How You Can Break Free From Society's Unrealistic Beauty Ideals

Society’s unrealistic beauty ideals can make feeling free in our own skin seem like an insurmountable challenge. But the key to that freedom lies just below the surface—we need only have the courage to take it. By Clara Siew

- Clara Siew

What is it like to feel trapped in your own skin? Feelings of isolation, helplessness, depression, frustration, low self-worth, and sometimes even suicidal thoughts, are commonly reported by individuals suffering from chronic skin conditions like cystic acne, eczema, alopecia, seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, adult acne and psoriasis. According to Harvard Medical School clinical psychologist Dr. Bart Grossbart, our body image constitutes about one quarter to one third of our self-esteem, and self-esteem has a monumental influence on our overall psychological health. So it makes sense that dealing with a skin disorder would take a hit on one’s self-esteem and psychological wellbeing.

There are individuals who end up putting their life on hold until their skin gets better. And if things don’t seem to improve, it only reinforces their feelings of low self worth. Skin conditions affect people from all walks of life, and can cause them to isolate themselves both physically and emotionally. Making matters worse are family, friends or strangers who highlight their insecurities by making ignorant or cruel remarks about their appearance. “They (the patients) often create intense feelings of shame and guilt that slowly diminish self-esteem, building a negative emotional snowball that gradually grows until it limits their lives,” inferred California based clinical psychotherapist, Matt Traube. There is a wide variety of skin ailments such as eczema, rosacea and acne that manifest themselves differently on the outside, but the emotional impact and internal anguish are very similar.

THE SNOWBALL EFFECT