Psychosocial Burden and Psychological Interventions for Patients with Psoriasis

Abstract

Characterized by pruritic, scaly plaques, psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic cutaneous condition associated with a negative impact on quality of life. In addition, psoriatic patients exhibit a greater incidence of anxiety and depression compared to the general population. The relationship between psoriasis and mental health has been shown to be bidirectional with disease activity worsening psychological burden, and psychological burden conversely impacting disease activity. While few studies to our knowledge precisely delineate the proportion of psoriatic patients with untreated mental health concerns, literature suggests many patients are not receiving optimal or timely mental health treatment. As such, researchers have explored various psychotherapeutic interventions to increase the quality of life among patients, including traditional psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and various alternative modalities. This chapter seeks to discuss the psychological burden of psoriasis, both in relation to psychological comorbidity and overall quality of life. In addition, this chapter seeks to review evidence for psychological interventions for patients with psoriasis. A greater understanding of the mental health outcomes of psoriatic patients and psychological interventions may better equip clinicians with the necessary tools to treat psoriatic patients holistically, addressing both the physical and mental burden of the disease.