Managing stress, anxiety and low mood
How can stress affect me?1,2
Dealing with stress, anxiety and worry can increase the burden of your condition.
Occasional stress is an unavoidable part of life. A mixture of your thoughts, feelings, sensations and behaviours, stress is your body’s response when you feel there are demands placed on you that exceed your ability to cope. Stress can be a good thing in the right situation – increasing your heart rate and giving you a boost of energy to quickly deal with an immediate problem. An extreme amount of stress can have a negative impact on your health, especially if the stress is prolonged.
How do I know when to ask for help with stress?
It may seem like stress is something to brush off, especially when you’re dealing with atopic dermatitis (AD) it can be very easy not to give your mental health the attention it deserves. Just as health problems can add to stress, stress can affect health. Prolonged stress and worry can have a negative impact not only on your health but also on your AD symptoms.3 Anxiety and stress can also cause you to forget to take your medication.4 Finally, stress may contribute to a lack of energy to perform activities of daily life.2
5 top stress-busters5
1. Take time out
It’s easy to forget to take time to have fun and do those things that you enjoy rather than just what you feel you have to do. Take the time to be playful or creative as often as you can. This could be going to see a live sporting event or, if you have kids, kicking a ball around with them.
2. Talk about your stress
Loved ones can offer great support, but sometimes talking through a problem with someone who is not related to you may provide a fresh perspective and offer new solutions. Consider talking to a professional counsellor or joining a support group. Connecting with others who are in a similar situation may provide you with new insights, empathy and an emotional outlet. You can also speak to your doctor, who may be able to suggest coping strategies or refer you to support services.
3. Get active
Research shows that exercise may help clear your head and improve your mood.6 If you find that sweat irritates your skin and leads to flares, consider experimenting with different types of exercise or consider a lukewarm shower soon after your workout. Learn more about exercises that are suitable for people with AD and ensure you talk to your doctor before starting any type of exercise.
4. Get enough sleep
There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to lower your stress, but AD may sometimes make that difficult. Consider checking out one of the many sleep apps that are available and if your lack of sleep is interfering with your ability to enjoy life, consider talking to your doctor about what other support may be available that can help you sleep.
5. Learn to relax
There are many ways to wind down. Try and find one that works for you. Yoga, guided imagery, meditation, a walk in the park, playing with pets, listening to music… everyone responds differently so consider giving something different a try. Mindfulness meditation is often helpful for helping with relaxation. Read this article to learn more about mindfulness.
Dealing with low mood
What is low mood?
It’s normal to feel down from time to time, particularly when you’re living with a health condition.7
Symptoms of low mood7
SADNESS
ANXIETY OR PANIC
FEELING MORE TIRED OR BEING UNABLE TO SLEEP
FEELING ANGRY OR FRUSTRATED
LOSING CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF
If your feelings of low mood worsen or lasts for a long period of time, you need to contact your doctor or a mental health professional.8 There are medications and treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy that can help you get your mood back on track.8
Support when in a crisis
If you need crisis support call Lifeline 13 11 14 now.
- Beyond Blue - Gain further support for managing things like anxiety and depression here.
- Read the Communicating and getting support article for more information.
References: 1. Coping with a diagnosis of chronic illness. American Psychological Association. Available from: apa.org/topics/chronic-illness/coping-diagnosis Accessed: August 2025. 2. Black Dog Institute. Stress and its impact on you. Available from: blackdoginstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/3-stress-and-its-impact-on-you.pdf Accessed: August 2025. 3. Healthline. What’s the connection between eczema and stress? Available from: healthline.com/health/eczema-stress Accessed: August 2025. 4. Harvard Health Publishing. 7 common causes of forgetfulness. Available from: health.harvard.edu/blog/7-common-causes-of-forgetfulness-201302225923 Accessed: August 2025. 5. WebMD Eczema and stress: 7 ways to get relief. Available from: webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/eczema/eczema-stress Accessed: August 2025. 6. Peluso MAM, Andrade LHSG. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2005;60(1):61–70. 7. National Health Service. Low mood, sadness, and depression. Available from: nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/low-mood-sadness-depression Accessed: August 2025. 8. Reach Out. Everything you need to know about depression. Available from: au.reachout.com/mental-health-issues/depression/depression Accessed: August 2025. AC-005092-00. AU-RNQ-250076. August 2025.