilovepersiancats I obsessed over my skin, specifically indented acne scars. I've been a member of this site since 2006, and been obsessed with my skin for over ten years now. I started dealing with pretty bad acne when I was around 15 years old. I'm 32 now and just wish I had not wasted all of those years in my 20s hiding away inside, afraid to face people. Of course, being afraid to go outside and look anyone in the eye makes seeing a doctor sound like a ridiculous notion. But if you're like me, and you recognize that your condition is preventing you from living normally...I do recommend gathering the strength and doing something to help yourself. Enjoy your life, and don't end up in your 30s wondering why you've wasted the "best years of your life," as they call them.
Good luck to you!
