I've been there. I used to be afraid to look in the mirror because of my moderate acne. Cheek cysts are the worst... I really have felt like it would be easier to not be alive than to deal with looking at my face, which used to be pretty before acne. The truth is that we are all beautiful, acne or no acne.

Depression is tough, and so is acne. Today I am not afraid to look in the mirror, even though my face has quite a few red spots and constant new pimples. Sometimes I just sneak looking at my eyes in the mirror because I do not have any acne on my forehead and I think I have pretty eyes. Sometimes I just have to put a smile on my face before looking in the mirror because I know I have a beautiful smile. When we say things like "I am ugly" or "I hate my skin" the body listens. Love really can heal. My favorite thing is a cup of hot herbal tea (Tulsi is great because it reduces stress hormone levels) and some good ol' self love. Surround yourself with good people that love you and are not superficial.

I am thinking about going vegan to reduce the amount of toxins in my diet... It's so confusing though. There are soooo many things that can cause acne! Stress, alcohol, smoking, food toxins (like hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, preservatives, sugars), picking. Lately I have been over exfoliating/picking and I think that has caused the latest bout of acne.

Even if you don't believe it, try to put a big smile on your face, look into your eyes the mirror, and pay attention to your heart. Love yourself with every cell of your body, even the ones that aren't perfect. If you love yourself, your skin will listen and you will glow from the inside out. You have so many wonderful things to share with the world that outweigh difficult skin. Acne is not forever. It will heal. <3

i know how to feel, i had a emotional break down today, i know that feeling, im preetty sure every one here can related, you got to keep your regimen steady no matter what. If you dont start seen improvement in 4 weeks or even a month just stop, and go to the derm. Drink green tea 3 to 5 cups a day, this really help calm my skin and help with hormonal acne on my chin. And all so you might want to moisturizer with something natural because of the flakiness. Keep your head up high.

When things are really bad you might want to get an anti anxiety such as Valium, just to take the edge off, at least you know you'll get some respite....The solution for your skin is out there somewhere, just don't give up..... Maybe some heavy duty antibiotics whilst you find what works for you.

Don't forget that there are millions of people out there suffering the same horrible condition, and we're all rooting for each other!

I found proactiv sorted my skin out for a while, the benzoyl peroxide calmed my acne right down, now I'm on Retin A .... But in purging stage so don't really recommend that right now...

Good luck!

It's not punishment but it sure is a challenge!!

You know what the real problem is? Your body's immune system has likely become so weakened because you're constantly depriving yourself of this and that, always fretting over any possible breakout. Hence even the slightest irritation causes your body to overreact.

My advice: loosen up and have some fun with your life. Don't be so paranoid about what you eat or what you put on your face. Just have fun with it.

As for moi, it's time gorge on greasy pizza and cold beer before the Super Bowl gets under way.

Unfortunately I don't think any of us can say anything to make you feel better, but we're all here because we have problems with our skin. At the very least, please take comfort in that solidarity. It took me years to narrow down the causes of my acne and I still struggle with it to a certain degree, but know you will eventually find something to help. It will not be an overnight solution and it is foolish to expect to find a miracle product, but something is out there. Maybe medication...maybe meditation! You have to find out for yourself and sadly it is never a short or easy path.

And this is going to seem like a strange story, but when I was a teenager, I was incredibly self-conscious about my skin, particularly the way it looked in certain lighting conditions. I was hyper aware of the way light hit my face, of shadows and unflattering angles. It became my obsession to always position myself in the most flattering light. Even though I was miserable, I was able to take my knowledge of lighting and teach myself photography. It is now my profession and as odd as it sounds, I don't know if I would have the same level of success if I never had to obsess about my skin.

I don't expect you to find inspiration in my story, but I hope that it can show you that things have a way of working themselves out and eventually lead to a more positive place. Try to find comfort in the things you love. We live in a world obsessed with appearances, but there truly is more depth if you allow yourself to explore. Just please don't consider suicide as an option. You are worth more than your skin.

Acne is hard to deal with, and I know that sometimes you just want to hide from the world until it heals, which sometimes takes a long long time...

Please dont feel as though you are alone, and dont care what others think.

You dont mention that you have any scarring, so be thankful for that. I have persistent cystic acne that leaves scars, some fill up and some dont and i have learnt to be thankful that my skin could be worse. It could always be worse, even if you dont think it could be.

I hit a low point once, where i really couldnt deal with my skin. I rang up my universities nightline service and it was really good to get it off my chest.

There are so many worse things in life, and people tell you not to moan, but acne is hard to deal with.

I tend not to socialise with peope, i cant deal with their eyes scanning my face and acne. I think my virtual online life is better than my real one...

Anyway, dont panic, youre not alone. We all have acne, or scarring. Some have both, be thankful that it could always be worse. I currently have a huge cyst/open wound between eyebrows, and nose with a few raised lumps, my chin is spotty and my cheeks have hyperpigmentation. My lips are always acne ridden.

please read the psychological effects of acne forum on this site. You'll see that you are not alone and some of the posts relate to dealing depression, anxiety, and irrational thoughts..

best wishes

Look into low dose accutane and zinc. Talk to multiple derms.