Adult Dilemmas in Dealing with Eczema
Many people dismiss eczema as a minor inconvenience or irritation and do not fully comprehend the extent to which it can affect the normal functioning of a person’s life. Besides the physical appearance and discomfort of it, the dry, red, itchy and inflamed skin also exacts a terrible psychological toll on its sufferers’ lives.
In 2004 the National Eczema Society as well as a series of global patient support groups backed a study that was the biggest and most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted anywhere in the world. The study, which was called ISOLATE (which stood for International Study Of Life with ATopic Eczema) looked at the emotional and psychological cost of living with atopic eczema (the most widespread type of eczema). The individuals who participated in the study equaled two thousand and they hailed from eight different countries, which included France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the United States and the UK. They chose a good cross section of people, some who suffered from moderate eczema, and all the way up to those who suffered with the severest type of eczema.
The study showed that an astounding one quarter of the people interviewed had at one point or other been teased or bullied by others because of their skin condition. For a number of people whose eczema started in childhood and improved only slightly as they aged, the problems for them carried into their adulthood. Many people interviewed for the study felt that the skin condition was a “curse” that had charted the course of their lives and caused damage at every bend in the road.
For example many people described workplace related problems whereby they had to endure cruel comments being said sometimes to their face or other times whispered behind their backs, constant stares and a lack of knowledge about the disorder. Many co-workers of these individuals mistakenly believed that by touching a surface, such as a chair or desk, that the eczema patient had touched, they could “catch” the disease.
Besides the blatant discrimination at their place of work, one out of every seven patients interviewed firmly believed that their careers were thwarted by their skin condition. Many cited problems in regards to surviving job interviews as well as feeling that their choice of careers was limited, not because of lack of experience, education or knowledge but because of their skin conditions.
An eczema patient’s personal life can also be problematic. Many sufferers reported that dating and even the choice not to marry came about as a result of their skin disorder. Twenty percent of the people interviewed strongly believed that finding a mate was made worse because of their skin problem and forty-three percent admitted to feeling insecure and awkward in intimate situations with a partner, especially during times of the worst flare-ups. Many eczema patients suffer from a self of low self-esteem, suffer constant bouts of depression, as well as embarrassment and frustration at their life situation because of their skin condition. Many people who suffer from this skin condition feel the impact in many areas of their lives. While it may be a physical manifestation of a problem, it easily becomes a psychological quagmire. The ISOLATE survey found that seventy-five percent of the eczema patients interviewed admit that, “Being able to control their eczema effectively would be the single most important improvement to their quality of life.”
Popularity: 17% [?]
Related posts:
- Adult Dilemmas in Dealing with Eczema Many people dismiss eczema as a minor inconvenience or irritation and do not fully comprehend the extent to which it can affect the normal functioning...
- Scratch That Itch Dealing With Adult Eczema Nobody enjoy the feeling of dry, itchy skin. Often the drier it becomes, the itchier it gets and scratching is the only thing you want...
- What Is Psoriasis: A Lifelong Ailment With No Known Cure In Sight Most anyone who asks the question as to what is psoriasis will get an answer that it is skin inflammation that can become severe enough...
- Treatments For Baby And Adult Irritant Dermatitis Dermatitis is one of the most common skin problems that we may experience and what is so disturbing about it aside from the discomfort its...