Stress affects your skin directly and indirectly. Studies have shown that stress:
- Can flare up acne and other skin problems
- Cause inflammation in skin cells
- Increase inflammation throughout the body
- Causes acute insulin resistance (cortisol thwarts the effect of insulin). In the long run, may cause insulin resistance and other hormonal imbalances
- Has a disastrous effect on the gut and is strongly linked to most gut problems
The emotional-type acne section goes over recommendations for dealing with stress. At the very least, I recommend reading and doing the exercises in the mindfulness and self-compassion pages.
Don’t know or aren’t sure if stress is a problem for you? Try these tests to see how stressed you are. Some of these also measure things like anxiety and depression.
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/pages/mood-self-assessment.aspx
- https://www.bbc.com/news/health-24756311
- https://www.bemindfulonline.com/test-your-stress/
- https://www.15minutes4me.com/free-online-test-stress-anxiety-depression-burnout/
- https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/stress-screener
- https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/8
Some of those tests are on websites that sell mindfulness and stress management courses. I have not gone through any of the courses and can’t say how useful they are. I do not in any way endorse them.
