Living With Vitiligo
Vitiligo can
make a person feel insecure and negatively impact their
life.
This is greatly
distressing to the sufferer and can affect the everyday
routine of life to the extent that they may go to great
lengths to avoid social occasions or jobs involving
working with other people close by.
The stares,
attention and occasional whispering can be enough to
drive sufferers to despair and greatly reduce their
quality of life.
These factors,
combined with the fact that Vitiligo is a hard to treat,
spreads unpredictably and requires months of treatment,
can further affect the mental well-being of the
sufferer.
This can lead to
low self esteem, depression and a myriad of other mental
health issues.
Often,
stereotypes and ignorant beliefs held by cultural,
religious or ethnic groups lead to the sufferer being
ostracized and socially boycotted, which means that they
are unable to find a job ,get married and function as a
useful member of society.
Due to the known
link of Vitiligo with the immune system, and the fact
that the immune system is greatly affected by stress
levels, prolonged depression can even contribute to the
further spread of depigmentation.
In addition to
helping patients with their Vitiligo, it is imperative
that medical practitioners also pay attention to their
mental well-being as well.
It is also vital that society is educated about Vitiligo and its causes, so that sufferers are not marginalized and suffer unnecessarily.
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