How Psoriasis Affects Confidence

Confidence. We all want it but sometimes we don’t know how to get it. Those with psoriasis, or any type of skin ailment, can suffer from feeling like they lack the know-how to be confident and express themselves as they are or want to be. They may feel their condition makes them inferior at work, socially or in other areas of their life. So, how exactly does psoriasis lead to confidence issues and what exactly can you do about it? Here’s my personal story.

Learning to adapt to psoriasis

I developed my first patch of psoriasis many years ago. It triggered years of misery and upset for me as the lesions grew bigger and new patches formed all over my body. I had to learn to adapt to this condition, with the understanding that it would be life-long and incurable.

Even though my condition is much better now following a biologic injection I started a few years ago, treatments have been on and off; some have worked, some haven’t, and some have left me worse than before because of awful rebound effects.

In the very beginning, my psoriasis was confined to my scalp. The plaques were initially small, but grew thicker, angrier and itchier. Clumps of hair fell out leaving me with bald patches. I suffered this on and off for most of my life until the last few years.

My confidence took a huge hit

Because of this, my confidence took a huge knock. I couldn’t have the hairstyle I wanted, I felt depressed, anxious and I worried constantly if plaques were visible and if flakes were falling out. It was difficult wearing light colours too as the plaque flakes would fall on to them making it look like I was suffering from dandruff.

Then, it went all over my body. My school exams, and then life at university, made it break out even more, and stressful life events caused the plaques to become even redder and angrier.

My confidence at this point was non-existent. I barely had any. I saw my medical team regularly to draw out a plan for how we were going to treat this condition. After trying several treatments, I am now on a biologic and lots has changed in my life. I feel happier, alive and I feel like I am flourishing.

Keep going

If you’re in this boat, if you’ve been through what I am describing or currently are, my advice would be, please, keep going. It took me so many years of hurt and pain, but I kept going in the hope that things one day would get better. Even if you feel like it’s never going to get better, you need to hold on to the idea that it will. It will get through each day and each time you’re finding things difficult.

Get involved with social media communities on psoriasis, talk to those suffering with the condition, keep your friends and family informed, and don’t be afraid to cry at times if you need to.

But, please, keep going. Make sure you go to each and every medical appointment and keep every doctor and dermatologist informed about what you’re going through. You will get through this.