Table of contents:
The appearance of acne is often annoying for many people. Acne often makes some people less confident. As a result, it is not uncommon for many people to become very stressed due to the appearance of acne on their faces. However, is there a link between acne and depression? Is acne a trigger for depression? Here's the explanation.
Is it true that acne can be a trigger for depression?
The link between acne and depression has long been studied, especially in adolescents. However, some experts attribute the onset of depressive symptoms to medications specifically for acne such as isotretinoin.
However, a study in the British Medical Journal reports that the drug itself may not be linked to depression. Meanwhile, Swedish researchers report that acne can increase the risk of depression and suicide attempts.
This is because acne is a problem with facial appearance, which often makes people less confident or embarrassed by acne on their faces.
People who have acne usually will look for various ways to get rid of it. If he does not find the right way, he will continue to think about how these pimples affect his daily life. Finally, this can be a trigger for depression.
Especially in adolescence, appearance may be important. The presence of acne often makes people ridicule and invites anxiety for him about other people's judgments. If allowed to drag on, acne, which was once a skin problem, can develop into a trigger for depression, which is a mental health problem.
Vice versa, depression can trigger acne
The relationship between acne and depression is actually like a cycle. Acne can be a trigger for depression, and vice versa acne can also appear as a complication of depression.
Even depression can make your acne worse. This is because people who are depressed may take care of themselves less often, let alone take full care of facial skin.
A study shows that acne can cause major depression, and this risk is highest in the first year after you have acne.
The study, published in The British Journal of Dermatology, analyzed data from nearly 1.9 million men and women over 15 years. Researchers compared the mental health of more than 134,000 people with acne and 1.7 million people without acne.
After taking into account other risk factors for depression such as mental health, smoking, and drinking, the researchers found that the likelihood of developing depression increased by 63 percent the following year after the onset of acne. In fact, this risk continues to increase for up to five years when compared to people who do not have acne.
People who have acne are very prone to experience symptoms of depression such as frequent crying, mood changeable, have trouble sleeping, have no energy, withdraw from social life, and often have problems at school or work.
If you experience these things, you need to be aware that maybe you are experiencing depression symptoms due to your acne condition.
However, keep in mind that depression is a mental illness that is quite complicated. The cause cannot be simplified to just pimples. There are many other factors that also contribute to depression. For example, psychological trauma, hormonal imbalance, unhealthy lifestyle, and others.
