How To Control Your Psoriasis During The Holiday Season?

I have had psoriasis for over 60 years, so I have a little bit of practice with this. Over the years I have learned to manage it. My true hope is that 6 decades later you are getting the right diagnosis and the proper treatment.

The one thing I have learned is that PsO and mental health go hand in hand and trust me it is hard to separate them. I know that when I become stressed, I have flare-ups. It can become widespread, which makes me incredibly angry.

As we get closer to the Christmas holidays, we make all kinds of plans. If you have a big family as I do, there is so much to do, and you can become overwhelmed. This is my first year with my great-grandbaby. We have six grandkids and a father who is ninety. I am on edge about putting everything together, having fun, and being comfortable doing it. Let us all want to enjoy the memories with the ones we love, despite having psoriasis.

Tips for navigating the holidays

I have added a few tips to keep you on your toes. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!!! We get so busy that we forget this part at times. This causes our skin to get worse and we will start to feel bad. Make sure to always have something on hand in a convenient location. Especially if you are on vacation, or just entertaining at home. Psoriasis skin gets very dry, so put on something constantly.

Sometimes we have so much fun that we forget our medication. This is a no-no. Make sure to set alarms to remind you or make little notes. Put them in places that you go to too often, like the kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom. I know this is one we do not think about, but just in case there is an emergency, keep your doctor’s number nearby.

My biggest drawback is food - just want to eat everything. The food and drinks all looked delicious. But as you know all food is not good for us. If you know you cannot have something, do not eat it because it is the holiday. As we know the implications might not be good. I try and eat foods that I know will not cause me to flare up and ruin my holiday. Of course, we know it is hard but try and be disciplined.

Take a break if you need to

Take that break if you need to. There are some things that can help us to relieve stress. We do not want flare-ups. If you feel overwhelmed, take a walk, or find someone who makes you happy. There are times we are so overwhelmed with family drama that we forget to put aside time so that we do not have to get caught up with everything around us.

The one thing that I have come to realize over the years is that having psoriasis does not prevent me from having an exciting time during the holiday season. I have found ways to plan my event and be disciplined. If you follow some of my tips, you will see that you can enjoy yourself like the rest of your guests.

Remember, we are all in this together.