People with Acne have a Higher Chance of becoming Depressed

In the first year following an acne diagnosis, patients have a 63% increased risk of developing depression (compared to patients who do not have acne) according to a study published in 2018*.

In my personal experience, I can fully attest to this. Depression and anxiety ran alongside acne for me.

But, why?

Let's look at some of the reasons depression can accompany chronic acne:

• Societal shame around acne, over time this can take a toll on a persons mental wellbeing.

• Social isolation (it's common for people with severe, chronic acne to cancel plans due to feeling self conscious). It can feel easier to avoid people, rather than risk unsolicited acne advice or someone staring at your face.

• The frustration around having stubborn acne can cause a feeling of helplessness, which over time can develop in to depression.

• The gut-skin axis: gut dysbiosis is common in people with acne, the health of the gut also has a huge impact on mental health. I don't believe this is a coincidence that so many people with chronic acne also experience mental health issues.

So, what can we do about it?

• Make the focus on healing acne a holistic process, addressing both mental and physical health (which really are one and the same).

• Practice self acceptance (which is a process). You can work on both self acceptance and healing acne at the same time, it's not one or the other.

• Addressing root causes of both acne and depression, with a vital focus on gut health.

• Therapy could also be of great benefit to acne patients.

The spiritual and emotional factors of healing depression and acne are important too, when I've been at my most depressed, with my worst acne, it's been partly because I felt I had no life purpose or I was frustrated because I didn't know how to live the life I really wanted.

The opposite of depression is progression (Tony Robbins)

The opposite of depression is feeling passionate about your life purpose, is feeling a genuine sense of fulfillment. At my most depressed, I felt stuck and unworthy. I was working a job that I dreaded going to, where none of my special skills and talents were needed or even recognised.

Whilst every persons life path is different, and not everyones passion is necessarily their career or the way they make their money - I do believe that going along with whatever it is that you're curious about, fascinated by, drawn to is a way to stoke the flames of your life force.

So whilst I can talk about gut health and the immense impact this has on both your skin and mental health, ultimately we can't ignore the spiritual and emotional factors of depression and acne.

Sometimes depression can be because of gut dysbiosis and other issues in the body, or simply because you're feeling helpless about your skin, and also, sometimes it can be because you feel you have no clear life purpose or direction.

If you're dealing with depression, please reach out to someone you trust and get help. I've been at rock bottom, on anti depressants and felt utterly hopeless and I can tell you it does get better. There's always a way forward. Whether you reach out to a therapist, a family member, or pray to a God or a higher power for help, there is light at the end of the tunnel for you.

By Mehgan Weatherley

Study:

*Risk of depression among patients with acne in the U.K.: a population-based cohort study

Search PMID: 29411352

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