Psoriasis: Quality of life
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that causes red, scaly plaques anywhere on the body. It can decrease the quality of life, but there are effective treatments to control it.
Shine a Positive Light
For World Psoriasis Day 2023, we keep bringing up this disease and we #ShineAPositiveLight with the mini-series Nina, which highlights the importance of mental health burdens affecting people living with psoriasis.
The disease can be very debilitating, affecting the physical and emotional wellbeing of patients, and today we are shinning a positive light on this reality.
Quality of life and psoriasis
Psoriasis can affect all aspects of life: work, family, sexual relations, emotional well-being, etc. Studies have shown that reduced quality of life in psoriasis sufferers is similar or even greater than that of patients with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes or asthma. The impact can be physical, social or emotional.
It is important to note that in many studies, the correlation of impaired Quality of Life scores with current clinical severity is low, indicating the impact of psoriasis on the individual goes beyond the apparent severity of skin lesions. Impact of psoriasis on the physical sphere.
Psoriasis lesions can affect day-to-day activities. For instance, psoriasis on the hands or feet may cause you to have difficulty dressing, writing or walking. Psoriasis in the genitals can affect your sex life. In addition, itching can interfere with sleep, which may affect your work or school performance.
Difficulty in social relations and the workplace
If you have psoriasis, it is likely that you have at some point felt uncomfortable about the curious looks or untimely questions of other people. The visibility of psoriasis can cause social rejection and a sense of stigmatization that has an impact on the sufferer’s work life and social relationships.
The visibility of psoriasis can increase the stress from a job interview and affect the way we interact with coworkers or clients. Unemployment rates and sick leaves are higher in people with psoriasis.
Impact of psoriasis on self-esteem and mood
Psoriasis can cause insecurity and low self-esteem. You may feel more self-conscious and worry about other people's reactions and what they think of you. Studies show that these feelings are common in people with psoriasis.
The symptoms of psoriasis reduce well-being and cause concern for personal appearance, shame and guilt, poor self-esteem, social exclusion and work difficulties; all of which can cause anxiety and depression. It is believed that inflammation also plays a role in the development of depression.
What to do if I observe any symptoms?
As we have seen, psoriasis can manifest in far more places than just the skin. Day-to-day life with psoriasis can be challenging. You may have times when you are feeling healthy, strong and resilient, but you may also have times when you experience feelings like loneliness, embarrassment, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, anger or fear.
Working with your healthcare provider to find a treatment plan that helps to effectively manage your psoriatic disease can lessen your daily discomfort and create a sense of hope for the future. It is equally important to acknowledge how psoriatic disease impacts your life, ask for help from those around you, and create healthy habits to manage the challenges of living with a chronic disease.
References
- World Health Organization (WHO). Global report on psoriasis [Internet]. 2016. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/204417
- National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). Emotional impacts of psoriatic disease [Internet]. 2018. Available at: https://www.psoriasis.org/sites/default/files/emotional_impact_fact_sheet.pdf#utm_ source=EduPageCP
- European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV). Accepting Psoriasis [Internet]. 2019. Available at: https://www.eadv.org/cms-admin/showfile/9635-EADV PSORIASIS-6-Accepting psoriasis.pdf