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Facts about acne and stress. But we have already seen that acne cannot be caused by stress. So what are we trying to say here? This is how it works. When the body is under stress, the secretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline from the adrenal glands is stepped up. It is quite well known that the adrenal gland is stimulated to produce adrenaline when the body is being prepared for 'fight or flight'.
Production of these hormones is controlled by the brain. They are secreted along with androgens, which stimulate the production of sebum, which in turn encourage the development of acne.
The other fact has been established is that stress can slow down the process of healing, which also applies to acne. In fact, the rate of this slowdown could be as high as 40%, which seems to suggest that acne could be connected to stress.
Other ways that stress can affect acne. Apart from all this, poor eating habits in times of stress are thought to have a bearing on the outbreak of acne and the extent of the problem. Stress seems to exacerbate the acne problem and could also have a damaging effect on the overall health of the skin.
In times of stress, the adrenal cortex is stimulated to produce cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid that activates the secretion of sebum, which in excess, tends to encourage the development of acne. An experiment conducted in 2002 proved that stress could be instrumental in the way acne developed and the intensity of the breakout among students taking an examination.
There is also a condition called acne urticata that affects middle aged women. This condition, despite its name, actually qualifies as a kind of eczema rather than acne, and troubles women who have been under stress or are prone to some kind of depression.
Beat stress to cure your acne. In view of all these observations, it is better for people who have a tendency to break out with acne to avoid situations of stress, tension, worry and anxiety, all of which could play a part in making their acne problem worse.
If you have a stressful way of life, you may just end up making your acne worse. This does not mean that acne is a direct consequence of stress. On the other hand, simply that the way you live your life is bound to affect your skin. And skin is generally regarded as the largest organ in the body. To some extent, predisposition to acne can be triggered by stress.
It is also been seen that people who work in areas where there is plenty of grease can develop acne. If the environment is also stressful, such as that of a fast food restaurant, chances of developing acne are pretty high.
Other ways to soothe your acne. You could minimize the possibility of developing acne through stress consciously taking time out to relax and unwind. Make sure you take in a balanced diet and get enough sleep. Do remember that you must have some regular exercise every day, however mild it may be. Make a conscious effort to relax every day by reading, doing yoga etc., in short whatever activity helps you to release tension.
It is sure to make a difference to your general health and will definitely have a positive impact on the health of your skin as well. Well, the apparent link between acne and stress is rather thought provoking, even if it is not very direct?
There are different typed of stressful situations. Some, like people interrupting you all the time, you can control. You can let the interrupters know you are busy and don't have time to talk.
Other stresses, like rush hour traffic, are usually beyond your control. But there are some things about rush hour traffic that you can personally change which may help; taking a different route, for example, or traveling at a different time. Of course, these changes are not always possible. In that case, you have to change your attitude about the situation, in order to lessen the stress. You can listen to music or educational tapes or books-on-tape. Rush hour traffic won't seem as frustrating because you'll be doing something to help keep your mind off the traffic and other drivers. In order to let go of commute stress, you have to accept the situation. You must accept that you cannot control the traffic, no matter how much you yell and gesture at other drivers to speed up. A stressful commute can ruin your whole day, don't let it! Accept that, if you are unable to change your route, or your time of travel, you are powerless over everything on the road, with the exception of your car and your attitude. Control your attitude, let go of the traffic, and you can control your stress!
You can learn to manage a great deal of your stress by asking looking at each stressor and asking yourself "Can I control it, can I change it, or do I need to learn to let it go?
The "control, change, or let go" concept is an important key to stress management. We spend too much time worrying about things over which we have no control that we have no energy left to control the things we can. We become so overwhelmed, that we feel like our whole life is out of control and we'll never catch up. Once you understand the "control, change, or let go" concept and start putting it into practice you will be able to deal much better with stressful situations.
So much of our stress comes from trying to control other people, places and things when we simply cannot. We are the ones who end up with the stress and resulting headaches! The people we try to control go home, or simply ignore us, barely giving us a thought. That's why it is so easy to build up resentments against other people in situations or jobs when we don't think we have much control. On the job, it impedes productivity and healthy teamwork. People tend to blame other people. If you are stressed out because of others, it's important to go through the steps of control, change and letting go. Unless you are ready to leave your job, family, or the planet earth, chances are you will continue working or being around the "stressful people.
" Ask yourself if the other person is actually a "stress carrier," or simply has a different style.
Letting go is a process. It takes time, and doesn't always happen at once just because we will it. We have to use our thoughts to control our emotions and our actions. Remind yourself that there are people and events you cannot control. All you can control is your attitude and your reactions. Its possible to change yourself-talk about the situation. Identify which stresses you can control, take appropriate action, and learn to let go of the things you can't.
Pick something in your life that stresses you out. Can you control it? If so, what can you do? Can you change it? If so, how? Perhaps you can only change or control a part of it. Do you need to let it go? If so, what can you do in order to let go?
You can view life as unexpected and exciting or your can view it as scary because you don't know what the future holds. Take charge; take control or let it go. The choice is yours!