STOCKHOLM, Oct. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — World Psoriasis Day is October 29. Every year, the global psoriatic disease community comes together to take action and raise awareness of psoriatic disease. This year’s theme is mental health.
1 in 10 people with psoriatic disease is diagnosed with clinical depression.[1] Up to 48% experience anxiety.[2] The psychological impact is increasingly recognized as an important part of living with this disease.
In fact, there are many logical reasons why psoriatic disease triggers depression and anxiety. People with this chronic and visible disease often struggle with stigma and shame. The symptoms can be considered unsightly, and many mistakenly assume that the disease is contagious. Pain and discomfort is another daily battle for people who suffer from itchy skin or swollen joints. The added healthcare costs, combined with decreased income due to disability and discrimination, further contribute to financial stress. Unpredictable outbreaks keep people on constant alert. For all these reasons and more, 81% say that psoriatic disease affects relationships, intimacy, and ultimately happiness.[3]
However, external factors are not the only cause of depression and anxiety in psoriatic disease. In fact, the same inflammation that causes psoriatic disease can also cause endogenous depression and anxiety. For this reason, people with psoriatic disease often say that they feel trapped in a vicious circle. Psoriatic disease causes depression and anxiety. Anxiety and depression, in turn, worsen psoriatic disease.
For World Psoriasis Day 2022, IFPA, the global organization fighting psoriatic disease, has come together to improve the mental health of all people living with this disease.
Frida Dunger Johnsson, executive director of IFPA, explained, “When dermatologists and rheumatologists realize that their patients’ suffering is deeper than physical symptoms, they must be empowered to help. In some cases, that may mean updating course of treatment. We know that proper treatment reduces inflammation and improves psychological as well as physical impact.”
Join IFPA to share messages about mental health and psoriatic disease. Visit psoriasisday.org to get involved.
[1] Dowlatshahi , EA , Wakkee , M , Arends , LR .
[2] Fleming, P. et al. The prevalence of anxiety in patients with psoriasis: a systematic review of observational studies and clinical trials. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology vol. 31 798–807 (2017).
[3] IFPA | Psoriasis and Beyond: The global psoriatic disease study. enlace.
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