Eczema mental health tips
Eczema impacts our mental health. Mental health impacts our eczema. So when you are stuck on where to start or what to focus on, here’s some tips:
Communicate your needs
When living with eczema, there are certain things we must always consider, that other people might not think about, so tell them! Don’t be afraid to ask your friend to hoover before you visit, take your own bedding to your in-laws, ask your manager if you can wear baggy cotton clothes to the office when required, or keep ice packs in your parents’ freezer. (I do all these!) Most of the time, people won’t mind at all and will be happy to do anything possible to help. You are not a burden. If you put yourself in their shoes, you would want to know how to be more accommodating. (My best friend always buys tissues when I come to visit and moves flowers out of room, simple but very helpful!)
Prioritise your sleep
Sleep has a huge impact on our mental wellbeing and our resilience to deal with difficult situations. We know reducing caffeine, screen-time and alcohol are key, but from a skin-specific point of view I’d recommend a good fan, bamboo/hypoallergenic bedding, using ice packs or something cold, taking pain killers and anti-histamines before bed during a flare, and listening to a hypnosis or meditation audio when you go to bed, or wake up in the night, music is a powerful tool for changing our mood. Everything is harder to deal with when tired.
Mindfulness & self-care
I know, everyone has heard it before, but that’s because it’s important! Breathing and grounding techniques, affirmations and journaling can be very beneficial. ‘Mind dumping’ all your thoughts out on paper and writing about your emotions can boost the immune system, especially for inflammatory conditions like eczema. Sharing your story can help you become more self-aware, build a community, and becomes empowering.
Self-compassion
You are more than your skin. You’re doing the best you can. Every flare is temporary and will pass. Show yourself the kindness you would to a loved one. Write a list of things you like about yourself that are not related to your appearance, e.g. funny, caring, ambitious, a good cook or loving friend. Put it somewhere you’ll see it regularly. Another nice one is to write down a couple of things you are proud of yourself for every evening, e.g. got outside, called a friend, cleaned a room.
Live your life despite the flares
When flaring, it’s so easy to cancel plans, but instead of cancelling, think about how you can make them more accommodating for you. Instead of meeting your friend for dinner, can they come over and watch a film with you at home?