Still too little awareness (My Experience of Psoriasis)

Member Name: gailsrogan

Product:	My Experience of Psoriasis
Date:	04/09/01 (216 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: People are becoming more aware

Disadvantages: suffer both physically and mentally

I consider myself lucky that I do not suffer from the skin disease psoriasis myself, but I know two people who do.

One has it on his scalp, joints and back and my friend has it over her entire body including her face.

Although I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to have the constant itch and to try all the various remedies (none of which seem to work long-term), I can see the effects this disease has had on their lives and on the people round them.

The first noticed his symptoms nearly 30 years ago. He is now 55. He noticed it on his scalp and he hid it under his hair for quite some time, simply due to a lack of awareness. Over the years his psoriasis has actually gotten worse and he has done the circuit of all the remedies. He finds most relief in using Johnson & Johnson baby products but is too embarassed to tell anyone. He no longer tries any remedies because he feels that short-term relief will cost him long-term. He doesn't think that people are more understanding now than 30 years ago.

Visiting people have on occasion refused to sit in a chair that he has sat in. Some have even refused to shake his hand. He has been rejected from a number of jobs that he has been overqualified for. His wife has to vacumn the house everyday just to keep up - something she finds hard now that she
has arthritis.

My other friend has suffered since she was a baby. She has to go to the hospital once a month for sunbed treatment. While the rest of us were talking about boys and dating and picturing our dream weddings, she was feeling down because she thought she would never get a boyfriend - she's 25 and has never been on a date despite being one of the nicest people I know. She prefers people to visit her in her house because she thinks that when she goes out, people are dying to get their vacumn cleaners out.

Although more and more people are becoming aware of this skin disease, I still don
9;t think that enough is being done to promote awareness.

I think that it's great to see opinions on this on the dooyoo site as it brings home to people an idea of what this disease entails.

Summary: