Psoriasis is a medical condition that is not contagious, it cannot be spread to others, and it causes itching, soreness, cracked and bleeding skin, and what appears to be skin rashes. Psoriasis can adversely affect quality of life for people who suffer from it, both physically due to the pain and itching, and emotionally and psychologically, because psoriasis can appear quite unattractive during a major flare up.
Living with psoriasis can be challenging, but quality of life does not have to be adversely affected if one knows how to treat psoriasis and pays attention to their mental health and personal needs when dealing with psoriasis. Many who suffer from psoriasis have described the condition as a prolonged, bad sunburn in the way it feels when flaring.
The National Psoriasis Foundation reports that millions of Americans suffer from psoriasis, resulting in nearly 56 million work hours lost each year due to problems arising from the condition. It is not a rare disorder, but it is one that is frequently misunderstood by those who don’t know anything about psoriasis.
First, it’s important for someone who suffers from psoriasis as well as their close friends and family members to know that stress, anxiety, loneliness and low self esteem can exacerbate the condition, as well as the fact that living with psoriasis can often lead to those very problems, because people are afraid to touch or be close to someone who suffers. The skin rash can be quite unattractive during its worst stages, but no matter how bad psoriasis is, it simply cannot be ‘caught’ by touching someone with it.
If you know someone who has psoriasis, please keep in mind that it is not contagious, and also know that many in society may shun or move away from being close to someone who suffers. Your understanding of psoriasis, not being afraid to touch or be close to someone who suffers, can actually help the psoriasis sufferer by not only not being afraid to be near them, but also help them with some of the stress and anxiety that is caused by those around them not understanding the condition. When the psoriasis sufferer reduces stress and anxiety, the symptoms of psoriasis might also improve.
The National Psoriasis Foundation revealed the statistics of one research study that indicated that thoughts of suicide might be as much as three times higher for psoriasis sufferers than it is for the general population. This is, in part, due to the importance society puts on looks – people with psoriasis may look as though they have a sunburn, severe skin rashes, lesions, and the like, which also makes them self conscious and thus, lack confidence, especially in social situations.
If you want to help a family member or close friend who suffers from psoriasis, you should educate yourself about what psoriasis is. Don’t be afraid to talk about psoriasis with your friend or family member, but don’t make it the primary focus of your conversations. It is likely the foremost thought on their mind all the time, and sometimes it is nice to be able to talk openly about it with someone who understands as much as they can, but other times, a psoriatic person probably wishes to be just like anyone else without psoriasis.
Don’t be afraid to touch your friend or family member who suffers from psoriasis. They can’t give it to you, you can’t ‘catch it’ and it will likely not hurt them to touch them unless they have a visible open sore from the condition. Hugs and pats on the shoulder are not going to hurt either person, and can mean a lot to someone who is probably used to being shunned, having people move away from them when they are close in a social situation, or who stare or are flat out rude about seeing the rashes or skin flare ups psoriasis can cause.
Ask your friend or family member to go out with you, in public – do things together so the person who suffers from psoriasis can have a social life. Be an advocate for that person. If someone says something about their condition and the psoriatic seems embarrassed or uncomfortable about the comment, speak up and provide the commenter with information. Try to be kind and not add to the embarrassment, but a simple statement such as, “It’s okay, psoriasis is not contagious” might help both parties relieve an uncomfortable social situation.
Isolation and loneliness are common with psoriasis sufferers, and as long as you remember that someone who suffers from psoriasis is a human being, just like you, and they are not just the sum of their medical condition, you can help that person be more comfortable and confident with themselves. There’s no greater gift a friend or family member can give to another, whether someone suffers from psoriasis or not, but it is especially useful and helpful to someone who does.