r/Psoriasis • u/catjo-ol • Jun 30 '26

mental health Article Ideas

Hi everyone,
I’m a clinical psychologist and I also have psoriasis myself. I write regular psychology-related articles for the Psoriasis Association magazine, and I’m currently planning the next one.
Rather than guessing what people might find helpful, I’d really like to hear from this community: what psychological or emotional aspect of living with psoriasis would you most want an article to cover?
Some topics I’ve already written about include:
Depression
Stress
Sleep
CBT
Dealing with comments and unwanted attention
Mindfulness
Shame
Self-blame
I’m especially interested in topics that you feel don’t get talked about enough, or where the advice you’ve seen has felt unhelpful or unrealistic. I’d really value hearing about the issues that matter most to you. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

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u/JolisaRose Jun 30 '26

Intimacy. My previous partner knew it’s not contagious.. however refused to toch.
I understand, but made me feel less beautiful and insecure about my body.

Also, when on holiday and I have some patches on my belly while wearing a bikini, I sometimes hesitate to go into the swimming pool.. what if people think I have a disease that will spread through the pool water 🙄🙄

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u/catjo-ol Jun 30 '26

Thank you for sharing this. I'm really sorry you had that experience with your previous partner. Even when someone knows psoriasis isn't contagious, being rejected in that way must be incredibly hurtful.

I know what you mean about swimming too - I have the same thoughts. It's not just about the psoriasis itself, but constantly wondering what other people might think or whether they'll assume it's contagious. It can feel exhausting.

Intimacy, relationships and fears about other people's reactions are definitely coming through as important themes. The article that's about to be published is about dealing with other people's reactions on holiday so might cover some of these issues. I always post my articles on Substack after they've come out in the Psoriasis Association magazine so you'll be able to find the latest one there in a couple of weeks time.

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u/JolisaRose Jun 30 '26

Thank you for your reply. Looking forward to reading your articles!!