StopBullyingYourself urges people with cold sores to pledge to be kinder to themselves especially when experiencing a cold sore outbreak. 

People with cold sores tend to beat themselves up, according to a new survey from Abreva.

As many as 80 percent of people with cold sores feel misunderstood and want others to know it is a common affliction and that cold sores do not mean that they are promiscuous or unclean in some way.  Fully 83 percent of people who get cold sores say they are “their own worst critic” when they have an outbreak. Nearly all respondents associated with at least some negative adjectives when they had a cold sore – self-conscious (70%), frustrated (65%), unattractive (63%), or embarrassed (60%). Millennials are more likely to report feelings of being judged and rejected when they experience a cold sore outbreak, the survey showed.

"Unfortunately, there's a stigma associated with cold sores that make people feel embarrassed and self-conscious when they experience an outbreak. What many people don't know is how widespread cold sores are – more than half of American adults carry the virus," says Dr. Annie Gonzalez, MD, a Miami-based general and cosmetic dermatologist in a news release. "Though many believe the main causes for cold sores are a result of poor hygiene or sexual activity, transmission can actually be linked to something as simple as sharing a straw or other eating utensils. An outbreak can then be triggered by factors like stress or change in weather, so it's nothing to be ashamed of."

This is why Abreva is launching #StopBullyingYourself, a campaign is designed to inspire and encourage self-confidence and acceptance among people with cold sores and spread awareness about the condition. 

To dispel common cold sore myths and provide empathy for people who get them, #StopBullyingYourself urges people with cold sores to pledge to be kinder to themselves especially when experiencing a cold sore outbreak. 

To join the pledge, people with cold sores can share their own story on Instagram Stories using #StopBullyingYourself and tagging @abrevabrand. For the first 250 people to pledge, Abreva will give $100 in their name to The Born This Way Foundation as part of their larger $25K planned donation.