The skin - the body's largest organ

We tend to ignore our skin until we get a cut or a blemish which reminds us of its existence, often thinking of it as no more than mere wrapping to protect the delicate organs of the body. To begin to understand its problems, it is important to realize that the skin itself is a complex organ, as complex as the heart, the lungs, and the liver. In fact it is the body's largest organ, and certainly one of the most sensitive ones.

Clearly, skin must be sensitive to its environment to allow us to function properly. For example, when our skin temperature rises, blood flow through the skin increases and sweat glands secrete liquid whose evaporation prevents the body’s inner temperature from rising; when the temperature drops, vessels constrict to conserve body heat.

To sense and respond to the outside world in this and other ways, the skin contains many millions of nerve endings that are closely connected to the body's control centre - the brain.

Thanks to these close links with the nervous system, the skin is acutely sensitive to and reflective of emotional events as well. Think for a moment of the emotions that cause change in the skin:

• It turns pale and clammy when we experience anxiety

• It blushes when we're embarrassed

• It glows when we're happy

• It produces “goose bumps” when we are fearful

When stress occurs in our lives, and we experience emotional difficulties, these emotional states can make conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or other common conditions of the skin much more likely.

Our skin "feels" our emotions

It is important to understand that we don’t always “feel” emotions in the way we may think that we do. At times our efforts to not express or feel emotion can cause the body to express those very emotions in other ways. Our efforts to protect ourselves from our feelings can cause more trouble than the feelings would themselves as our mind and body find other ways or expressing the very emotions we are trying to mask.

Like other organs of the body, such as the heart which is subject to stress, the skin, in a sense, leads an emotional life of its own filled with the feelings a person has avoided in a fruitless attempt to protect themselves. The skin effectively “feels” for you.  It can't talk in words but its emotional language may be expressed by an appearance of rashes, eczema or an outbreak of psoriasis.

How does emotional distress trigger these problems? As researchers learn more about the skin, the emotions and the brain , the key discovery appears to be the body's ability to turn intensely experienced ideas and fantasies into physical realities.

This is the same principle which governs the “fight and flight” response. When we perceive danger, real or imagined,  our bodies go into high alert. Most of the changes happen in our brain, nervous system, lungs, heart and muscles before we are even consciously aware of any danger.

find out more about how hypnosis can help your psoriasis

read testimonials of clients who have used hypnosis CDs to help psoriasis  

Use this CD for relief from psoriasis, eczema and skin conditions: