After the birth of her third child, 42-year-old Jane Mauricio began developing lesions on different parts of her body. She was diagnosed with psoriasis.
“My hands, which were supposed to be embracing my child, were suddenly covered with red patches and flakes,” laments Mauricio. “I remember myself as someone who was perfectly happy with her family, her career. When psoriatic plaques started to cover my body, I began to lose my confidence – even my will to live.”
Around two million Filipinos have been diagnosed with psoriasis, an immune-mediated disease that causes red scaly patches on the skin.
“The way people looked at me told me that they were afraid to come near me, thinking I might be infectious. Everywhere I go, I feared being bullied, humiliated, or rejected. At times, I would get so overwhelmed that I would just choose to isolate myself from the world,” relates Mauricio.
According to Dr. Edwin Benedicto, the relationship between psoriasis and mental health “can be a vicious cycle”.
The head of the medical affairs department of Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc. says, “The amount of unwanted attention patients receive can cause them to develop anxiety and depression in the long run, which can trigger, if not intensify, psoriasis flare-ups.”
Psoriasis, Dr. Benedicto says, can put patients at higher risk of co-morbidities such as psoriatic arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. “There are also studies that show links between psoriasis and Crohn’s disease, which causes the digestive tract to become swollen. This is why increasing awareness about psoriasis should be a public health priority, as to also encourage more patients to seek proper treatment,” he adds.
While there is no cure for psoriasis yet, treatments are available to help manage the disease. Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc. is at the forefront of bringing new and innovative solutions for this condition, including biologic medicines.
The company is also working with relevant stakeholders to launch and sustain programs that educate Filipinos on psoriasis, correcting misconceptions that make living with the disease even more challenging for patients.
“Psoriasis is a lifelong disease, but it is not fatal nor contagious,” points out Dr. Benedicto. “Proper treatment and holistic care are needed to ensure that psoriatic patients will continue to lead full, productive lives.”