Psychotrauma and Psychodermatological Disorders

Abstract

The relationship between mental health and skin health is recognized in everyday clinical practice and is the subject of research in the field of psychodermatology. Along with the mutually unfavorable influence of certain psychological disorders and skin diseases, the issue of distress as a predisposing and precipitating factor for the development and course of skin diseases is investigated. It is believed that adverse life events in childhood, especially traumatic experiences in childhood, increase the susceptibility to the development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as certain chronic skin diseases, and the same is known for chronic psychosocial stress in adulthood. Certain studies point to the connection of psychotrauma in childhood with psoriasis, alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis and hidradenitis, and the frequent comorbidity of post-traumatic stress disorder and psoriasis is also known, as well as cases. The authors of the relevant research conclude that the increased prevalence of emotional trauma in childhood in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa, alopecia areata and atopic dermatitis and psoriasis led to dysregulation of the immune system, i.e. anti-inflammatory response and dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, and it is believed that early preventive psychotherapeutic interventions would in childhood contribute to the prevention of these biological changes in the organism, and the approach to a patient with skin disease should certainly include the identification and processing of psychotrauma and the treatment of comorbid psychological disorders. Therefore, in a psychodermatology context, it is recommended to include psychiatrists and psychologists in working with patients with skin diseases, in addition to dermatologists.