Silver crumbs, a common chronic skin disease, not only inflicts physical pain on patients, but also creates untold obstacles at the psychological level and profoundly affects their quality of life and physical and mental health.
First of all, physical anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders for people with silver crumbs. The typical symptoms of silver crumbs are the presence of red spots with clear borders on the skin, which are covered with layered silver white crumbs, often in visible places of exposure, such as head, limbs and torso. For many patients, this unusual skin appearance makes them particularly sensitive and inferior in social settings. They fear the look of others, the pointers behind them, and they fear that they will become the “others” that are popular. In day-to-day interpersonal relations, there may be a deliberate attempt to cover up the parts of the skin, to refrain from wearing shorts, to avoid going to places like public swimming pools, or even to avoid normal social activities, which, in the long run, can lead to isolation and self-conclusion, and a build-up of internal anxiety.
Second, chronic replicability and repetition of disease can easily create frustration and helplessness. Silver crumbs is a disease that is difficult to cure, and, despite the availability of treatments, it is often repeated, with signs of improvement, and may be repeated in a short period of time. Patients need to spend time, energy and money over a long period of time dealing with treatment, but it seems always difficult to take full control of the development of the condition. Each recurrence is a heavy blow, making them feel that all their efforts have been in vain and, in turn, they have fallen into a deep sense of helplessness, wondering when they will be able to get out of this vagaries and gradually losing faith in the future.
Moreover, pressure from social prejudices also places a serious psychological burden on patients. Owing to the lack of correct awareness of silver crumbs among some, it is wrongly perceived as a contagious disease, with an alienated and exclusive attitude towards the patient. People may experience unfair treatment in seeking employment, in school or in search of a partner, which can fill their hearts with frustration and anger, while at the same time feeling helpless, further exacerbating psychological trauma, making them more vulnerable and even causing more serious mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety.
We need to give full understanding and attention to these psychological barriers for people with silver scavenging. On the one hand, there is a need to increase the general awareness of silver crumbs and to eliminate misunderstandings and prejudices among the general public; on the other hand, there is a need for families, friends and health-care providers to give patients more psychological support and guidance to help them to build their confidence in the positive face of the disease and to rise courageously out of the shadows, so that they understand that the strength of the body, despite its persistence, is equally strong.
