Living with the skin condition eczema for most of my life has its ups and downs; mostly downs when I am stressed. I have found that too much stress triggers and aggravates my eczema. Are there ways to reduce my stress levels?
Helping out and contributing to something that will benefit others reduces my stress and improves the state of my eczema. Here is my experience of how giving my time to support Rapid Eczema Trials has helped me feel better.
The Stress Bucket.
Life in the modern era is stressful enough and having eczema is another stressor. The stress bucket is a simple way to visualise your total stress load, with the bucket constantly filling up with daily stressors. The number of holes (stress relief) you have in the bucket help to drain the water from the bucket and reduce your stress level.
Drain the bucket faster
Two years ago, I signed up to the Eczema UK (formally National Eczema Society) newsletter to help me hear about eczema-related information. Through the newsletter I came to learn about Rapid Eczema Trials and the opportunity to get involved in their research project.
Last year I signed up to share my thoughts on the new ‘Scratch Less Study’ that was being developed. I enjoyed sharing my personal perspective and asked if I could help out more. I have since supported the research team with user testing of the Scratch Less Study database prior to launch. Now I am part of the Trial Management Group as a Patient Representative. This group meets every month to discuss progress of the study.
To be able to help support Rapid Eczema Trials as a patient with a skin disease gives me a sense of purpose, and makes me feel good that I am contributing to a cause that has the potential to benefit others. I have found that serving others adds another hole to my stress bucket to help drain my bucket faster and buffer my stress levels.
This is my first ever blog post and the initial thought of writing one stressed me out! However, when I reframed the activity as my way to help out, then actually writing a blog post was not adding to my stress bucket, it was a hole in my stress bucket and was a way to drain the water from my bucket.
While I am busy in my life with work and having a young family of my own, taking the time to contribute in some way helps me to manage my stress and eczema.
What will you do to add another hole in your stress bucket and manage your stress?
Written by Riten Solanki
Rapid Citizen Scientist