If you’re living with psoriasis, you’re already aware of the impact that the condition can have on your life — but chances are strong that other people in your orbit don’t know as much as they could about the disease. That’s why the National Psoriasis Foundation created Psoriasis Action Month — and why MyPsoriasisTeam gets behind it every August.

During this period, you can help raise awareness by sharing your experience with psoriasis — but it doesn’t have to stop there. You can get involved in boosting awareness about the condition throughout the year. “I believe that there needs to be more awareness about this condition,” one MyPsoriasisTeam member wrote. “Some of my family and friends just do not understand. The only way to educate people is to talk — and when you talk about it enough, people will listen.”

Raising awareness doesn’t just help other people understand your condition. MyPsoriasisTeam members have found that building more comprehensive knowledge about the condition helps them make more informed decisions around treatments and strengthens their feelings of self-reliance.

If you’d like to get involved in increasing awareness about psoriasis, consider taking a few important steps.

Start By Raising Your Own Awareness

Before you can share information about psoriasis with others, it’s a good idea to understand the specifics about psoriasis, including causes, signs and symptoms, and treatments for the condition.

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and the accelerated production of skin cells. Skin builds up more quickly than it can shed, causing patches of thickened, scaly skin that can crack, bleed, and itch — as well as other symptoms. Inflammation causes the discoloration of psoriasis rash, as well as the pain, swelling, and joint damage of psoriatic arthritis. There currently is no cure for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, although recent treatments can control this disease effectively.

Psoriasis treatments are typically aimed at modulating the immune system to calm inflammation and reduce autoimmune attacks on the skin and joints. Psoriasis treatments may be applied topically to the skin, taken orally, or administered via injection. Phototherapy, or light therapy, may also be helpful in some cases. Some people with psoriasis feel better when they change their diet or try complementary or alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or acupressure.

If you are new to a psoriasis diagnosis, educate yourself as much as possible about the condition by talking to your health care provider and networking with other people whose lives have also been affected by psoriasis.

Share Awareness Resources

Once you’re armed with information about psoriasis, you can share it with others. The fastest and least expensive way to do this is via social media. You can post information about psoriasis, share details about the condition, and join communities of other people who are also working to raise awareness about psoriasis.

To ensure that your message reaches as many people as possible, consider using an appropriate psoriasis-related hashtag. For instance, the National Psoriasis Foundation often uses the hashtags #psoriasis and #PsoriasisWarrior on its official Twitter account. By using popular hashtags like these, your posts will be seen by more people who have the same interests as you do, and they’re likely to share and comment.

This helps raise awareness for the condition, and it also allows other people with psoriasis to realize they aren’t alone.

Participate in Awareness Activities

Another way to raise awareness about psoriasis is to participate in an activity dedicated to the cause. You can ride a bike, walk for psoriasis, play bingo, host a silent auction, or even create a separate event that works for your interests. You can help other people understand more about psoriasis while having fun and raising money for the cause.

If you have money to spare, consider donating to organizations like the National Psoriasis Foundation, which allows for further research into finding ways to better treat and manage the condition.

Connect With Others Who Understand

On MyPsoriasisTeam, more than 95,000 people living with psoriasis come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with the condition.

Share your psoriasis journey in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

Resources

1. Forward for a Cure — National Psoriasis Foundation