LOVE THE SKIN YOU’RE IN
Hey guys, before we get into today’s blog, we should probably let you know in advance that it’s going to be a little heavier, dealing with topics like mental health and depression, so just a quick warning before we start things off.
In the UK, over 8 million people experience some form of anxiety or mental health disorder at any one time, and within the last few years, a larger global focus has been spread on promoting the discussion of mental health and the best way to treat it. As someone who has struggled with my own mental health and anxiety, and many of us on the Dewcy team sharing these stories, we know well enough how damaging poor mental health can be on not just your mind, but your skin.
I’m sure many of you are aware but for those of you who aren’t, when we’re faced a stressful situation – be it real or fake – our body enters a fight or flight state, releasing hormones that allows the body to respond appropriately. Anxiety triggers the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which changes your pores and increases oil production. These pores become clogged by the oil, and acne begins to form.
When we begin to suffer from anxiety, we typically feel restless or on edge, we have difficulty concentrating, leaving your mind going blank, and emphasises levels of nervousness, worrying and agitation. And when the anxiety take over, it can wear down your immune system, and the enhanced stress can worsen skin conditions, creating a vicious cycle that can seriously impede a person’s quality of life.
Much like with depression, anxiety can be a result of falling oestrogen levels, which cause of fall of serotonin levels (the ‘happy’ hormone), which ultimately changes the way your brain operates. As a matter of fact, it has also been shown that oestrogen levels are also connected to the levels of cortisol, with other hormones being involved in the process.
Anxiety can also be quite a problem when it comes to dealing with your period, as according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, during the ages of 14 to 50, women are twice as likely to deal with anxiety than men. This is because before you start your period, your oestradiol and progesterone levels drop dramatically, and these rapid hormonal changes underlie the symptoms of anxiety.
And for all my younger readers or those who have kids yourselves, you should be aware of how developing acne while going through puberty can have on a teenager’s anxiety, as it can be extremely difficult for them. Previous research has shown that during this very mouldable part of their life, the need to be accepted and approved by their friends is very high, bullying can sometimes happen, causing self-esteem to drop, which is why early treatment needs to be considered for the mental wellbeing of your child, as the longer acne lasts, the more likely it could be to affect their emotions.
And to anyone who may be struggling with their mental health, we’re here to let you know that talking to someone is the best thing you can try and do. If you feel like you have no one you can talk, Contact Samaritans at 116 123, and they will help as best as they can. And please, let us leave you with one piece of advice, please try and not listen to all the fake marketing hype, painting a picture of the flawless woman with the perfect skin and perfect body, it’s just fiction. I understand that it may be difficult with it being pushed everywhere but the aspirational beauty standards is simply not attainable, be proud of the skin you’re in.
And with that guys, I hope you’re all okay and I’ll see you soon on Friday
Alex xoxo
References
https://mentalhealth-uk.org/help-and-information/conditions/anxiety-disorders/what-is-anxiety/
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/acne-emotional-effects
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-when-your-immune-system-gets-stressed-out/
https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-disorder-symptoms#feeling-agitated