How Journaling My Psoriasis Journey Helps My Inner Peace

Let's face it, living with psoriasis no joke. It really can do a number on how you feel inside. There have been days that were extremely hard for me. I've felt lonely, embarrassed, sad and even angry for even having to deal with psoriasis. In those moments, I turned to the only thing that would help me release all of those feelings. I turned to my words.

Journaling my journey

At the height of my worst flares, I started with writing down every symptom, and every place I noticed areas on my body where I formed new plaques. I also wrote down my own personal regimens I was trying, it was my way to keep track. I really wanted to know what was working or what wasn't. Doing this was helpful to keep a record, but it also kind of made sad in moments reading the progression of my condition.

Stress and anxiety are triggers for me, and although it was good for me to document what I was experiencing as a record to share with my doctors I was also very worried going back to read the worsening of my flares. I decided to then not focus solely on my symptoms. I began to let loose on paper how I was feeling inside about what was happening to my body.

Releasing on paper my fears, anger, and sometimes sadness helped me in so many ways. I had my own outlet, and I didn't let those feelings consume me. It really served two purposes; a release and attempt to manage my anxieties to help calm my psoriasis symptoms. Each night I would write down my feelings before bed, sometimes I would write at any given moment during the day. Journaling distracted me when I would constantly itch and burn. Writing gave me space. I unloaded about my hair loss, frustrations with my doctors, just everything.

Healing within using my words

Sometime last year, I was invited to my first virtual psoriasis summit. In one session we wrote a positive letter to our skin. I didn't realize how powerful this one exercise was. Going back to re-read the letter versus re-reading my earlier journal of symptoms truly helped me towards healing internally. No one ever really talks about the mental and emotional toll of psoriasis. Even though I have supports, my safe space of journaling connected me with myself on a deeper level. Now not only do I write just regular entries, but I write affirmations and positive words to encourage myself.

Everyone's journey is unique. Journaling is a tool that you can add to your toolkit to help process your feelings about whatever you are going through. You don't have to write a novel either, sometimes it may just be a word. The important thing is that there is a release. If you're like me, and stress or anxiety worsen your symptoms then journaling may be something to try. It can help bring calm, and hopefully re-center.

Have you tried journaling your journey? Are you open to it? In what ways even if not through journaling have you tried to manage your emotions to prevent your flares from going into overdrive? I'd love to hear!