What do you wish more people knew about eczema?
We've all heard the phrase "wait, isn't eczema just a rash?"
After all of the suffering, the sleepless night stayed awake scratching, the missed events, the mental fatigue, etc., honestly I want to scream every time our condition is reduced to "a rash." I remember being in high school and teachers would get mad at me for falling asleep in class all the time. It wasn't until recently that I realized I would fall asleep because I was hardly sleeping at night because I would stay awake just scratching, bleeding, trying to bandage up my open wounds, and repeat.
I want to know what you all want others to learn about what eczema is really like. What other aspects of your life does it affect that the average person may not realize?
I wish people knew that it is not only so itchy that you lose your mind but it can also be very painful. Painful to move, shower, and sometimes just doing nothing.
@CrrrB - I do too. People know and hear the words we use but very rarely do people really understand because they do not live with our condition. Guess we just have to keep banging on! All the best! Pete (AtopicDermatitis.net Team Member)
Eczema takes on toll physical and emotionally. It affects how I go about my days in a way that I have the have to prepare for my skin to go either way which would be my skin being at a manageable level or the having to deal with a flare up. My self esteem, relationship with others, preparing for a vacation. I pay attention to everything that I do in fear at times that I'll have a flare up so bad that my eczema will go back to how it was when I had it in HS. 
Definitely every area of life for me - not being able to work a normal full-time job, be independent in every way, relationships, self-esteem. Eczema is so traumatizing, and it truly seeps into every area of your life, and I wish more people understood this.
