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Psoriasis and Social Pressures

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

As anyone who has psoriasis knows, unsightly flare-ups tend to appear at the worst times. On a first date, for example, it can be awkward to explain away a patch of scaly skin that developed recently.  Psoriasis and social pressures are issues that come up for a lot of people, and the social stigma of having a skin disorder can at times be even worse to contend with than the actual physical symptoms themselves (though they are certainly no picnic). This can lead to a loss of confidence and feelings of inadequacy, as rash-looking skin can be difficult to cover up with makeup alone.

For those who are dealing with psoriasis and social pressures that stem from trying to hide outbreaks of this disease (which can, incidentally, mimic other skin disorders or severe acne when it’s on the face), there are fortunately some ways to avoid triggers. If you have noticed that psoriasis flares up after eating certain foods, for example, then avoid them. Alcohol and cigarettes can be two big triggers for many people, as is overexposure to the sun. Wearing sun screen and following a healthy lifestyle is a good way to look your best anyhow, beyond simply combating psoriasis.

While most people won’t develop psoriasis until they are in their late teens or early 20’s, psoriasis and social pressures can be a very real problem for some schoolchildren who may be subject to teasing or bullying by their peers during those awkward adolescent years. If your children are suffering from outbreaks be sure to pay close attention to what they are eating as well as applying topical creams to minimize discomfort. This is not a fun disease for anyone to have, but for children or adolescents the social stigma can be worse than the symptoms themselves.

It’s important for people of any age who are going through this to realize that they are not alone. This is a very common autoimmune illness. Most people at least have a friend or relative who suffers from psoriasis. This means that psoriasis and social pressures are all relative. Even if you feel like your disorder is obvious to everyone, chances are it’s not as bad as you think. For serious cases of isolation or anxiety related to this issue, it can be helpful to join a support group or seek out the company of others who are going through the same problems to see how they have coped.

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Finding the Right Dermatologist

Friday, October 30th, 2009

The dermatologists you talk to about your psoriasis will have a huge impact on your ability to fight off this condition.  They do much more than tell you what medicines to take – maybe even more importantly, they act as a guide for what is the best mindset you keep to battle off this condition.

After every visit to the dermatologist I find myself at least a little changed psychologically – I feel either more inspired or more discouraged then before.  This is also the case for physicians in general, that they will inspire their patients to think like people who will win or as people who should run for their lives.

Since psoriasis can be such a mentally draining disease, is is especially important that people with psoriasis see empathetic doctors.  Shame from every day life can be discouraging, but this is nothing compared to the effect of a critical or impatient dermatologist.  It is important that the doctors inspire patients to believe that they can recover – this has been proven time again to greatly help the recovery process.

You should stick with a dermatologist who:

  • Listens effectively.
  • Will take time to offer feedback and/or useful education.
  • Speaks plainly with words you can understand (not overly technical medical jargon).
  • Believes you can recover.
  • Shares your convictions about the right general method to go about finding a cure for your psoriasis.

If you are genuinely convinced that your dermatologist is the right person for the job, then you will be more open with them and will also most likely follow their medical directions (including how to go about administering any prescribed medications).   An open exchange will open up more opportunities to learn from the doctor as you pick his or her brain over time.  This, in turn, will help you to better recognize an effective psoriasis treatment when you see it.

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Seeking a Cure for Psoriasis — Is it Worth the Trouble?

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Psoriasis can have a lot of detrimental effects on a person’s life.  It is physically uncomfortable — from having an itchy scalp to all around inflamed and irritated skin to swollen, arthritic joints.   It can also be psychologically uncomfortable well since people who do not understand the disease will sometimes either stare or ask inconsiderate questions.

Thus, for the sake of improving a person’s quality of life, it would be worth it to change one’s daily routine, including diet and other activities, to prevent further psoriasis outbreaks.  But how much time and effort would be worth it?  It seems counterproductive that a psoriasis treatment would consume a one’s time and energy more than the disease itself.

In any case, it is up to each person to decide what their priorities are an then decide what level of dedication they are willing to invest to treat/cure this condition.

Natural remedies stress an overall lifestyle change to cure psoriasis long term.  This change tends to be most challenging at first, but less so as time goes on and the individual in question gets accustomed to the different diet and routine.

Also, researchers are constantly working to advance the drugs that are now being used to treat psoriasis.  Johnson and Johnson, for example, recently released a new treatment called Stelara that is supposed to show dramatic improvements for people with moderate to severe psoriasis.  Stelara is extremely expensive, but it also powerful and convenient — only five injections per year to cut the legs out from underneath this bothersome disease.

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What Is the Placebo Effect?

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Having a positive attitude can be as vital for healing as any drug.  Your brain can directly affect how fast you recover from an ailment and how healthy you stay afterward.

Hence the Placebo Effect.

If a patient is convinced beyond all doubt a gelcap filled with sugar will cure them, then it very well may.  Of course, most of the time this patient has to be convinced that this gelcap contains a powerful / miracle drug.

In light of the Placebo Effect, you should try to observe the effect of the different treatments or lifestyle changes as objectively as possible.  Ideally, you should keep a positive attitude all the time.  But, since this is most likely not realistic (not for me at least), you might try rotating psoriasis treatments and see what effect they have over the long run.

It is because of the Placebo Effect that drugs or herbal remedies should be tested with double-blind studies.  These are studies in which large numbers of people (with psoriasis for example) take either a placebo or a test-medication at random.  The patients must not know which they are taking to maintain the study’s integrity.  But the doctors keep track of this and report success if significantly more of the people who took the medication improved beyond those who took the placebo.

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