eczema

Most common inflammatory skin condition. Symptoms include generalized skin dryness, itch and rash.

What Is The Psychological Impact of Eczema?

Comorbid mental health: anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, ADHD.
AD leads to feelings of rejection, stigmatization, and social isolation, and causes sleep disturbances.
Associated with high levels of alexithymia (difficulty expressing emotions) and depression, with a prevalence of 56.3% and 56.9% respectively in patients with atopic dermatitis.
The association between atopic dermatitis and psychological stress is complex, involving immune pathways and the release of cortisol and other stress hormones.

Psychodermatological Approaches to Treatment of Eczema

Psychological interventions, such as autogenic training and cognitive-behavioral treatment, have been found to significantly improve skin condition and reduce the use of topical steroids.
Stress management is also crucial, with a combination of psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and liaison clinics of psychiatry and dermatology recommended.

Meditation from the National Eczema Association

More Than "Just an Itch" Campaign from National Eczema Society

Educational Video from National Eczema Society

References

Gochnauer, H., Valdes-Rodriguez, R., Cardwell, L., & Anolik, R. B. (2017). The Psychosocial Impact of Atopic Dermatitis. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1027, 57–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64804-0_6

Talamonti, M., Galluzzo, M., Silvaggio, D., Lombardo, P., Tartaglia, C., & Bianchi, L. (2021). Quality of Life and Psychological Impact in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis. Journal of clinical medicine, 10(6), 1298. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10061298

Meštrović-Štefekov, J., Novak-Bilić, G., Kuna, M., Pap, N., & Lugović-Mihić, L. (2018). Psychological Stress in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis. Acta dermatovenerologica Croatica : ADC, 26(4), 297–303.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30665478/

Ehlers, A., Stangier, U., & Gieler, U. (1995). Treatment of atopic dermatitis: a comparison of psychological and dermatological approaches to relapse prevention. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 63(4), 624–635. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.63.4.624

Jafferany, M., Ferreira, B. R., Abdelmaksoud, A., & Mkhoyan, R. (2020). Management of psychocutaneous disorders: A practical approach for dermatologists. Dermatologic Therapy, 33(6), e13969. https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.13969

A Guide To Psychodermatology for Patients & Clinicians