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People with eczema and other chronic skin conditions:

• Have a greater risk of developing psychological problems (e.g. anxiety, depression, and certain types of OCD)

• May have increased suicidal thoughts compared to the general population

• Likely face social stigma and higher rates of bullying and unemployment, causing stress that can impair their physical condition

• Could experience social withdrawal, likely due to frustration, lack of confidence, and/or restriction from normal daily activities

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Eczema can cause the feeling that we are lacking control, leading to emotions like stress, shame, anger, and sadness. The process of figuring out what treatments work for our individual cases or what causes our flareups can be very frustrating. The fear of judgement by others who don’t understand eczema is gut-wrenching. Flareups can be traumatic; the burning makes us feel like we are on fire, and the feeling of bugs crawling all over us keeps us awake at late hours of the night. We feel vulnerable, tired, helpless, and trapped in a body that is constantly destroying itself.

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However, seeing the positive is also important. Eczema can remind us to practice self-care in a mental sense as well as a physical sense. It can remind us that our ability to manage flareups and remain resilient is proof that we are strong-willed individuals.​

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There is a lot involved when it comes to mental health care, and the types of mental health care that work could be different for you versus someone else. One popular mental health wellness recommendation is practicing mindfulness to reduce stress (learn more about mindfulness and a few of its techniques/exercises on here). There are some helpful apps you can get on a mobile device that make practicing mindfulness easy and fun, such as Headspace (Click here). My personal tip when it comes to mindfulness is to focus on its aspect of forgetting the past and future to focus on the present. Although it is important to take precautions in order to prevent flareups, fearing that flareups will come back or dwelling on past flareups will not lead to any progress. Focusing on treating what is happening NOW is most important, because no matter what you do, the past is the past, and anything can happen in the future.

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Another recommendation is finding a support group. There are many support groups online for people with eczema, many of which you can find on social media platforms like Facebook and Reddit. There are also some support groups apps like PatientsLikeMe (Click here).

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​​Although it is much easier said than done, getting enough sleep and exercise is also a very important part of mental health care. If you are struggling in doing this, talk to a healthcare professional about what might assist you. You might also want to talk with them about other ways to take care of your mental health, such as going to a therapist. Know that it is completely normal and okay to ask for and accept help. While engaging in mental health wellness won’t cure your eczema, it will still serve as a key part in healing it.

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​***Note: If you are having suicidal thoughts, are concerned for a friend or loved one who might be having them, or would like emotional support, please call or text the 24/7 National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. This hotline is also available by live chat at Click here. If you are in a crisis, you can also connect with a crisis counselor through the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.*** 

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