Being diagnosed with vitiligo can be a devastating experience. Not only are you now looking at a future where you might slowly lose your pigment but there’s also the social aspect. However, practicing vitiligo self-love can help boost your confidence and self-esteem, and empower you to love and accept yourself just the way you are. People will stare, whisper, and may even call you names. This is why it’s important that you gain a sense of confidence and self-love as soon as possible once you hear the word “vitiligo”. That’s what this guide is all about – helping you find a sense of self-love with vitiligo in order to make your life just that much better.
Don’t be ashamed of your vitiligo:
Yes, it is hard, considering the world we live in and especially if you are /have a child or in your adolescent stages. There is a popular African proverb that says: “if there is no enemy within, the enemy outside cannot harm us.” This means that no doubts from others will ever distort your judgement if you don’t allow any doubts in your own thinking. Most confidence comes from your mindset and it is easier to gain when you are not ashamed of your vitiligo.
Be brave:
As a person living with vitiligo, you have to be fearless of possible mockery, rejection, isolation, stigmatization or anything that may come with your vitiligo. Like most things, confidence takes time and can be very scary. Studies show that the brain processes social pain similarly to physical pain, so stigmatization can feel like a literal slap in the face. Gossip hurts, rejection is painful but don’t let that get you down. You should see it as small steps that will help you to build your confidence.
Stop caring what others think:
Humans are social creatures so it’s natural to want to adapt to your community. You have to be comfortable with yourself whether you believe camouflage therapy, medical options, cosmetic approaches or simply showing your vitiligo is the best option for you. You will be able to build some confidence when you don’t care what others think of what you look like with vitiligo.
Also Read: See the beauty in Uniqueness by Zolisa Kalipa
Do what makes you happy
What do you enjoy doing when you have free time? Is it to get outside, go hiking or kayaking, and take a walk in nature? Or do you only enjoy viewing the best series or movies while lounging on your couch? There’s no greater feeling than doing what makes you feel good. Whatever it is that you enjoy, make time for it since life is short and you need to have the time to do it in order to be your best.
Embrace self-love
This includes being kind to yourself regarding your appearance. It improves your connection to yourself and others by enabling you to become more emotionally adaptable and helping you to better navigate your difficult emotions.
A 2015 study found a link between self-compassion and self-assurance. Do your best to manage these experiences with compassion for yourself the next time you’re feeling depressed.
A mirror allows you to see how you appear. And yet, we use mirrors most frequently to assess how we look, such as when we put on clothing or apply makeup. This behaviour may have a detrimental impact on confidence if you’re searching for “imperfections” and “flaws “. you will need to change this for better confidence
We often underestimate how much our perception of ourselves matters to us. How confident we are in ourselves is based on the mental image we have of ourselves. However, this image is not static and unchangeable. It is changeable. Develop your sense of self. Change it if it’s not very good. You should discover the cause of your self-perception and the solution to this issue.
For example, have a look at Siza’s Story here.
Set personal goals and Achieve them
Don’t you just love that feeling you get when you get that mark you wanted in school? That promotion? Or lost all that weight you wanted? Another way of boosting your confidence may be to achieve another goal outside vitiligo. According to Psychology Today, setting and achieving goals is crucial to boosting self-confidence. It enhances your sense of accomplishment while also helping to update and mould how you define yourself. Here are some important reminders. I mean, if you can conquer your personal goals, you will be able to conquer your vitiligo challenges. You can see this in Carol’s Story here.
Dress Well
You could feel good about yourself if you dress well. You could feel accomplished, attractive, and equipped to take on the world. Everyone has a different definition of what it means to dress nicely, therefore you could still wear nice-looking, respectable casual clothing instead of R1000 outfit!
Surround yourself with positive influences
We’ve all heard the saying “comparison is the thief of Joy” and they are not lying! It can be mentally demanding and ultimately emotionally detrimental to one’s confidence to consume Instagram or anything that glorifies conventional “beauty.” Therefore, you can consciously make an effort to surround yourself with body-positive influences. Try following influencers and social media that promote self-love, and other people with the condition. Your feed and the material you consume should be overflowing with images and messages that encourage self-assurance. What kind of media are you watching right now? Can you add more body-positive role models to your social media feed?
Be kind to others
Many of you have faced the stigma that has come with vitiligo and have felt the sting. So given your experience, you can now ensure people don’t feel the same way. Being generous and nice to others is a fantastic method to boost your self-esteem. When you follow the Golden Rule, you begin to feel positive about yourself and believe that you are a decent person. Believe me, it makes a huge difference in your self-confidence.
Finding Support
Finding support from family, friends, and other vitiligo sufferers is another way to deal with the possible low self-esteem that comes with the condition and help with self-love. Finding other vitiligo patients can especially be useful. Making connections with a larger group of people who have this disease can help you feel more valid and less alone.
Verywell Health suggests the following approaches
Support groups: Whether in person or online, chatting to people who have vitiligo, other skin illnesses, or other chronic conditions can help you cope with the condition. Finding validation and overcoming self-doubt can be achieved by realising that others have gone through similar things.
Counseling: Working with a therapist or counsellor to create a more positive self-image can be beneficial, particularly in light of related mental health issues. Discuss your feelings with your doctor, and don’t be hesitant to ask for assistance.
Patient advocacy: Talking openly about your vitiligo and other people who share your circumstances is another method to boost self-esteem. In addition to being excellent sources of information, groups like Beyond Vitiligo and Vitiligo International Patient Organizations Committee, act as hubs for spreading greater awareness and acceptance of the condition. You could become a member of Beyond Vitiligo at no cost to you!
You should be proud of yourself because this is the first step towards self-love and feeling more confident in your own skin, and we’re so excited to see how this journey continues. It’s important to remember that finding confidence with vitiligo will not only help you, but it can inspire others to do the same. We hope these tips will help you out as you move forward on this exciting journey!
Reference List
Morin, A. (no date) How to be more confident: 9 tips that work, Verywell Mind. Verwell Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-boost-your-self-confidence-4163098 (Accessed: November 14, 2022).
Babauta, L. (2022) 25 killer actions to boost your self-confidence, zen habits. Available at: https://zenhabits.net/25-killer-actions-to-boost-your-self-confidence/ (Accessed: November 14, 2022).
Bridges, F. (2022) 10 ways to build confidence, Forbes. Forbes Magazine. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2017/07/21/10-ways-to-build-confidence/ (Accessed: November 14, 2022).
Gurarie, M. (2022) Tips for building self-esteem when you have vitiligo, Verywell Health. Verywell Health. Available at: https://www.verywellhealth.com/vitiligo-building-self-esteem-5199057 (Accessed: November 14, 2022).
Page, E. (2020) 5 ways to build confidence when you live with vitiligo, The Vitiligo Society. Available at: https://vitiligosociety.org/vitlife/5-ways-to-build-confidence-when-you-live-with-vitiligo/ (Accessed: November 14, 2022).
