Stress and your skin

By Colby Crile, PA-C

Stress and your skin

April is National Anxiety Awareness Month! What an important topic that does not get talked about enough! Unfortunately mental illness has a stigma associated with it even though it affects so many. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, 1 in 5 US adults experience mental illness each year. Mental illness includes but is not limited to anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, etc. Anxiety affects so many individuals on some level or another and can look different for each person. Anxiety can feel like nerves, unable to relax, constant worry, etc. It can manifest itself physically by being unable to sit still, teeth grinding, nausea, headaches, changes in bowel habits, and even panic attacks. Most anxiety can stem from finances, work, relationships, etc. but it can also be from fears and phobias. Now as you can imagine, stress can largely play a role in making anxiety worse. According to the American Institute of Stress “Americans are one of the most stressed out in the world. The current stress level experienced by Americans is 20 percentage points higher than the global average”.

Now relating this back to the dermatology world. Unlike other conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol which are internal; dermatological conditions manifest themselves externally making them visible to others. This can significantly impact a persons self esteem and cause stress, anxiety, depression etc. I have seen mental illness and stress make certain diseases/disorders significantly worse. I have personally suffered from cystic acne most of my life. Having cystic acne has impacted my self esteem and confidence. There has been times when I wouldn’t leave the house without make up or wanted to attend certain social events because of it. When you have a condition that other people can see, that’s all you can think about In social situations. Are they looking at my acne or staring at my pimple? Did they not shake my hand or give me a hug because they think my rash is contagious? This is just a few examples of internal dialogue that could be happening for someone struggling with a skin condition that is causing anxiety and stress. I have seen eczema, psoriasis, acne, hidradenitis suppurativa and more significantly impact a patient’s mental health. I think it is extremely important to consider and address when treating patients.

Managing the anxiety/stress is the hard part. Common unhealthy coping skills include binge eating, sedentary lifestyle, excessive caffeine consumption, drinking alcohol. All of these can actually make your anxiety worse and increase your stress level. Healthy coping mechanisms include exercising, meditation, spending time with family or friends, taking time for yourself, decrease caffeine consumption and increase water. Therapy and speaking with health care providers about treatment options including medication is another great option. Speaking to a therapist can allow you to gain tools to better manage your symptoms when triggered.

Resources

https://www.stress.org/stress-research

https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions