Living with eczema can lead to mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression. Managing your eczema symptoms, working with a mental health professional, and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits can help.
Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a chronic (long-term) inflammatory skin condition that causes patches of dry, itchy, irritated skin. It can often affect visible areas of your body, such as your face. The condition may cause pain and can increase your risk of complications such as skin infections, sleep problems, and some eye conditions.
Eczema and mental health have a two-way relationship: Eczema can affect your mental health, and stress and other mental health issues can make your eczema symptoms worse.
Triggers are factors that cause eczema symptoms to appear or become worse. You may experience environmental triggers, such as a particular fabric texture, or physiological triggers, such as stress or hormonal changes.
Eczema is an inflammatory condition in which your skin does not hold moisture well and your immune system overreacts. It causes skin dryness and increases the chances that germs, allergens, and irritants will affect your skin. When these particles get through your skin barrier, they trigger an immune response in your body that activates inflammation.
A trigger can make eczema symptoms worse by adding to existing inflammation. For example, when you’re stressed, your body goes through a natural process called the stress reaction, which also
Experiencing stress for a long time can lead to ongoing inflammation throughout your body.
Eczema can negatively affect your mental health. The unpredictability and constant itching can be distracting and frustrating and may disrupt your sleep. Visible eczema patches on your skin may also make you feel self-conscious and can contribute to social isolation and low self-esteem.
In a 2023 survey of almost 1,000 people with eczema, 72.6% of the participants said they had experienced mental health symptoms for 1 to 10 days in the past month, and 17.7% had those symptoms for 11 days or more.
The stress of having eczema is one reason people with the condition may experience mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety.
According to a 2024 research review, pro-inflammatory cytokines (pro-inflammatory molecules from eczema) can break through the blood-brain barrier and disrupt neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) such as serotonin. These effects may increase your chances of developing mental health conditions such as depression.
The National Eczema Association reports that adults living with atopic dermatitis are up to three times more likely to have anxiety or depression, and that risk goes up as the condition gets worse.
A study from 2020 found that adults with atopic dermatitis were more likely to develop new symptoms of depression and anxiety. The severity of their atopic dermatitis symptoms was directly linked to the severity of their depression symptoms.
Children with atopic dermatitis also experience higher rates of depression and anxiety. According to the National Eczema Association, they are up to six times more likely to have depression, anxiety, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than children without atopic dermatitis.
Some
It’s not always easy to spot the early symptoms of anxiety or depression. Symptoms can develop slowly and are often mistaken for work stress or fatigue.
Symptoms of depression can include:
- persistent sadness or feeling “down”
- increased irritability
- loss of interest in hobbies or activities you enjoy
- social withdrawal
- difficulty concentrating
- changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping more or less than usual
- lack of motivation for daily activities
- self-criticism
- rumination on negative thoughts
- preoccupation with death, dying, or wanting to disappear
Symptoms of an anxiety disorder can include:
- persistent, uncontrollable worry
- overthinking in everyday situations
- a tendency to expect worst-case scenarios
- increased irritability
- a sense of doom
- racing thoughts
- hyperawareness
- trouble concentrating
- avoidance
- difficulty relaxing
- reassurance seeking
- muscle tension and headaches
- nausea accompanying worry
- sleep disturbances
Depression and anxiety are mental health conditions that you can treat and manage alongside your eczema symptoms. Here are a few methods that may help.
Speaking with a mental health professional
Even though depression and anxiety are different conditions with their own treatment options, mental health professionals often use psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, to help people manage both.
Therapists can help identify underlying causes, teach you ways to cope, and help you change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that may make your symptoms worse.
Journaling
Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and emotions can help you sort through them. It lets you safely express what you’re feeling instead of keeping it inside.
A 2022 review notes that journaling is a safe and helpful way to cope with many mental health conditions.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
Many lifestyle habits can affect your mental health. An unhealthy diet, a lack of exercise, and sleep problems are all factors that can increase your risk of experiencing mental health issues. Improving these habits can help support your mental health and overall well-being.
Managing eczema
Working closely with your dermatologist to manage eczema can reduce its impact on your emotions and your body. When eczema is well managed, it causes less stress, and having fewer symptoms means you’ll experience less inflammation and fewer effects on your body.
If you’re experiencing depression or anxiety due to eczema, your dermatologist can refer you to a mental health professional who specializes in managing chronic conditions.
You can also find a therapist through the following resources:
You can speak with a trained mental health representative about anxiety or depression at any time by calling the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that can affect your mental health. Not only can living with eczema increase your chances of experiencing depression or anxiety, but depression and anxiety can make your eczema symptoms worse.
Working with your dermatologist to manage eczema, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, and speaking with a therapist about your eczema symptoms can help.