“Do mental illnesses affect the skin?” It turns out there’s a surprising connection between the mind and the skin. Psychosomatic skin disorders (physical skin problems caused by mental issues) are real and require proper lifestyle and treatment. Once addressed, it can improve your quality of life.
What causes skin disorders?
Symptoms like stress, anxiety and depression not only affect our emotional health, but also physically show up on our skin.
stress
When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that tells your body to produce more sebum, which can clog pores and worsen acne breakouts.
High levels of these stress hormones also promote inflammation. Your immune system responds, causing more inflammation and worsening conditions like eczema and psoriasis. They also affect your body’s ability to regenerate. If you have scratches, cuts or acne scars, they may take longer to heal. This prolongs skin damage and makes symptoms more noticeable.
Did you know The skin’s natural healing ability slows down What about when your stress levels are high? Breakouts become more intense and take longer to heal.
Chronic stress can lead you to engage in negative skin behaviors, like neglecting to bathe, scratching your skin, and over-eating unhealthy foods — habits that make skin problems worse.
anxiety
Anxiety puts the body into fight-or-flight mode, which stimulates the release of chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol that affect the skin. If anxiety continues, skin problems can lead to more anxiety, which in turn worsens the skin condition, creating a vicious cycle.
Another chemical that is common during periods of anxiety is histamine. Anxiety causing rashItchy bumps appear on the skin.
Among anxiety sufferers, Scratching habit If the itching is uncontrolled, it can lead to neurodermatitis, a condition in which repeated scratching causes the skin to become thick, leathery, and unevenly colored in patches.
depression
In a recent study, The relationship between depression and skin Depression can contribute to conditions like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis because depression increases the release of inflammatory chemicals in the body. This chronic inflammation makes these skin conditions worse and makes them more itchy.
Maintaining regular self-care habits is often difficult for people with depression. Low motivation and energy levels can lead to neglecting general hygiene habits such as washing. Poor hygiene ultimately affects the skin, increasing the severity of existing symptoms or developing new ones.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Excoriation disorder, also known as dermatillomania, is a psychiatric disorder in which sufferers repeatedly pick at their own skin. This compulsive behavior is More common in women than men It affects approximately 5% of the world’s population.
Over time, skin picking can lead to open wounds and unsightly scars. It damages the skin and makes it more susceptible to infection. Constant skin picking can also interfere with the skin’s healing process, preventing existing wounds from healing properly.
Picking your skin around the lips can damage the delicate skin around your mouth. Repeated picking can introduce bacteria that can then spread to your teeth. Tends to have poor oral hygieneThis increases your risk of oral infections and gum disease.
Two ways to avoid this
Skin problems and stress can trap you in a never-ending loop: Stress makes your skin worse, and worse skin makes more stress, creating a vicious cycle where each condition worsens the other.
Continuing skin problems can lead to a chronic stress response state, which causes elevated cortisol levels and a continuous cycle of skin inflammation caused by intense inflammation.
Living with a visible skin condition such as acne or psoriasis can have a negative impact on your self-esteem and social life. It can make you self-conscious and lead you to unnecessarily hide or avoid social interactions altogether. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression caused by a sedentary lifestyle. The social stigma associated with certain conditions can also make you feel anxious when you have to go out in crowds, making it even more difficult to manage your skin problems and live a fulfilling life.
To break this loop, we need to address both aspects simultaneously, which has given rise to an entirely new field. Combining psychology and dermatologyKnown as psychodermatology, experts in this field aim to determine whether a patient’s skin condition is due to mental health issues. Psychodermatologists can help patients deal with these emotional effects and reduce the threat they pose.
Take control of your skin and mental health
The good news is that you can take action Improve both your mental health and your skin Health. This includes:
Manage stress: Find ways to keep your stress levels low. Try relaxing activities like yoga, meditation, or taking a long bath.
Prioritize sleep: When you’re well rested, your body produces more collagen, making your skin look plumper and younger-looking, so aim to get seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night.
Regular exercise: Physical activity naturally reduces stress and boosts your mood, while also increasing blood flow and providing essential nutrients to skin cells.
Eat a balanced diet: Maintaining a healthy diet and making balanced choices by eating foods high in antioxidants and other nutrients will help promote healthy skin. Blueberries, salmon, avocados, green tea, and even dark chocolate are some of the foods that can help. Mental health promoter Increases mental clarity.
Develop a skin care routine: When you are mentally confused, it is easy to neglect self-care. Regularly wash and moisturize To protect your skin, avoid using products that contain harmful chemicals. Products made for sensitive skin are suitable for damaged or healing skin.
Healthy Lifestyle: Avoid habits that are detrimental to your mental and skin health, such as excessive alcohol consumption and continuous smoking.
It’s important to know when to seek help. If you’re struggling with skin issues that you think may be related to your mental health, consult a mental health dermatologist. These health professionals offer comprehensive care for both mental and skin issues and give you the tools you need to keep your skin healthy. Expert guidance can help you live a better quality of life.
Breaking the cycle
Mental health and skin are closely related. Illnesses such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder can manifest as various skin disorders. The development of these disorders can cause stress, creating a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break.
Understanding and addressing the loop between mental health and skin conditions is the best way to achieve better overall health and quality of life.
Photo by Ilya Shishikhin on Unsplash
This is a collaborative post in support of our “Peace In Peace Out” initiative.
