“Save the Cheerleader, Save the World”

Hi Heroes fans!! Sorry this article isn’t about the abruptly-ended series, but instead, it’s a letter to my fellow skin warriors: real-life heroes who are making it a point to share their story in order to help others.

A letter to those with eczema

Dear Selfless Warrior,

One of the greatest superpowers we possess is our empathy. So naturally, as we go through this insane journey of TSW, we want to post about our condition so that others know that they are not suffering alone. Posting and sharing our realities while going through this debilitating withdrawal is an upstanding and valiant thing to do. And not only do we post openly about this condition, but we also are constantly answering DMs and cheering on each warrior behind the scenes as well.

The physical and emotional toll of TSW

Remember that TSW is a full-body withdrawal. The symptoms you will experience are not just physical ones that will leave your body unrecognizable. The physical afflictions will also push you to your limits mentally and emotionally- leaving you mentally exhausted and emotionally drained. And other than the bone-deep itch, raw red skin, ooze, flakiness, dryness, and temperature regulation issues, you will also have to deal with depression, brain fog, extreme exhaustion, insomnia, and body dysmorphia amongst many other things.

What is topical steroid withdrawal like?

For many who have gone through the worst of TSW, they remember days where their crowning achievement of the day was using the restroom and being able to wipe themselves. For some, it’s being able to reach for a cup or a plate without tearing their skin open. I remember mornings where I would struggle to open my crusted-over eyes and I would have to mentally prepare myself to face the aches, pains, and itch that began tormenting me the moment I came to. I had limited mobility due to the dry and frail state of my skin and unsticking my oozing self from my sheets and the supposedly “simple act” of getting out of bed in the morning was my crowning achievement of the day.

Helping others can be draining

So for you to add “helping others” to your already-full plate is nothing short of remarkable. It might last for a while - the posts, the stories, getting back to the DMs...after all, this gives you something to look forward to every day, right? And you’re helping people, right? But as TSW does, it will remind you of just how human you are, and that even with the best of intentions, you have your limitations as well. Little things that normally wouldn’t bother you start bothering you, and now you find yourself getting annoyed with answering the same exact question about your journey when you literally just posted about it the other day.

Managing stress from the start

I’m obviously speaking from personal experience, especially from these past few weeks as my person and I worked relentlessly between itch attacks and an 8-hour time difference to make my idea of “The Itch Factor” come to fruition for our skin community (Check it out here on Youtube!). I am so happy with the response we’ve received throughout the process of this creation - but I realize now that I could have navigated my stress a bit better and therefore avoided this flare I’m currently experiencing if I had just been forgiving of myself from the get-go.

Put your mask on first

This is where your superpower comes into play. That empathy that you are constantly giving to others? The time has now come for you to use your superpower on yourself. Didn’t see that plot twist coming, huh? After all, one can’t pour from an empty cup. So take a step back and leave those DMs unanswered. For however long it takes for you to feel better - days, weeks, months - there is no right answer. The best thing anyone can do in order to help everyone around them is to take care of themselves. It’s just like the mantra that is repeated throughout the seasons of the hit tv show Heroes - “Save the cheerleader, save the world.”