Rosacea is a lifelong condition that can adversely affect emotional health and quality of life. Even when the physical symptoms of rosacea are relatively mild the impact on the quality of life for those living with the condition can be significant.
In a recent talkhealth survey assessing the impact of rosacea, in response to the question “How would your life change and what would you do differently if you were clear of rosacea symptoms”, 54% of respondents said they would either be less self-conscious or more confident/have more confidence.
Additionally, 28% of respondents referred to an improvement in their social life such as going out more, socialising more and improved relationships/dating if they didn’t have rosacea. Here’s what some of our respondents had to say:
- “My life would change dramatically, because I would feel more confident going out, without worrying who is looking at me, & I would feel much more confident & relaxed in photos, also on the dating scene!”
- “I would have a lot more self confidence in myself and be able to walk round with my head held high instead of worrying about what people think about the state and condition of my skin as Rosacea has had a huge impact on my day to day life.”
- “My self-confidence would grow and help improve my anxiety that I feel with my red patches on my face due to rosacea. It would be amazing if I could wake up and have clear skin like I had before! It’s overwhelming to even think about it, it would be life changing and I might even join in with family gatherings and photos.”
Below, we’ve created a word cloud of some of the most recurring words used in response to the question:
These results for the talkhealth survey tallied with other surveys and studies carried out on the emotional impact of rosacea. In a survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society in America 75% of respondents reported that their rosacea had lowered their self-esteem and 70% reported that their rosacea made them feel embarrassed. This survey also found that medical therapyled to reported improvements in emotional wellbeing (70% of respondents), professional interactions (60%) and social life (57%).
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy indicates that severe rosacea negatively impacts emotional well-being with elevated psychological stress (depression and anxiety) and social phobia scores, suggesting that patients with severe rosacea are self-conscious about their appearance leading to the avoidance of social situations.
If you are living with rosacea and are struggling with either the physical or emotional impacts of the skin condition, you can find more support and articles here. In addition to this, talkhealth also provide a free patient support programme, myrosacea which provides 24 weeks of self-management support and advice, written and designed by medical professionals.
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