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People with psoriasis need better care
More psychological support is need for peoplesuffering from psoriasis, a new report argues. Produced jointly by the Psoriasis Association and Mental Health Foundation, the study found that the psychological impact of the condition can be as debilitating as its physical complications.
The charities are taking part in a See Psoriasis: Look Deeper campaign and it is hoped that the scheme will lead to greater recognition of how psoriasis can affect a person's wellbeing and life quality.
It was noted that the broader impact of the illness sometimes goes unnoticed, with doctors required to treat people holistically as opposed to viewing it simply as a skin complaint.
Dr Christine Bundy, Chartered Psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Behavioural Medicine at the University of Manchester, who is also an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, said that psoriasis "can cause emotional distress and worry for sufferers which can trigger a psoriasis flare and impact on progression of psoriasis".
Patients can therefore feel in a cycle of despair as they try to come to terms with the illness, she added.