Allow us to paint a picture: you’ve woken up to a massive (at least to you) zit, and as you stand in front of the mirror examining and getting acquainted with your unwelcome visitor, you start to beat yourself up for letting this new tenant take up residence on your chin. You wonder why you’re even still getting pimples at your age (doesn’t your skin realize that high school was like, a zillion years ago?). Is this because of the chocolate you had after dinner (okay fine, for dinner) last night? Or is it your punishment for not drinking enough water this week?
Sound familiar? When dealing with acne, it can be easy to get caught in a cycle of blame and guilt. It’s important to remember that some of the common things running through your head are not only totally inaccurate, but you can also take control of them before you start spiraling. With some practice, you can reframe some of the harmful thoughts you have about acne—because many of them are straight-up untrue, anyway.
"Reframing thoughts isn't so much about controlling or avoiding them, but is instead about giving yourself permission to feel them, process them and let them pass through you."
- Disruption Coach and BalmLabs user Kate Fried
Sound easier said than done? Well, yeah, it is. Many people find this much easier to do with the help of a therapist and/or coach, says Kate, but sometimes, it can be as simple as recognizing that a statement like “My acne will never clear up” is a cognitive distortion. “It’s all or nothing thinking.” And changing that type of thinking takes some rewiring.
Luckily, there are a couple of tried-and-true questions you can ask yourself to determine if you are experiencing a cognitive distortion:
Is this statement factually true or just a belief?
What is the evidence to support it?
Do I have control over changing it?
So, what exactly does this look like in practice? A statement like “I woke up with this pimple because I ate too much chocolate last night” can be put to the test by answering those questions, either out loud, in your head, or in a journal.
Is this statement factually true or just a belief?
Technically, it’s just a belief. There isn’t any concrete scientific evidence pointing directly to a connection between chocolate and acne.
What is the evidence to support it?
Most studies done on the issue don’t point to a direct link between chocolate and acne. “The connection is much more likely between sugar and acne,” explains Dr. Schaffran, BalmLabs’ Chief Dermatologist. “Stress is also linked to worsening acne breakouts, and many people find themselves eating more chocolate (and other junk food) during times of stress.” Do you know what also causes stress? Worrying about the chocolate you ate before bed last night.
Do I have control over changing it?
Well, you don’t have control over going back in time and not eating the chocolate (and even if you did, aren’t there more important things you’d rather use a time machine for?), but you certainly have control over managing that new zit. Perhaps you’ve heard of our superstar Power Elixir?
“Our feelings are not just automatic reactions to events,” says Kate. “They’re created by the thoughts that we have. So, you can reconstruct your thoughts and view situations differently, which will result in positive feelings and behavior.”
