Acne Dysmorphia is extremely rare but it can, and does occur. Linked to Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Acne Dysmorphia is a mental illness which manifests as a complete preoccupation of some kind. In psychiatric terms, it is similar to Anorexia Nervosa.

People suffering from Acne Dysmorphia will think that their skin is disgusting. Imagine waking up every day, seeing your skin as though it should not be a part of you. Acne Dysmorphia sufferers often think that even if they only have mild acne, it is horrible and disgusting. In extreme cases it even stops people from leaving the house and living an ordinary life. The illness is serious, and it does not need to be taken lightly.

The Signs of Acne Dysmorphia

If you have Acne Dysmorphia, you are likely to inflict harm upon yourself, rather than seeking professional help. Many sufferers pick at their imperfections, causing the skin to tear away and bleed. It is not a nice condition, and it can be extremely serious, yet there is not really much public knowledge of the condition. This means that many people do not even recognize what is wrong with them and they do not realize it is a genuine condition.

A way to tell if someone you know is suffering from the disorder is if they have not actually got acne, yet they are convinced that they have. As mentioned earlier, some sufferers only have to have mild acne, if any at all, for them to think that their skin is horrible and full of spots. Their obsession is with a clear complexion, and they will constantly pick at it until it bleeds, and it may even become infected.

Although you may hate your skin, you still cannot help but constantly looking in the mirror. It is a complete obsession and sufferers are always checking to see what it looks like. Has it gone yet? Has it gotten worse? How bad does it look at the moment? All are questions which run over and over again in the sufferers mind, making it absolutely impossible for them to live a normal life.

Another sign of the condition is depression. If you constantly think that your skin is disgusting, you are not going to be a happy person! However, there is help available and as serious as the condition can be, it is treatable.

How can it be treated?

The best way to treat the condition is through Cognitive Behavioral therapy. As there often is not a big problem with acne, no amount of over the counter treatments will help. The sufferer sees the problem worse than it actually is therefore they will never be satisfied with any product results.

Cognitive Behavior therapy works by treating the obsession itself. Most people find that this really helps, and symptoms usually decrease dramatically after treatment. You will learn to fight the negative feelings each and every day, as well as giving you anti depressants if needed. There are also group sessions available in the therapy treatment which many sufferers find helpful because they find that they are not alone. However, it is optional and it is understandable that some people are too shy to participate in group sessions.

Overall, Cognitive Behavioral therapy can really help and it is the only treatment which will. If you are suffering from the condition, it is important to know that you are not alone and that you can beat it, no matter how bad you feel at the moment. It simply is not possible to ignore the problem and hope it will go away, and deep down, you know that. As rare as the condition is, there is always somebody else who knows how you are feeling. If you get help, not only will you help yourself, but you will be helping others too by bringing the problem to peoples attention.