Psoriasis Stress and Flares

Living with psoriasis may feel like being on a constant roller coaster mountain, especially when it comes to stress. Did you know that stress can be the main flare for our psoriasis? If you have psoriasis, you probably know exactly what I mean. This is a vicious cycle. I know for me, stress causes an outbreak, and then the outbreak causes more stress, it just goes on and on.

When I was first diagnosed with psoriasis at the age of 5 in 1963. I honestly didn’t understand what stress was until later in life. I was in high school. The studies, part-time work, and the effort to maintain public life were already too much for me to handle.

Was stress causing my flares?

The itchy patches that seemed to appear whenever I had a big test or project, were huge. At that time, I did not know how much stress affected my skin. I just thought I wasn't lucky as a teenager. Only when I saw a dermatologist who explained the link between stress and psoriasis, did these things make a little bit of sense to me.

He told me that stress can cause the immune system to react excessively, causing inflammation because of the fear of psoriasis plaques. Understanding this for me was a game-changer. This meant that my stress management was crucial in controlling my psoriasis.

The first step was to identify my stress. For me, it was mainly school-related stuff and social anxiety. I had to find ways to better manage this. I remember one particularly bad outbreak in the final test at school. My skin was itchy and painful for several days.

It was a wake-up call that I had to find better ways to deal with stress. One of the most effective things I did was to do something calming for at least 20 minutes a day. Such as reading, walking or simply sitting calmly with my thoughts.

Learning to manage my stress

This gave me a break and allowed my body and mind to rest. Even just doing some deep breathing or some mild stretching can reduce stress. I also talked to my friends and family about what I was going through. Their support helped and made me feel less alone.

Sleep also played a role in managing my stress and psoriasis flare. I noticed that when I was eating junk food or did not get enough sleep, my flares were worse. I began to focus on eating better and rest.

It is amazing how much better you can handle stress when you are well-rested and fed. Living with psoriasis is certainly challenging, but my understanding and management of stress have made a world of difference. This is all about finding what suits you. I have had a life of attention, treatments, talking about my feelings, and concerns about my body.

Remember that this is not just a disease, it is a concern for all of us. If you are dealing with stress and psoriasis, know that you are not alone and that there are ways to manage both. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Your health and well-being are well worth it.

We are all in this together.