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The impact of stigmatization and social interactions on patients with psoriasis
Psoriasis is associated with a significant psychological impact on patients, with frequent reports of stigmatization. Patients may fear social rejection because of the visibility of the disease. Therefore, a study was carried out to assess individual impact on patients with psoriasis regarding psoriasis-specific interactions and the long-term consequences of these interactions. Interviews were conducted in patients (N = 24) recruited from a tertiary psoriasis clinic in England, (mean duration, 53 minutes; range, 29–99 minutes) following a semi-structured topic guide based on the study aims and relevant literature. Four overarching themes were identified from the interviews; results were published in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology by Moschogianis et al.1
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Key learnings |
| The first theme identified was that patients can have varied experiences with psoriasis-related interactions. Patients report daily occurrence of negative social experiences such as staring and ‘double takes’. Some patients reported positive experiences with those they trusted to confide in. |
| Many patients feel their identity is seen as ‘psoriasis patient’, leading to the second theme on the threat to sense of self. Patients frequently engage in concealment, avoidance behaviors, and emotional suppression to protect their self-identity and manage anxiety, and often experience feelings of shame, embarrassment, and fear of rejection. |
| Preserving social connections is important to patients. Explaining their condition can be seen as a way to take control of interactions, but social rules often prevent them from doing so. Even in cases of public humiliation or ridicule, patients often rationalize others’ behavior as ignorance rather than malice. |
| Finally, many patients feel that their own mindset can disrupt interactions, where fear of negative reactions can lead to self-sabotaging behaviors like avoiding social events. The fluctuating nature of psoriasis prevents consistent adjustment, making it hard for patients to rebuild confidence even during remission. |
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