Healing Beyond Your Skin: Managing Mental Health While Living With Eczema
Managing your mental health while living with eczema isn’t just a challenge—it’s a deeply personal, emotional battle that can feel relentless and isolating. It can seep into your identity, shaping how you see yourself and how you feel others perceive you.
Our Skin Deep series with eczema advocates shine a light on these intimate struggles with honesty and hope. The stories remind us that eczema is not just a skin condition—it’s a constant negotiation between the self you want to be and the self that eczema forces you to become. But it’s vital to know that you are not alone in your journey. In their own way, each author aims to normalize the practical and emotional realities of eczema and how they’ve been able to reframe it as an opportunity to regain a much-needed sense of control and optimism.
One of the most important aspects of managing both mental health and eczema is learning to shift your mindset. Julia Chien’s article in the Skin Deep series describes the painful experiences of hating her own skin and feeling stuck by her condition. Over time, she learned to embrace her eczema journey by reframing her thoughts about herself: instead of viewing eczema as a burden, she began to see it as an opportunity to build resilience and self-love. Through this process of mindfulness and self-compassion, she was able to better manage her emotions, knowing that no matter when her eczema flared up, she had the peace of mind to navigate it.
Similarly, eczema advocate Briana Banos shared how reframing her eczema experience allowed her to regain control over her life. She focused on finding wins even in moments when her skin prevented her from engaging in her usual activities. For example, instead of feeling angry about missing a run due to a flare-up, she focused on taking care of her skin through soothing routines. By recognizing that her condition didn’t define her worth or capabilities, she was able to discover a greater sense of peace.
Alexis Smith’s story in Skin Deep highlights how eczema can deeply affect one’s self-esteem, particularly during their formative years. She recalls feeling unattractive and alienated because of her skin, letting negative self-perceptions control her life. However, once she embraced her eczema as part of who she is, she found peace. After learning that many people share similar experiences, she understood that her condition didn’t make her less worthy of love or acceptance. By fostering self-compassion and rejecting perfectionism, Alexis was able to regain confidence and see herself as beautiful, even during flare-ups.
The truth is, eczema will always ebb and flow, just like emotions do. But with the right mindset and support, it doesn’t have to control you. Instead, you can learn to navigate the rough patches with resilience, finding peace not in spite of your skin, but because of the strength it has forced you to cultivate.