Dear Annie: Woman feels pressure from boyfriend who hates that she wears make-up

Dear Annie: I am a 29-calendar year-old girl, and I have been getting an ongoing discussion with my boyfriend of 10 yrs.

I put on makeup due to the fact I am insecure about my skin and my face in normal. I have attempted any and all products advisable to me to enable clear up my pores and skin.

I have endured from ingesting issues in the earlier and have continuous fixation and amplification of just about every flaw, so I’m conscious of the fact that it may possibly be entire body dysmorphia that is in component driving my panic about my encounter. I am likely into treatment and seeing a dermatologist subsequent month, and I will start off my procedure there.

But in the meantime, when I look in the mirror at my bare experience, I see a monster. Make-up normally takes away some of that stress — provides me assurance in myself, enabling me to get pleasure from lifestyle a small a lot more.

When I know that it is not healthful to be so dependent on cosmetics, they are assisting me get via these emotions for now.

The problem is that my boyfriend hates that I wear makeup. He continuously insists that I halt donning it, to the point that we frequently get in heated arguments about this. He even jokingly says he will break up with me if I proceed to have on it. I convey to him that not wearing make-up just does not get the job done for me. I tried out it after for a year. It did not very clear up my skin, and it was awful emotionally.

I definitely really don’t know what to say to him at this level other than that I am in the course of action of hopefully solving this challenge, but even if my blemishes very clear up, the psychological and psychological features will take time. I comprehend other people will say: “It’s just makeup. Ditch it for him if you genuinely appreciate him!” But I do not feel persons comprehend how significantly I truly can’t stand observing the face I have bare in the mirror. It delivers me to tears and will cause nervousness attacks — which I sense like my boyfriend would resent me even additional for. He does not have a great deal patience for insecurity of any sort.

I’m not sure what to tell him other than, “Let’s hold out and see.” Any tips? — Can not Face the Mirror

Expensive Just can’t Confront the Mirror: Just as it would be incorrect for your boyfriend to need that you dress in makeup, it is completely wrong for him to desire that you do not. It’s your deal with, and it’s up to you what to do with it.

His threats of breaking up barely qualify as “jokes” in my e-book. That variety of speak smacks of bullying. Enlist the support of your therapist in placing and imposing boundaries in your romantic relationship so that you can concentrate on healing your self and lowering your nervousness.

Dear Annie: My shortly-to-be 40-calendar year-aged daughter severely requirements aid for her psychological overall health. She is a recovering from dependancy. She’s been sober for 5 decades. Previously this 12 months, she received out of a two-yr romantic relationship, and it’s as although she’s been traumatized at any time considering the fact that. She walks all around like a zombie. I’m wondering whether or not she’s back again on prescription drugs. What can I do? — Nervous Mom

Pricey Apprehensive: You can encourage your daughter to seek aid by way of in-affected individual or out-individual remedy centers and/or assist groups this sort of as Narcotics Nameless (https://www.na.org) or LifeRing Secular Restoration (https://www.lifering.org). Even much more importantly, I would urge you to lead by illustration and go to conferences of Nar-Anon Household Teams (https://www.nar-anon.org). Dwelling with the condition of habit is also a lot for most of us to bear alone. The solidarity identified in assist groups can make even the most daunting issues a small little bit more workable.

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