Two recent studies, one published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and the other in the British Medical Journal, suggest having severe acne increases risk of suicide.
This probably isn't a huge revelation to those of use who have, or have had, acne. Having acne is tough and severe acne can be devastating for some people, especially teens.
What is interesting is that both studies show that the risk of suicide increases independent of isotretinoin (also known as Accutane) use.
This doesn't mean that isotretinoin is off the hook. What it does mean is that we need to be aware that just having acne can increase risk of depression, increase risk of suicide, regardless of whether or not isotretinoin is being used.
What can you do? Make an appointment to see a doctor (just starting on an acne treatment can help you feel more in control and confident); reach out to others and take steps to build your self-esteem; be aware of the warning signs that acne may be negatively impacting your life.
Sources: Anders Sundström, Lars Alfredsson, Gunilla Sjölin-Forsberg, Barbro Gerdén, Ulf Bergman, and Jussi Jokinen. "Association of suicide attempts with acne and treatment with isotretinoin: retrospective Swedish cohort study." British Medical Journal, 2010.
Halvorsen JA, Stern RS, Dalgard F, Thoresen M, Bjertness E, Lien L. "Suicidal Ideation, Mental Health Problems, and Social Impairment Are Increased in Adolescents with Acne: A Population-Based Study." Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 16 September 2010.
Acne and Your Self-Esteem:
You know, I’ve heard of Accutane before but I’ve never tried it…. but maybe now I’m glad that I haven’t
Having experienced acne myself, I understand very well the blow it has on self-esteem. I am just lucky that I am able to control my acne with proper treatment. I also realize that the more I stress over my acne, the more it breaks out. So, what I did, I reduce my stress, and allowed the treatment to take its course.