"I'm fed up": Illness, stress and depression
"I find myself slipping back into depression when the weather starts to get nice. The sun is out and, wouldn't you know it, my psoriasis gets worse. I think this depresses me because it makes me have to deal with the public's reaction to my skin. It seems so much easier when warm clothes are necessary and I don't have to deal with it."
–20-year-old woman
It is okay to be angry, sad and frustrated, and it is okay to show that pain to others. Psoriasis is an unfortunate reality, but you do not have to let it take control of your emotions. Hidden anger can sometimes become serious depression.
Dealing with the symptoms of and treatments for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis can put your mind and body under stress. Studies have shown that stress can aggravate psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. So while you're feeling the stress of your disease, your disease may be getting worse as a result. And when your disease gets worse, your emotional health can also take a turn for the worse, resulting in depression, which can bring stress to your system and start the whole cycle over again.
If you feel like you are headed down this road, there are a few things you can do to avoid the destructive cycle of illness, stress and depression.
- Acknowledge your feelings;
- Find someone to talk to—a friend, family member or counselor;
- Don't give up on finding a treatment that works. Once you start clearing, the depression may lift and you can break the illness, stress, depression cycle;
- Educate yourself about your disease. Knowledge is power;
- Ask for help. Don't hesitate to talk to a professional.
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