Has P/PA had any positive effects on your life?

[jotee]

Hi All,

I'm sure that generally most of us feel quite negative about psoriasis or psoratic arthritis and rightfully so. But in a 'cup is half full' way... are there any positive effects that have come out of having this/these conditions??

For me I would say yes:
- Firstly, I found this forum and the wonderful people in here.
- As a knock on effect of joining this forum, I've made a good friend (another P-ey like me) who is (occassionally! ) quite inspirational to me and good fun!
- I feel more educated about the health system and take more ownership of my own health through this education. (Not just in respects of P)

Does anyone else have any other positives?

x

[hank]

Sorry Jotee,
I can't say anything positive has come out of this, considering I've had it most of my life all it has done is prevented me getting jobs and doing things, then there are the side effects of meds which nearly killed me  and of course the thoughts of I'd be better off dead.
Sometimes when I think of what I have had to put up with I could just cry and say I can't take it any more but I'll soilder on and try as best as possible to put a positive spin on it.

I would say this site and the people I have met through it has helped cope with it a bit more

[Rover_N_Out]

I have to agree with Hank Jotee sorry.

I don't see anything positive at all about having p/pa!

Of course PHO has helped deal better with it even though I'm a newbie on here!

[racheld]

oh I think there has been some positives.

Of course I have met some lovely supportive people on here and it's nice to be able to vent with people whi are in similar situations.


Also I guess it has made me quite a determined person in life.

[sarah9786]

There are a few positives for me, I am a lot more educated about the health system, I empathise with other people very well and I know a little bit more about employment law. However, this is because for years I've been very naive; optimistically thinking that employers would understand I occasionally need time off with my condition (instead of discriminating, which is my usual experience, lost me 2 jobs and a college training course, so much for disability discrimination laws); that doctors would understand rather than just treat symptoms and stupidly assuming that people won't judge me by appearance alone.
PA has taught me that overall life is unfair and unless you fight until you drop all the time for your right to be heard/seen as equal you won't get anywhere. I think overall it has made me a kind generous person but wary of others, and I still need to develop that (ironically) thicker skin. I'm sorry for the negative post but I've got manflu and I'm feeling grumpy!

[kerrieginge]

Yeah there are definately postives for me. Like I found this place and all you guys, people I consider good friends on here. Plus I think its helped me learn not care so much about what people think about me, if they dont like the way my skin looks then thats their problem.

I have no idea how long this way of thinking is going to last, I'm just in a pretty good mood today 

[mickey]

Hey Jotee, what  an  excellent thread.

Yes I think there are plenty of positives

Not wanting to blow my own trumpet but here goes:

I  think I  am  a nicer person for it, as I think you are more aware of other peoples miss fortunes in life.

It has  encouraged me to travel with regards to a  healthy climate for it and probably one of the major reasons  for my career break  was  my skin.

I agree with Jotee on the health front, as you  do take notice of healthy stuff like fish and supplements.

Probably saved a  fortune too, with not having much luck with the ladies, and  not shelling out loads  of wonga  on the wining and  dining malarkey  

There definitely are positives , oh and of course knowing all you lovely PHO'ers

[Poker Face]

So far for me this has had no positive effects on my life, only negative.  I am hopeful though that one day something good will come out of all this.  It has to! Got to keep thinking that or it would make it a lot worse to cope with.   For now though, nothing good has come from it.

[bjm]

Its saved my life..

P made me eat better, quit smoking , cut down on sugar, take my vitamins, lower my blood pressure, get good sun and vitamin D...in small steps it forced me to not be a victim.... my P and psa  were severe but have been under pretty good control for the last five years , i think  it will add ten years to my life. .i'm a lot healthier now then i was 6 years ago.

  when i was in a severe state..

it made me sweep the floor and  gave me something to feed the fish.
  

[Charlotte_S]

I am glad that there are people who have managed to take something positive away from P/PA.

For my own part.  No positives at all.  It has made me more defensive and less open.  It has only lessened my quality of life and confirmed every negative view I have of other people (I have had no pleasant surprises in how people have dealt with it - ranging from indifferent, to prying, to calling me a leper).  I am no more or less aware of the general ills in the world.  My ability to sympathise or empathise with others seems unimpaired.  I am less able to cope with stress and adversity.

I cannot claim it made me improve my diet, it only limits me from eating certain foods that I previously enjoyed, or that it makes me take my vitamins (I took them before).  I have never smoked, nor do I drink much.  My exercise regime (such as it is) remains the same as it always has.  I have not gained or lost weight.  I socialise less and I cry more easily.

[Emma]

Well I found this place and through here met Roger.

We have been together for over 7 years and are geting married next year.

So having p has definitely had a huge positive impact on my life!

[Pieman]

yes, meeting some really nice peeps, gaining knowlege and having a laugh on virtual pho.

[riaY]

yes, meeting some really nice peeps, gaining knowlege and having a laugh on virtual pho.

Me too

[Luvvi]

No...but I only developed it 5 years ago thankfully!  I try not to let my psoriasis or PA change me but sometimes in unavoidable and that makes me angry!

I accepted I have P and PA a long time ago, I think its very important to do that and not always fight against it however, it doesn't mean I have to be happy having it!

[Hyacinth]

nothing positive for me at all.

My diet has always been good, always have taken care of myself - exercised, never got over weight etc. P has taken a lot away from my life such as the physical activities I used to enjoy so much.

I have no sex life, I don't go anywhere not because I care what others think but it's too painful and I don't want to go out wearing baggy cotton pajamas.
This outbreak has gone on for over a year. I feel depressed and even angry. I think why me? There is nothing I have eaten or done that could have caused it. My derm saids it was caused by a very stressful event I went through. I had no idea stress could cause this.

Nobody in my life other than my daughter really understands how I feel. My husband can be sympathetic but if he left me tomorrow I wouldn't be surprised.

P has cost a fortune and I have only had it 5 years. I can't imagine how those of you have dealt with it over a lifetime.

The only positive thing is I am alive, if you want to call this living.

[hilhol]

nope - just means that my energy has to go on coping with the pain/itching/bleeding/scaling/creaming/injecting etc etc etc, rather than living. Dealing with work and family commitments becomes truly difficult, and NO-ONE realises what you're having to deal with on a daily basis, on top of life as everyone else knows it!

Not happy today - tired through lack of sleep due to itching/bleeding......................................

[yon]

Good question. It made me think.

There is one thing I can think of... is that I can understand other people's pain whatever medical condition they have. I can really feel for them.
....having said that.... I had bad flare up recently, everything was c**p. Couldn't think of anybody/anything but my own pain and itch! So hard to stay positive with c**p skin.

[Cupcakes]

I think P has made me very sensitive to other people's feelings. If someone comes across as unfriendly, unapproachable...i think well maybe they have issues in their own life that make them defensive. I was extremely closed when i first got P (in my teens). I didn't want to know new people, i was too busy being torn up inside that i probably came across in a very negative way.
I also think P has prevented me from being shallow. Having P so bad in the past has made me realise that there's so much more to someone than their physical appearance...which is a hard thing to learn in your teens where appearance seems so important.
So there you go, positive effects on my life...id still rather not have P but i must admit i think it in some ways has made me a better person.

[kathryn1989]

its made me realise that some people love you for who you are. its also made me realise some people arent worth it.
Its forced me to quit my binge drinking/unhealthy lifestyle and made me want to eat right/ go to the gym/take vitamins.

Its made me realise the stuff I whinged about before psoriasis was minor. Its also made me think there is more to life than looks and going out and getting drunk.

apart from that psoriasis is a very itchy awful condition and I wouldnt wish it on anyone.

[mustang]

Like Liz has said, you have to accept that you have P/PA and it is a lifelong battle.  Once I accepted that, it made me a much stronger person and more determined not to let it affect my life and, 99% of the time, that works!  I am much more open with my skin / PA and completely up front about it with everyone I meet.

Funnily enough, I think it has also made me impatient and less tolerant of others as I am not very good with people who moan a lot about small things that they have control over.

The main thing is that I have met some brilliant people on here (and even let one of them live in my flat!) and without this place I would never ever ever be the person I am today. 

[mattellie]

Good question Jotee

Had you asked me this question some 20 years ago I would have rammed it straight back down your throat Looking back it robbed me of so much of my life and there is no way I could have understood where a question like this was coming from.

20 years on and my whole outlook has changed. Old age, an acceptance that P is a life sentence, maybe I just dont care anymore or what I looked for in life throughout my 20's and 30's is a million miles from what I look for now. Perhaps the bugg3r has finally beat me and this is my way of giving in?

But I do now sit back and look for the positives instead of the negatives and yes, I have found some

The obvious being PHO

And from being a member of PHO led me to becoming involved with the Dead Sea trips which have been going on for over 5 years now. Having helped so many people make that trip has given me huge amounts of satisfaction.

So yes Jo, I can safely say I have found a positive to come out of having P

[darrenc]

yep cos ive had some freebies

free uvb suntan off the nhs
free jabs off the nhs
now on the special list thats a positive right 

plus most postive is that its who i am

[Nyquist]

Hi All,

I'm sure that generally most of us feel quite negative about psoriasis or psoratic arthritis and rightfully so. But in a 'cup is half full' way... are there any positive effects that have come out of having this/these conditions??

For me I would say yes:
- Firstly, I found this forum and the wonderful people in here.
- As a knock on effect of joining this forum, I've made a good friend (another P-ey like me) who is (occassionally! ) quite inspirational to me and good fun!
- I feel more educated about the health system and take more ownership of my own health through this education. (Not just in respects of P)



Does anyone else have any other positives?

x

NO

[briven]

Ditto