I am 100 percent sure that it was excessive stress that has caused my most recent acne outbreak. All other factors have been considered and eliminated. It is definately a combination of my unbearable lonliness, low self-esteem, severe mental illness and hopelessness about the future that has caused my skin to go haywire.
Now I am stressed about what the acne has left behind. To the point where I can barely sleep...which stresses me out more because I know I need sleep to heal. I am terrified the scars will never leave (they are still red/ purple but appear to be very slightly indented and I have heard mixed opinions on whether or not those fill in/ fade over time). I am sad because I feel this has made me ugly/ old looking and that now for sure I will be alone for the rest of my life, on the outside of society looking in. I feel like even if I did manage to find a boyfriend/ someone to love me they would always secretly prefer someone with a better complexion, and so any relationship would never be secure. As for friends, do they even exist anymore? Everyone is so incredibly busy and important these days; the only things it seems anyone can fit into their lives is their work and a few people to call family. But friends are impossible to make, because I am out of school. Having a bunch of aquaintences makes me feel even more lonely. I have no family.
I know the ONLY WAY to get myself out of this loophole is to minimize the stress and feelings of low-self worth/ lonliness that has created it. But how can you begin to love yourself and put yourself out there for the world to see when you absolutely hate your face?
Wow.....this is so accurate. I am going through the same thing and oh god...it's a never ending cycle. I suffer from anxiety, OCD, BDD, Panic disorder, social anxiety and depression. It really sucks, but i refuse to take medication. I stress out so much about what i put in my body and it's ironic because stress is also toxic for the body. Are you seeing a therapist? What have you tried to de-stress?
Having such a negative attitude effects many areas of your life and health. Life is not that bad, your friends and family I'm sure would make time for you if you asked. And not everyone is so shallow. You could also end up with someone who had/has acne. I've felt like this before, but do NOT let yourself stay in this mindset, it does nothing for you. Acne is the worst thing in my life, but I still go out and have fun. Also, I highly suggest taking magnesium. I have an anxiety disorder and its reduced my anxiety about 70-80%. With the first 2 weeks I felt like I could breathe again. Now I feel like (almost) a normal person. Take magnesium citrate, not oxide
Having such a negative attitude effects many areas of your life and health. Life is not that bad, your friends and family I'm sure would make time for you if you asked. And not everyone is so shallow. You could also end up with someone who had/has acne. I've felt like this before, but do NOT let yourself stay in this mindset, it does nothing for you. Acne is the worst thing in my life, but I still go out and have fun. Also, I highly suggest taking magnesium. I have an anxiety disorder and its reduced my anxiety about 70-80%. With the first 2 weeks I felt like I could breathe again. Now I feel like (almost) a normal person. Take magnesium citrate, not oxide
I agree with this. The Magnesium, and the having fun. Take magnesium in the evening it will help you sleep. Laughter & physical activity is extremely important. Also, don't hide from daylight as I hear a lot of people saying they do. Bright light exposure in the daytime is also important. Indoor lighting is not enough.
And again, no one sees all the flaws you see.
Having such a negative attitude effects many areas of your life and health. Life is not that bad, your friends and family I'm sure would make time for you if you asked. And not everyone is so shallow. You could also end up with someone who had/has acne. I've felt like this before, but do NOT let yourself stay in this mindset, it does nothing for you. Acne is the worst thing in my life, but I still go out and have fun. Also, I highly suggest taking magnesium. I have an anxiety disorder and its reduced my anxiety about 70-80%. With the first 2 weeks I felt like I could breathe again. Now I feel like (almost) a normal person. Take magnesium citrate, not oxide
I agree with this. The Magnesium, and the having fun. Take magnesium in the evening it will help you sleep. Laughter & physical activity is extremely important. Also, don't hide from daylight as I hear a lot of people saying they do. Bright light exposure in the daytime is also important. Indoor lighting is not enough.
And again, no one sees all the flaws you see.
Yes definitely in the evening, it makes me tired and I sleep great 
Thank you everyone for your helpful comments. I will look into the magnesium. Right now I am taking so many supppliments I am likely to get very confused. I will look up food sources however.
alternativista- what is your scarring like, were they the shallow indented type that has faded to the point where nobody notices?
Unfortunately I am trying to avoid laughing and smiling, because I have scars where my smile line is, that makes my smile have a hugely indented, wrinkled brushstroke pattern. I am afraid that moving that area of my face too much would hinder any healing that would take place, and make them more prominent.
Daze123- I am sorry to hear that your stress levels are very high too. I really hope you find some happiness. I have a weekly counsellor and I have tried things to destress, but they don;t really work because this problem occupies my entire life.
Lovelyplot- everyone's life is different. It's true that I literally have no friends or family. Not sure how to get myself out of this mindset, because I feel quite disfigured.
I know exactly how you feel. I was in the exact place a year ago, stuck in a rut, alienated friends because of my low self-esteem, and my stress levels & depression were out of control. I just forced my self to focus on other things besides my skin. I improved my overall health and started taking fitness classes, going for walks, exploring, etc....try to do that, just get out of the house and away from your computer for a few hours every day.
If people judge you because of something that is not your fault, then you don't need them in your life anyway.
Agree with @Alternativista. Take some magnesium and b-vitamins, get more sleep, drink plenty of water and try to ground yourself spiritually and emotionally. Gelatin is amazing for healing scarring, BTW. Add it to soups. it's basically tasteless. You can also make yourself healthy jello using gelatin and fresh juice instead of flavored sugar gelatin packets. I make that as a treat sometimes. Great Lakes is my favorite gelatin brand. It comes in a pretty big canister. Knox is okay, but I don't like things that come in packets as I use so much of it.
Agree with @Alternativista. Take some magnesium and b-vitamins, get more sleep, drink plenty of water and try to ground yourself spiritually and emotionally. Gelatin is amazing for healing scarring, BTW. Add it to soups. it's basically tasteless. You can also make yourself healthy jello using gelatin and fresh juice instead of flavored sugar gelatin packets. I make that as a treat sometimes. Great Lakes is my favorite gelatin brand. It comes in a pretty big canister. Knox is okay, but I don't like things that come in packets as I use so much of it.
Ooh,. I forgot I was thinking about buying gelatin. I need to improve elasticity in my tissues in the hopes it will both slow the crepeyness happening in the super thin skin around my eyes and my lost of flexibility including the eyes & ability to read small print. Where do you get yours from?
Moonchild:
DO NOT avoid smiling & laughter. In fact, do it all the time. Do it now. Even fake forces laughter does you good.
And I think my scars are plenty visible. In fact, I haven't worn blush in years as I don't want the red to fill in the indentions and make them more noticeable. But I'm starting to think at my age, I could use the 'life' blush brings. But, no the scars on my cheeks are not too deep, especially since I had dermabrasion years ago. The ones at my temples are deep, but no one seems to see them. And I do have some scars right where the lines form on one side of my mouth, making me look older. These are just some of the flaws i zero right in on when I look in the mirror. But I promise you, no one else does that but you. No one else sees these things.
Agree with @Alternativista. Take some magnesium and b-vitamins, get more sleep, drink plenty of water and try to ground yourself spiritually and emotionally. Gelatin is amazing for healing scarring, BTW. Add it to soups. it's basically tasteless. You can also make yourself healthy jello using gelatin and fresh juice instead of flavored sugar gelatin packets. I make that as a treat sometimes. Great Lakes is my favorite gelatin brand. It comes in a pretty big canister. Knox is okay, but I don't like things that come in packets as I use so much of it.
Ooh,. I forgot I was thinking about buying gelatin. I need to improve elasticity in my tissues in the hopes it will both slow the crepeyness happening in the super thin skin around my eyes and my lost of flexibility including the eyes & ability to read small print. Where do you get yours from?
Moonchild:
DO NOT avoid smiling & laughter. In fact, do it all the time. Do it now. Even fake forces laughter does you good.
And I think my scars are plenty visible. In fact, I haven't worn blush in years as I don't want the red to fill in the indentions and make them more noticeable. But I'm starting to think at my age, I could use the 'life' blush brings. But, no the scars on my cheeks are not too deep, especially since I had dermabrasion years ago. The ones at my temples are deep, but no one seems to see them. And I do have some scars right where the lines form on one side of my mouth, making me look older. These are just some of the flaws i zero right in on when I look in the mirror. But I promise you, no one else does that but you. No one else sees these things.
I buy it on Amazon. Can't seem to find it in stores where I live. I was lucky enough to figure out the cause of my acne before I ended up with serious scarring. My skin shows no sign of ever having problems except for one indentation in my cheek from the chicken pox. I know I scratched and picked at it until it was ground zero because kids never listen when you tell them not to scratch. I notice imperfections, but I don't focus on them and I certainly don't judge people for them. I've noticed many a blemish and crooked tooth and sun spot. Generally, it's a fleeting glance as my eyes move their focus between a person's eyes and mouth while they are speaking. Most people have something "wrong" with them. Everyone's face is asymmetrical. I have seen people with one eye 2-3 mm higher than the other. I think our imperfections are cool. Scars are okay! I've seen people with extensive burn scarring, face scars from accidents and amputations and while these are more severe examples of imperfections, the point I am making is that when you know someone, you don't even notice their "warts" anymore.
Agree with @Alternativista. Take some magnesium and b-vitamins, get more sleep, drink plenty of water and try to ground yourself spiritually and emotionally. Gelatin is amazing for healing scarring, BTW. Add it to soups. it's basically tasteless. You can also make yourself healthy jello using gelatin and fresh juice instead of flavored sugar gelatin packets. I make that as a treat sometimes. Great Lakes is my favorite gelatin brand. It comes in a pretty big canister. Knox is okay, but I don't like things that come in packets as I use so much of it.
Ooh,. I forgot I was thinking about buying gelatin. I need to improve elasticity in my tissues in the hopes it will both slow the crepeyness happening in the super thin skin around my eyes and my lost of flexibility including the eyes & ability to read small print. Where do you get yours from?
Moonchild:
DO NOT avoid smiling & laughter. In fact, do it all the time. Do it now. Even fake forces laughter does you good.
And I think my scars are plenty visible. In fact, I haven't worn blush in years as I don't want the red to fill in the indentions and make them more noticeable. But I'm starting to think at my age, I could use the 'life' blush brings. But, no the scars on my cheeks are not too deep, especially since I had dermabrasion years ago. The ones at my temples are deep, but no one seems to see them. And I do have some scars right where the lines form on one side of my mouth, making me look older. These are just some of the flaws i zero right in on when I look in the mirror. But I promise you, no one else does that but you. No one else sees these things.
I buy it on Amazon. Can't seem to find it in stores where I live. I was lucky enough to figure out the cause of my acne before I ended up with serious scarring. My skin shows no sign of ever having problems except for one indentation in my cheek from the chicken pox. I know I scratched and picked at it until it was ground zero because kids never listen when you tell them not to scratch. I notice imperfections, but I don't focus on them and I certainly don't judge people for them. I've noticed many a blemish and crooked tooth and sun spot. Generally, it's a fleeting glance as my eyes move their focus between a person's eyes and mouth while they are speaking. Most people have something "wrong" with them. Everyone's face is asymmetrical. I have seen people with one eye 2-3 mm higher than the other. I think our imperfections are cool. Scars are okay! I've seen people with extensive burn scarring, face scars from accidents and amputations and while these are more severe examples of imperfections, the point I am making is that when you know someone, you don't even notice their "warts" anymore.
Which Great Lakes do you use? What about Now Foods? I was just reading some reviews. Some say it doesn't dissolve as well in cool liquids as Knox. They are all made from conventionally raised animals, right? Also, I've seen knox in canisters.
Agree with @Alternativista. Take some magnesium and b-vitamins, get more sleep, drink plenty of water and try to ground yourself spiritually and emotionally. Gelatin is amazing for healing scarring, BTW. Add it to soups. it's basically tasteless. You can also make yourself healthy jello using gelatin and fresh juice instead of flavored sugar gelatin packets. I make that as a treat sometimes. Great Lakes is my favorite gelatin brand. It comes in a pretty big canister. Knox is okay, but I don't like things that come in packets as I use so much of it.
Ooh,. I forgot I was thinking about buying gelatin. I need to improve elasticity in my tissues in the hopes it will both slow the crepeyness happening in the super thin skin around my eyes and my lost of flexibility including the eyes & ability to read small print. Where do you get yours from?
Moonchild:
DO NOT avoid smiling & laughter. In fact, do it all the time. Do it now. Even fake forces laughter does you good.
And I think my scars are plenty visible. In fact, I haven't worn blush in years as I don't want the red to fill in the indentions and make them more noticeable. But I'm starting to think at my age, I could use the 'life' blush brings. But, no the scars on my cheeks are not too deep, especially since I had dermabrasion years ago. The ones at my temples are deep, but no one seems to see them. And I do have some scars right where the lines form on one side of my mouth, making me look older. These are just some of the flaws i zero right in on when I look in the mirror. But I promise you, no one else does that but you. No one else sees these things.
I buy it on Amazon. Can't seem to find it in stores where I live. I was lucky enough to figure out the cause of my acne before I ended up with serious scarring. My skin shows no sign of ever having problems except for one indentation in my cheek from the chicken pox. I know I scratched and picked at it until it was ground zero because kids never listen when you tell them not to scratch. I notice imperfections, but I don't focus on them and I certainly don't judge people for them. I've noticed many a blemish and crooked tooth and sun spot. Generally, it's a fleeting glance as my eyes move their focus between a person's eyes and mouth while they are speaking. Most people have something "wrong" with them. Everyone's face is asymmetrical. I have seen people with one eye 2-3 mm higher than the other. I think our imperfections are cool. Scars are okay! I've seen people with extensive burn scarring, face scars from accidents and amputations and while these are more severe examples of imperfections, the point I am making is that when you know someone, you don't even notice their "warts" anymore.
Which Great Lakes do you use? What about Now Foods? I was just reading some reviews. Some say it doesn't dissolve as well in cool liquids as Knox. They are all made from conventionally raised animals, right? Also, I've seen knox in canisters.
Now foods is fine too. I haven't had trouble with any of them dissolving. I dissolve it in warm water before adding it to the main dish so it doesn't clump. Never had a problem. I can get knox at the store here, but only in packets. I guess I could order it in a canister tho.
