Does Psoriasis Cause Depression?

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Psoriasis can cause some mild and serious complications, particularly if the disease is poorly controlled. Fortunately, there are also available some treatment options to cope with the disease and reduce the risk of complications. However, it is also a chronic skin problem that can come and go. This can be one of factors that may put a sufferer with psoriasis at high risk of depression.

What are the causes and risk factors of depression?

Medically, the definition of depression may vary. But in general, it is a mood problem (psychological disorder) that can lead to loss of interest and persistent feeling of sadness.


It can affect the way of how you think, feel, or even behave. If the problem is poorly controlled, there is chance for sufferer to have a variety of emotional problems or even some physical problems.

image_illustration154Anyone can have it, but it is more likely to occur at the ages of 20s to 30s. Other risk factors (conditions that put you at greater chance of having depression) include:

  1. Gender (women are more likely to have it than men). However this risk factor may be still debatable. Some experts say that women tend to find treatment to treat their depression than men – this may be the answer of why statistics show that the problem is more common in women than in men.
  2. If you have had it before (such as a personal history of depression during childhood).
  3. Having other psychological disorders such as post-traumatic disorder, anxiety, etc.
  4. Having certain conditions that may put you at greater chance of having more stress. This may include having a chronic /serious health problem, certain stressful /traumatic events (such as getting physical abuse or losing someone you love a lot), and certain personality traits (such as being overly dependent).
  5. A family history of the same problem or other psychological problems.
  6. Abusing alcohol.
  7. The use of certain medications may also lead to depression. Such as some medications for hypertension. If you are taking a medication and you think that it may cause depression, talk with your healthcare provider for more advice!

The exact cause of depression is unclear yet. However, many experts believe that it is caused by a variety of factors.

The following are some factors that may play a key role in causing the problem:

  1. Hormone changes! The imbalance of hormone may play a role in triggering /causing this psychological disorder. There are numerous conditions that can cause hormone changes, such as menopause, thyroid problems, etc. Hormone changes also can be another reason of why depression may be more common in women than in men.
  2. Some mechanisms in the brain! There are brain chemicals that play role in controlling the mood – one of them is neurotransmitters. Some experts believe that the imbalance of neurotransmitters may have an effect in triggering some depressive symptoms.
  3. Other factors may include biological differences (particularly biological changes in the brain) and genetic trait (as mentioned before, many people with depression have a family history of the same problem).

The chance of developing the problem can increase significantly if combined with certain stressful life events (such as financial problems or losing a loved one).

What are the common complications of psoriasis?

There are some common complications from this chronic skin disorder. The following are some of them:

  1. Arthritis – a kind of arthritis that occurs due to psoriasis is medically called psoriatic arthritis.
  2. The risk of gaining more pounds of excessive weight which then may lead to obesity. Actually, it is unclear yet whether there is a link between psoriasis and obesity. But in fact, there are many sufferers who become obese.
  3. Hypertension (high blood pressure).
  4. The risk of diabetes (particularly type-2 diabetes). The more severe the disease, the greater risk of type-2 diabetes.
  5. The risk of having excess inflammation. This may cause increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
  6. Eye problems, particularly such as uveitis and blepharitis.

Other health conditions that may occur due to psoriasis are kidneys problem, Parkinson’s disease, celiac disease, or other autoimmune diseases. How about with depression?

Psoriasis and depression

Does psoriasis cause depression or other psychological problems? Statistics show that many sufferers experience depression that can be mild or severe.

Even according to a journal published on the JAMA (in the August issue – the Achieves of Dermatology), psoriasis can have an effect in increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, and suicidality.


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