Something that will get in the way of you living free from eczema is allowing distractions to knock you off track. By distractions I mean day to day issues which may cause stress, things like money worries, work problems, and relationship issues, stuff that makes getting through the day exhausting. Life is hard enough with all that kind of stuff going on without the added daily turmoil of suffering from eczema.
So this part of the course is about identifying the issues and stresses that you may have going on in your life that are getting in the way of managing your eczema, once identified then it’s about working through what’s in your control and letting go of what you can’t control, or looking for solutions to better manage those types of situations so you can get on with sorting out your skin.
The common denominator of a range of our distractions is the effect they have on us, namely stress, this in itself is a cause of how eczema manifests itself on the skin. So, what impact does stress have on our skin and body in general?
HOW STRESS AFFECTS ECZEMA
One of the major issues with eczema is that the immune system isn’t quite functioning correctly, which leads to chronic inflammation in the skin. Stress seems to worsen this problem with the immune system creating an inflammatory reaction. People with eczema have an increased response to stress, including a higher amount of cortisol released in the body.
Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” and is best known for its involvement in the “fight-or-flight” response of the body, (fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to the body). So basically, when the body thinks it’s under attack the immune system sends out its army to deal with the attack. One of the things that the immune system has in its arsenal are mast cells that release histamine, which is a compound that causes itching, and we all know quite well what that intense and rolling itch can lead to (refer to the Diet information sheet for a range of antihistamine foods).
Another aspect of stress is that it negatively affects the skin barrier function, which can lead to moisture loss and higher opportunity for infection. Eczema sufferers already have a compromised skin barrier due to the reduced amount of a protein called filaggrin, which plays an important role in the structure and formation of the skin layers. Stress can further reduce the skin’s ability to keep germs out and keep water in.
In a nutshell, we really don’t need stress in our lives, or at least we need to manage stress the best we can because the effect of it is worse for us.
MANAGING STRESS
When it comes to managing stress my main go-to place is to focus on the things that are in my control, and to let go of the things that are not. The types of things that are in my control are how I react to a person’s negative comments or behaviour, how I decide to treat other people, who I decide to let into my life, who I choose to trust or keep at arm’s length, how much time I choose to spend with the people who want the best for me, or how much of what people say I choose to believe.
Even though there are numerous issues and circumstances that cause stress, let’s focus on the main thing that you and I will have in common, people relations, these can either be uplifting or incredibly stressful. We are social beings and we interact with people daily, so if people can be a big source of stress then we need to take control and limit the amount of stress that may come with our social interactions, whether this be at work, at home, or elsewhere, because the condition of our skin and mind needs to a priority in all we do.
Sometimes we need to re-evaluate the relationships in our lives to see who is worth having a relationship with from who is not, if a relationship is taxing and stressful then it’s time to let go as hard it may be. The following plan can help you to reduce the stress of relationships when you need to:
- Make a list of friendships in your life. Include everyone you think of when you think of your ‘friends’, including those you only see on social media, those you see regularly, and everyone in between. Also, include a partner if you have one.
- Circle the names of people who you know are positive: those who support you when you’re down and genuinely share your joy when good things happen to you. As for the others, evaluate the relationship honestly to see if it’s a benefit or a detriment to you.
Now ask yourself the following questions:
- Is this relationship worth the amount of work required to maintain it?
- Is this a person I would choose to have in my life if we just met today? Or have I been holding onto this relationship out of habit?
- Does this person make me feel good about myself? Am I uncomfortable around them?
- Is this friend competitive with me in a negative way?
- Do I like who I am when I’m with them? Or do we seem to bring out the worst in each other?
- How deeply can I trust this person? Could I count on them if I needed to? Could I share my feelings freely?
- Do we have common interests and values? If not, do I benefit from the differences?
- Am I receiving as much as I give?
- If I gave this relationship the effort it deserves, would it benefit me and enrich my life?
After answering these questions, you should have a better idea of whether a relationship with a particular person is positive or negative for you. Circle the person’s name if you believe that the relationship is positive and supportive, or if it could be, given an appropriate amount of time and energy. Otherwise, cross off the name and cut them off, or keep them at arm’s length, your skin and mind will love you for it.