"I decided to live with it": Choosing not to treat
"Just going to the doctor and doing the treatments made me extremely frustrated, mad and depressed. It made me feel like a victim. Finally, after accepting the fact that my skin was not normal, that I didn't do anything bad to get this, that I wasn't contagious, and I wasn't a stressed out, nervous 'wacko,' I decided to just live with it and give myself a break. You know what? By stopping the constant treatment of my psoriasis, I improved. I didn't think about it all the time, and both my psoriasis and my head got better."
–30-year-old woman
Treating psoriasis is usually a positive thing to do, but it can create frustration and stress. Treatments require a commitment of time and money, and potentially, a certain amount of discomfort. It may take you several tries to find a treatment that works for you. Persistence and patience are important. Psoriasis is different for each person and every person responds differently to treatment. Commit yourself to a treatment and give it a chance to work. It is important to not get angry or frustrated.
To make your treatment the best it can be, you also should work toward a positive relationship with your doctor and other health-care providers. Make your support people aware of the physical, social and emotional problems of living with psoriasis and ask for their assistance.
If you don't find the kind of medical support you require, shop around. It is important to find a doctor who is willing to acknowledge the difficulty of living with psoriasis and the difficulty of treating it. The Psoriasis Foundation's Physician Directory offers a comprehensive list of dermatologists and rheumatologists who have indicated that they provide services and are interested in treating people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Access the Physician Directory online, or call a Patient Education Support Specialist at 800.723.9166 or e-mail the Foundation at getinfo@psoriasis.org
Some people choose not to treat their psoriasis, finding it easier to accept the appearance of psoriasis than to commit to treatment regimens. Whether you treat your psoriasis or not is your choice. However, it will be important to accept that there may be consequences. Family and friends may not understand your motivation for stopping treatment. They may view your decision as giving up or that you don't care, when this may not be the case at all. Sometimes not treating gives you a break from focusing on your disease. Whatever the case, use your judgment about what is right for you.
Most people who say they are not treating their psoriasis do maintain a daily routine to keep themselves comfortable. This could mean applying moisturizers daily, getting plenty of rest and keeping your stress level down. It could also mean taking precautions that you know help avoid flares, such as taking lukewarm (instead of hot) showers, applying your lotion as soon as you step out of the shower or making use of natural sunlight when it is available.
The most important thing is for people with psoriasis to do what they feel comfortable with. With that said, keeping an open mind helps. New treatments may become available that can influence one's decision to treat psoriasis more aggressively. The best advice is to stay informed, know what treatments are available and do not close the door on the possibilities of the future.
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