“I was diagnosed with psoriasis when I was 12 and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) when I was just about to do my GCSEs at 16.
I’ve really adapted to my psoriasis, though sometimes when I’m having a bad flareup and my skin is super itchy, I can scratch until I bleed, which affects my mood and how I feel within my body. “My CFS affects my everyday life a lot more.
I’m only 22, so it’s really difficult to set boundaries on your body when most young people don’t have to. I try to take things as slowly as possible to not put extra stress on my body, but that can be incredibly difficult.
I often have to take an ‘hour of decompression’ in the evenings where I get home and lie in bed until I feel better again. “CFS has definitely affected my social life.