Stress control for psoriasis

Psoriasis patients should practice breathing, learn to relax muscles, deal with negative thoughts, build relationships, and sleep well to control stress.

According to Dr. Pham Thi Uyen Nhi, Deputy Head of the General Planning Department, Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital, anxiety and stress affect psoriasis patients in four ways, including physical reactions such as rapid heartbeat, upset stomach, muscle tension, dry mouth...; moods and emotions such as anxiety, fear, panic; avoidance behavior; positive thinking, low self-esteem.

Anxiety, stress or depression negatively affect the quality of life of people with psoriasis, and can trigger or worsen the disease. To control the disease well, it is necessary to control the above negative psychological states.

Here are some methods to help people with psoriasis overcome negative emotions:

Breathing exercises

When you are anxious, your breathing changes, becoming rapid and irregular. Breathing exercises can help reduce your stress response.

The patient can practice breathing by placing one hand on the chest and one hand on the abdomen. When inhaling, the hand on the chest remains still, the other hand pulls the abdomen down to create space for the lungs to open more. Practice breathing regularly, inhaling for a count of 1 to 3, then exhaling for a count of 3. Do not try to hold your breath or breathe too deeply. Always breathe normally between deep breaths.

Learn to relax your muscles

One way to help reduce stress is to practice muscle relaxation. Muscle relaxation helps people reduce feelings of anxiety and fear. Muscle relaxation involves focusing on individual muscle groups, noticing how they feel when tense and relaxed, and then relaxing each muscle group.

Sometimes imagining situations that make you stressed or scared will help you cope better when you encounter them in real life.

By visualizing and practicing possible reactions, you will find that you can comfortably deal with situations that scare you.

Understanding and dealing with negative thoughts

Often, people who are depressed or anxious tend to think about things in a much more negative way than they actually are. These thoughts are not helpful and can lead to anxiety and worry, which can interfere with your life. Therefore, it is important to try to recognize these thoughts and deal with them.

Some techniques that may be helpful include thought stopping; thought distraction methods and recognizing and changing negative thoughts.

Building relationships

Relationships have a huge impact on the quality of life of people with psoriasis. Building good relationships also helps control depression, anxiety and stress. People with psoriasis can focus on building relationships with family, relatives, friends, colleagues and making new friends.

Join psoriasis support clubs

Clubs, non-governmental organizations, groups... will support, promote, educate and provide useful information for people with psoriasis.

Sleep well

To have a good sleep, patients should avoid stimulants that cause insomnia such as tea, coffee, carbonated drinks..., can take a relaxing bath before going to bed and not bring worries to bed. A deep, enough sleep will make the spirit energetic and comfortable the next morning.

Seek medical advice and support

If you still have concerns or worries about your illness, you can come and talk to your doctor to get advice. You can write down on paper what you need to ask before the appointment, and the doctor will answer your questions and give you advice to help ease your worries and concerns.

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