Dealing with the emotional pains that come along with psoriasis can be a challenging task. It can be difficult to keep a positive mind state when your skin is breaking out and you feel as if you have no control over your skin health. With that said, there are several things you can do to help better your situation and keep your emotions in check. 

So, to answer the question: How to emotionally deal with psoriasis? Although everyone is different and everyone has different ways of coping, things like creating a healing plan, finding a creative hobby, exercising, meditating, using essential oils and rethinking your lifestyle habits are all great ideas to quiet your mind from the stress that accompanies psoriasis.

GET ON THE RIGHT PATH

The number one thing that you can do to ease the emotional stress that comes along with psoriasis is to get on the right healing path. What do I mean by get on the right healing path? I mean put together plan for how you are going to heal your skin. 

In my experience, feeling powerless to your disease is the most frustrating part of dealing with psoriasis. I can remember sitting in my bedroom staring at the red spots all over my legs and wondering if I was going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life. I had no plan at the time and needless to say, I was terrified for what the future had in store for me. 

The first thing to understand about healing your skin is: Your dermatologist is not going to get you any closer to healing your condition. The treatments that they provide focus on symptoms rather than the root cause of the the disease. In order to clear your skin, you must learn to heal your disease from the inside out. 

There is a lot of information out there surrounding how to heal psoriasis naturally. I experimented with different diets and treatments for years before I finally found the answer I was looking for. Click here to receive a free guide based on what to eat and what not to eat to heal naturally. 

FIND A CREATIVE HOBBY

I always preach that the key to healing psoriasis and other autoimmune conditions is taking a holistic approach. Your disease is a product of a holistic imbalance. In order to heal your skin, you must learn to treat your body as a whole. What is good for your mind, body, and soul is good for your skin.

One thing that I believe many people are lacking in their quest for improved health is creativity. Being creative is one of the best ways to not only quiet your mind, but also provide you with a sense of accomplishment. 

What are some great creative hobbies to take up? Drawing, writing, painting, coloring, reading, woodwork, making music or singing, sewing, puzzles, graphic design or fashion design, cooking, photography etc… 

I’m a big believer in doing the things that you enjoy doing and are skilled at. Now, many people will say that they are simply not creative at all. I would tend to disagree with them. Everyone has some sort of talent or inclination to at least one creative hobby. Find what works for you. 

EXERCISING

As you may know, exercise is one of the best things you can do to relieve stress. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which initiate a feeling of positivity throughout the body. This endorphin release is one of the most powerful and satisfying natural highs you are going to encounter. 

I personally relate to this as I always feel at my best immediately after a workout. It really gives me a jolt of energy and mental clarity. The feeling of having accomplished something can also prove to have a significant effect on your psyche. 

What kind of exercise should you do? I always say that you should do whatever it is you enjoy most or whatever you feel you get the most out of. Exercise doesn’t need to be a hassle. Learn to enjoy the process and stay consistent in your exercise regimen. 

Another great thing about exercise  is that it can also play a big role in improving your skin. In order to heal, your body needs to rid itself of any harmful toxins through the process of detoxification. Nothing induces the detox process quite like exercise. Don’t make excuses. Prioritize and make time for what is important.

MEDITATING

Meditation is a very powerful practice that most people do not take advantage of. Learning to meditate can play a crucial role in keeping your head level and prevent it from drifting off into negative thoughts. This is key. It can be very easy to let your disease consume your mind and drag down your entire being. 

So, where does one even start? Although meditation is a complex idea and a skill that must be learned, it can actually be made very simple. One of the most basic forms of meditation is to find somewhere quiet and comfortable, close your eyes, and breathe deeply as you attempt to keep your mind as empty as possible. 

You will probably find that it is quite difficult to keep your mind blank for an extended period of time. This is where practice comes in. In time, this will get easier and the more skilled you become the more beneficial it will be.

I also like to pair this empty-mindedness with envisioning positive results. Once you have reached a state of deep relaxation, try to start picturing your goals in your head. Picture yourself having accomplished whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. If your goal is to clear your psoriasis, imagine yourself living psoriasis free and sporting the new lifestyle that helped you get there. 

ESSENTIAL OILS

I have used essential oils on and off for the last couple of years. I personally do not use them everyday, but you certainly can if you want to. Oils have become very popular over the last handful of years. They contain healing properties that are applicable to a wide range of different health categories.

Some of the best oils for stress and tension relief are lavender, chamomile, lemongrass, orange, and bergamot. There are so many different oils out there To choose from. Do some additional research and find some oils that suit you. 

There are a few different ways that you can use essential oils. My favorite ways are to inhale them and to apply them topically. 

To inhale, you simple drop a few drops into your palm, rub your hands together, cup your hands over your nose, and breathe in. Take long deep breathes in through your nose and exhale out of your mouth. 

To apply topically, you drop a few drops into your hand and rub the oil into any areas on your body that are feeling tension. Typically, I like to rub the oils into my shoulders, neck, and upper back as a sort of massage. This will have a tension relieving effect on the areas on which it was applied. 

RETHINK YOUR HABITS

This last tip goes hand in hand with the first one. While changing your diet is the main part of getting on the right path, it is also important to understand that you are going to need to make improvements to your lifestyle. 

Things like drinking alcohol excessively and smoking cigarettes are habits that do not fit into a healthy lifestyle. I’m not saying you have to completely stop drinking for the rest of your life. Just understand that an unhealthy relationship with alcohol can really have a negative effect on not only your skin healing progress but also your mental health. 

In my experience, I always feel a little more gloomy and less motivated than usual the day after binge drinking. Alcohol is known to be in connection with anxiety and depression. While you may feel unstoppable when you’re intoxicated, in the long run, it is only going to tear you down and make it more difficult to accomplish your goals. 

Try to find more productive ways to spend your free time. While a night out drinking can be a nice little treat from time to time, you don’t want to make it a consistent habit. Consider trading in drinking for one of the previously mentioned creative hobbies or exercise. 

FINAL NOTE

Just a few years ago, I was in the same situation that many of you are in. I could feel myself slowly but surely drifting off into a depressed state as my skin disease seemed to be consuming my whole life. I was desperate to find something that would work for me. 

Now, I am psoriasis free and back on track in terms of developing the future of my dreams and achieving my life goals. I reflect back on my struggles and am glad that I went through what I did. Ironically, I feel as if psoriasis saved my life in a way. Just as my life started on a downward spiral encouraged by my self destructive decision making, psoriasis was there to wake me up.

Healing is not an easy or a quick process. It is going to take several months or years to learn and implement your long term healing strategy. With that in mind, it is very possible. Stay calm. See the goal, understand how to reach it, and execute.