Psoriasis and Mental Health

Psoriasis and Mental Health

Understandably so, psoriasis can totally mess with ones mental health in numerous ways, but that is what makes those who have it so strong and resilient.

According to “Worldometer”, the population of Earth in 2021 is close to eight billion people, continuously growing. Of these eight billion, it is estimated that over 125 million suffer from psoriasis, meaning around 1 in 59 or 1.7% of the worlds population are trying to live a normal life while dealing with a noncontagious, chronic autoimmune skin disease with no known cure.

Adding to this, those who have psoriasis are left to shuffle through endless topicals and treatments, common miss diagnosis’, and the sometimes slim sense of hope in finding something that works perfectly for their skin. As if that isn’t worrisome enough, you also have your mental health to take care of.

You can often get caught up in dwelling on the bad you know, rather than the good that could come about it. There are obviously bad days where everything feels dark, but those are the days they use as inspiration to ensure they never give up on themselves. As they should!

In this post, we unfortunately promise you no miracle cures, we don’t have all the answers, but we do understand that mental health is a huge issue and psoriasis mental health is rather shadowed. This is us in our full effort to help bring light to that issue. You are not alone, there are resources for you and we hope we can help guide you towards them if you’re unsure for yourself. 

 

PSORIASIS: YOU’RE NOT ALONE

Psoriasis shows no bias and it discriminates against no one. Of the 125 million people with psoriasis worldwide, these numbers did not take into account self-diagnosed or undiagnosed cases. 

Here is an estimated look at the percentages of people living with psoriasis in 10 random countries, but keep in mind that the population is increasing every year, so these numbers will only continue to get higher until a cure is finally found. 

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 125 MILLION PEOPLE SUFFER FROM PSORIASIS, BUT ONLY 17% OF COUNTRIES KEEP ANY EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA.

 

DOES PSORIASIS AFFECT MENTAL HEALTH?

According to a study by Kirk Geale of Umea University in Sweden, his group found that skin symptoms have an important impact on mental health, but that other somatic diseases associated with psoriasis can cause even more harm to mental health.

 

 

While flare-ups can be treatable, you will most likely be unable to keep them from happening completely depending on the severity of your psoriasis. Certain triggers may eccentrically prompt psoriasis side effects. This can cause you to feel like you have no influence over your body. Over the long haul, this can effectively cause significant damage, physically, but more importantly, emotionally and mentally as well.

 

 

GETTING BULLIED WITH PSORIASIS:

Imagine not only never being invited to birthday parties or not having anybody want to come to yours, but also being a grown adult whose colleagues/peers still treat them with the same disgust as these child bully counterparts. These are just a couple minor examples of what people with psoriasis have to deal with on a daily basis, all because of misinformation causing people to believe that psoriasis is contagious.

Living with this sort of shame can be debilitating, and cause members with psoriasis to feel embarrassed about their appearance and often even get bullied for it. Kids in school get teased and mocked for their appearance and adult’s even face the same fate in their own work environments.

Children and teens who have psoriasis have been outcast, leaving them feeling utterly embarrassed to do the simplest of things like getting changed for gym or standing up in front of their class for a presentation. These are things no one likes to do on a good day, let alone while you’re young with and vulnerable to sensitivity. Think of that and then add having a not well-understood skin condition that makes you stand out compared to others on top of it.

This all stems from a lack of knowledge and normalization on the condition in general. It also stems from a lack of humanity. Anyone who can go out of their way to pick on someone for looking even slightly different is someone you don’t need taking up valuable space in your life, we can promise you that.

 

 

CAN PSORIASIS BE SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON?:

No, psoriasis is not a contagious condition. Tales that indicate psoriasis is an infectious illness trash and degrade those affected, leaving them, ultimately in certain cases, shunned from schools, working environments, and pools, wrecking their public and social lives drastically.

While more individuals are speaking transparently about their psoriasis than at any other time, including some conspicuous famous people, there's still a ton of work to do. Speaking straightforwardly about psoriasis is perhaps the most ideal approach to lessen shame encompassing the condition and those who have it.

 

 

IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN PSORIASIS AND DEPRESSION?:

As the term “equality” strives to include essentially everyone in a world where society has made that rather difficult, it is important for psoriasis survivors to know they are included.

It has been well analyzed that people with psoriasis are 20% more likely to attempt suicide than people without, that does not include successful attempts. This, unfortunately enough, is a cause of lack of psoriasis normalization. Psoriasis is obviously well-known to the private eye, but the scarcity of public knowledge on the condition prevails and leaves those who have it feeling unheard or set apart from this worlds daunting idea of “normal.”

Your dermatologist is specifically trained to deal with different skin conditions, not matters of the mind. If you’re depressed or suicidal, given that we know the connection between psoriasis and mental health, seek the help of a mental health professional. For many dealing with their depression caused by psoriasis, it takes over everything from work to sleep schedules to relationships. Remember you do have options, you don’t need to go through this alone. 

 

THE PSORIASIS COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER:

Time and time again those dealing with psoriasis have expressed the lack of seriousness they experience from not only their peers and family regarding the condition, but their physicians as well. The people who are respectively supposed to be 100% on their sides are often the ones who show very little support or concern.

Because of this, social media has in a way, become a sort of safe haven for those who deal with psoriasis. They can join groups, follow pages and people, listen to podcasts etc., whatever they can to find that sense of support.

Since there is no permanent cure for psoriasis, social media is where many people turn to for the support they are not receiving otherwise. Obviously at times it can be troublesome to try and understand why you are receiving such love and compassion from total strangers rather than your own friends and family, but that is the perfect summarization of social media and sometimes the perfect treatment for your sudden psoriasis blues. It’s about the understanding.

Consoling in strangers who understand what you’re going through can be that reassuring void filler for those who do not receive the same attention from family and peers around them. It is simply more comfortable discussing certain things with people who understand because they share the same feelings, experiences, emotions and backlash for one specific thing that is totally beyond their control. A bond often forms that way.

Comparing a stranger’s affection to that of your own blood in many cases may seem bizarre, but the psoriasis community is a bold, accepting and growing environment that proves so far otherwise.

 

 

HOW CAN I FEEL CONFIDENT WITH PSORIASIS:

Your skin condition is merely a trait that separates you from the basic, something that should be worn with pride. Underneath the pain, the bad days, the emotions and testing of endless products in hope of discovering just one that will work even just slightly, lies only beauty.

This is something that is not said nearly enough. Someone with psoriasis is no less human, nor any less admired than someone who does not have psoriasis. Everyone deserves to live life feeling equal to their peer counterparts, not categorized based off societal norms.

Psoriasis and the attention it has been deprived of are why psoriasis advocates and survivors do what they do. They see your true beauty even on the days where you don’t, as should everybody. Your psoriasis is beautiful and it is your one job to make sure no one takes that sense of beauty away from you. While it does not define who you are as a person in general, it is something you possess and should ultimately be proud of.

 

 

10 Ways to Cope with Mental Health While Having Psoriasis:

1. Go out of your way to compliment yourself. Compliments from ones self are the greatest compliments of all and can help boost your self-esteem entirely. 

 2. Join a psoriasis chat room or social media group. You won’t find better support than from those who understand exactly what you’re going through as well.

 3. If you’re unsure of your condition, see a dermatologist. They are trained to a much higher extent over your family physician in regards to skin conditions. They will more than likely be able to understand and help much more than a regular doctor.

 4. Know that it is okay to have bad days, but do not let them outweigh the good. You are deserving of bad days but do not deserve an unhappy life.

 5. Your opinion matters most. Nobody knows your body better than you do, so make sure you’re getting the final say in what products you put on it. There is no one treatment that works for everyone, we’re all different and we all have different sensitivities when it comes to our skin. Don’t use anything that you seem unsure of; your skin will thank you.

 6. Pick up a hobby that suits you. Spend more time doing something you love rather than waste that time dwelling on something beyond your control. Not everyone loves their psoriasis, but everyone should love themselves. Use your free time wisely and keep productive when you can.

 7. Reach out for help. Whether it be your friends, family or a professional, the minute you know you can’t deal with everything on your own and are becoming to grow overwhelmed, reach out. There is no shame in admitting you need help.

 8. Put yourself out there more. Don’t give people a chance to even think twice about the way you look; overpower them with confidence instead!

 9. Don’t let the negative outweigh the positive. When it comes to your psoriasis, you are definitely your own worst critic. For every negative thing you happen to think about, try thinking of three positive things that may lift your spirits!

 10. Love yourself. It may be harder than it seems at times but you are always deserving of self-love! Treat yourself, take care of yourself and love yourself. Once you are able to master this, psoriasis or not, the world is yours!

 

 Many people have seen their stress levels skyrocket in general since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. That added stress on top of every day life can become exhausting, and many have been struggling with fear and uncertainty about their own health, as well their loved ones. In such a difficult and uncertain time right now, remember you’re not alone. Fill your time with things that make you happy, as our activities, thoughts and mood are all closely linked and deserve to be well kept. Feelings of stress and anxiety are completely valid amid Covid-19, but know they won’t last forever.