Atopic Dermatitis And Stress: How Are They Related?

Although physical problems are not usually associated with emotional ones, such as stress in this case, the truth is that the relationship between the two is strong (in fact, all emotional problems have a physiological correlate). Today we are going to treat atopic dermatitis, also known as “atopic skin”, which many people suffer in silence, with shame, even causing problems for them to relate to others. How can this be possible?

Atopic dermatitis is a disease that affects the skin and causes intense and severe itching. The lesions that occur on the skin are often called “eczema”, and are like welts that peel off and cause severe itching. They can come out all over the body and also on the face.

It is important to mention that atopic dermatitis does not have a cure. Those who suffer from it can prevent it or alleviate the symptoms with specific treatments, but the risk of it appearing will always be there. In fact, there are some seasons, like fall or winter, that can aggravate outbreaks. Proper hydration and treatment can keep it at bay.

Atopic dermatitis and its impact on children

Atopic dermatitis can affect children at a very young age. They are unruly, restless, not able to sleep well at night and, if they are babies, they may cry a lot for no apparent reason. All these problems can occur, in school age, with lack of concentration due to lack of sleep.

However, we cannot ignore the emotional consequences that atopic dermatitis generates in young children. Due to the itching and unbearable discomfort, children can be irritable, annoyed and angry, generating very tense situations. The reason for all this is the stress that this skin condition causes.

But this does not stop here. Dermatitis can generate strong insecurity and dependency. To illustrate it in a better way, we bring a fragment of the testimony of a mother, Delphine, whose son Hugo began to suffer from atopic dermatitis since he was 4 months old:

As we can see, this skin problem can cause a strong feeling of insecurity that makes relationships with other children difficult. However, if the child is not helped to overcome this from the beginning and is provided with the necessary tools so that his self-esteem is not affected, the consequences may become chronic in adulthood.

The adult with dermatitis

An adult with atopic dermatitis suffers from it in a different way. The problem in adulthood compromises and tests emotional management. People are irritable and irascible. At the same time, they can have anxiety problems and even fall into depression. Let’s give some examples of real situations.

For an adult with atopic dermatitis, speaking in front of other people can be a real ordeal. Nerves can cause an unexpected breakout at the wrong time. The embarrassment that this entails can increase your anxiety, exacerbating your dermatitis problem. In this way a circle is created from which it is difficult to get out.

There are other situations where the adult may feel committed, such as going to the beach or even having intimate relationships with other people. The main problem, in this case, is the wounds that are sometimes left by outbreaks of dermatitis. If the person who suffers scratches, the problem increases and the marks can take a long time to disappear.

The insecurity of not knowing when the dermatitis will appear, if it will, in what way, if it will affect the face … All this triggers a stress that does not help. Well, if dermatitis can create stress, stress makes dermatitis worse. This situation can cause those who suffer from dermatitis to see their self-esteem reduced due to insecurity, fear and shame. In some cases, this can also lead to depression.

As we have been able to realize, especially with the testimonies, dermatitis and stress are circumstances that are usually associated and form a circle in which the person suffers, and a lot. They do not know when dermatitis will make an appearance again, in what unfortunate situation it will appear and when it will decide to leave.

On many occasions, these people’s frustration is compounded by being able to find an appropriate treatment. Well, every skin is different and not all of them react well to the same type of solution. However, despite being able to have everything at hand to prevent or control a dermatitis outbreak, the following question will always arise in mind: when will it be the next time?