MY ACNE STORY

What is acne? What a silly question, right? Butis it? I mean if you are reading this post then probably you or someone you know is suffering with acne which is a cosmetic problem that appears on persons skin.

When I googled What is acne?, the most common answer is that acne is a skin disease that is caused by uncontrollable oil secretion from sebaceous glands. Yeah, the definition is true, however I believe that the real problem of acne is not its physical impact, but something deeper which ruins your life day by day

I may sound very dramatic, but this is what I believe, because I have given up so many opportunities in life because of ACNE. I have lost so many friends, hurt close family members, cancelled interviews and missed school prom all because of acne. It took control over my life, and I believe not because I felt ugly but rather I was scared and felt naked in front of the people. Every day I just avoided everyone, I hid in my room with closed blinds and all I wanted is for the day to end. I felt alone and worthless..

Why is it me I always thought. I started getting acne as soon as I hit puberty. And at first I didnt care about it, because no one commented on my skin and no one told me that it is ugly or unattractive. I was fine with who I am and I thought that these red bumps are just part of me, they are like my eyes, nose, lips and so on, they are just a part of my body. However, as I grew older and as my friends were growing up as well, I started hearing comments day by day. People started telling me that it is awful that I have pimples, that it looks ugly and unhygienic. Friends told me to clean my face because no one would like me if I would have acne. And at that moment of my life I started realizing that maybe what I am having is actually not that normal. Those zits on my face must be eliminated if I want to find a girlfriend or be socially active. I began using various skin products, foolish home remedies, antibiotics anddiet lifestyle changes. I went to facial therapy hoping that it would clean my face once and for all. My skin got so bad at some point, that my own mother thought that I was having some kind of a blood disease and she insisted on a blood test just to make sure.

I didnt want to live that way. Acne day by day was taking full control over my life. I was hurting people as I rejected all birthday invitations and I stopped hanging out with friends. People didnt understand why I suddenly became so mean, but I just couldnt tell them. I was facing social anxiety to the point that I couldnt even face my parents at the dinner table, and I always tried to eat alone in my room so that nobody would see me. Whenever I would go outside, I would just look down in fear that I would meet somebody I know. I just couldnt face people..

So back to the question. What is acne? I believe, that acne is an emotional stigma that gets stuck in your brain and that tries to control your life in every way possible. Acne in my opinion, is a mental disorder. And all what we should do is control it as much as possible. Never allow acne control your life, like I did.