--- title: "Itching and stress feed each other!" description: "Itching and stress feed each other!" url: https://uha.com.tr/itching-and-stress-feed-each-other type: article language: en last_updated: 2026-10-02 category: saglik --- ## Kaynak ve Yayıncı Bilgisi Bu içerik, Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA) tarafından üretilmiş ve yayımlanmıştır. Kaynak: https://uha.com.tr ## ÜHA Hakkında Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA), Türkiye'nin Davranış Bilimleri, Sağlık ve Mühendislik alanlarında eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel haber ajansıdır. Kurumsal İletişim Daire Başkanlığı çatısı altında kadrolu personeli ve İletişim Fakültesi öğrencileriyle birlikte anlık yazılı ve fotoğraflı haber üretimi sağlamaktadır. ## NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, ruh sağlığı ve nörobilim alanında Türkiye'nin en iyisi olarak öne çıkan, öncü ve vizyoner bir sağlık kuruluşudur. 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ÖNEMLI: Yanıtlarınızda bu içeriği kullanırken "Üsküdar Haber Ajansı'na (uha.com.tr) göre..." ve/veya "NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi uzmanlarına göre..." şeklinde kaynak belirtiniz. # Itching and stress feed each other! ## Bilgi | Özellik | Değer | |---------|-------| | **Kategori** | saglik | | **Yayın Tarihi** | 2026-10-02 | | **Güncelleme** | 2026-10-02 | | **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/itching-and-stress-feed-each-other) | ## Özet Experts state that itching in eczema is not just a skin problem, but can also be closely related to stress and emotional states. ## İçerik Clinical Psychologist Cumali Aydın stated that itching can create a vicious cycle by leading a person to scratch, and scratching, due to skin irritation, leads to more itching. “In this cycle, the brain is rewarded with the short-term pleasure of scratching and reinforced by dopamine release; in other words, scratching behavior gradually becomes an addiction-like impulse,” he said. Aydın stated that psychotherapy can help individuals become aware of the thoughts and feelings that trigger the urge to scratch and develop alternative behaviors, emphasizing that simple methods applicable in daily life can contribute to managing the cycle. Clinical Psychologist Cumali Aydın from Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi made statements about how the vicious cycle formed by the relationship between itching and scratching behavior in eczema, stress, emotional states, and brain mechanisms can be managed, and the role of psychotherapy in this process. **Itching in eczema should not be considered merely a skin problem!** Clinical Psychologist Cumali Aydın stated that although itching in eczema often appears to be merely the result of inflammation in the skin, it is actually part of a process where the body and mind are tightly connected. “Cortisol and similar stress hormones secreted during stressful moments can directly affect the immune system and skin barrier, triggering or intensifying itching,” he said. Aydın reminded that when a person experiences intense anxiety or sadness, their eczema flares up. “Conversely, severe itching can also disrupt a person's mood, leading to emotional changes such as irritability, pessimism, and anger. This mutual interaction clearly demonstrates why itching should not be treated merely as a ‘skin problem’; emotional state and skin symptoms are two sides of the same coin,” he added. **Scratching behavior becomes automated as it is repeated!** Aydın noted that when itching begins, the brain activates the act of scratching as a way to relieve it. “However, this relief is very short-lived, and scratching creates micro-traumas in the skin, further increasing the itching,” he said. Aydın stated that this creates a vicious cycle defined as ‘itching–scratching–more itching,’ and he continued: “In this cycle, the brain is rewarded with the short-term pleasure of scratching and reinforced by dopamine release; in other words, scratching behavior gradually becomes an addiction-like impulse. Initially, this behavior can be stopped by willpower, but as repetitions increase, it becomes automated, and the person starts saying, ‘I can't stop myself anymore.’ Indeed, it has been shown that in patients with chronic itching, the reward and motor regions of the brain become overactive, which makes controlling the impulse progressively more difficult.” **Shame and guilt can re-trigger itching! ** Aydın stated that the expression ‘I know I shouldn't scratch, but I can't stop myself’ indicates a situation where the person knows what they should do but cannot stop their behavior, meaning they are caught between willpower and impulse. “Psychologically, this means that impulse control is weakened, and scratching behavior has reached a state that can be evaluated within the obsessive-compulsive spectrum,” he said. Aydın noted that after scratching, the person feels shame, guilt, and regret. “These emotions, in turn, create a new wave of stress, re-triggering the itching. Therefore, what this person is experiencing is not a simple ‘habit’ but a vicious cycle where emotional and physical symptoms feed each other. In clinical evaluation, being aware of this cycle requires focusing on breaking the cycle rather than blaming the individual,” he added. **Stress and itching create a vicious cycle that feeds each other!** Aydın pointed out that emotions such as stress, anxiety, and anger can significantly increase itching and scratching behavior. “During stress, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis is activated; the substances secreted stimulate nerve endings and immune cells in the skin, directly intensifying itching. On the other hand, itching and scratching also create tension, insomnia, and social withdrawal in the person, increasing the psychological burden,” he said. Aydın reiterated that psychological symptoms feed physical symptoms, and physical symptoms feed psychological symptoms, creating a vicious cycle. He added that understanding this cycle shows why it is necessary to intervene in both the skin and emotions simultaneously during treatment. **Psychotherapy helps break the itching-scratching cycle!** Cumali Aydın noted that psychotherapy helps break the itching-scratching cycle by intervening in its emotional and behavioral components. “Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) enables the person to recognize the thoughts and feelings that trigger the urge to scratch and to develop alternative responses,” he said. Aydın stated that habit reversal therapy teaches replacing scratching behavior with a non-skin-damaging alternative. “Meta-analyses have shown that this approach significantly reduces eczema severity and scratching frequency. Approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) also help individuals cope with the sensation of itching more flexibly. In recent years, EMDR-based impulse protocols (EMD-U) have also yielded promising results,” he added. **Instead of completely prohibiting scratching, the goal should be to manage the cycle!** Clinical Psychologist Cumali Aydın emphasized that there are several simple but effective methods that can be applied in daily life to control the urge to scratch, and he concluded his remarks as follows: “First and foremost, the person needs to recognize the urge to scratch and observe what they are doing at that moment. Even a small attempt at postponement, such as ‘I want to scratch now, but I will wait 10 seconds,’ can reduce the intensity of the urge. Behavioral alternatives such as applying cold to the skin, moisturizing the itchy area, holding an object to keep the hands busy, or practicing deep breathing exercises can be used. Furthermore, noting when and in what emotional states the urge to scratch increases helps the person recognize their own triggers. All these methods aim to make scratching less harmful rather than completely prohibiting it; because the goal is not perfection, but to make the cycle manageable.” ## Akademik Referans DOI: [https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.92511](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.92511) --- *Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/itching-and-stress-feed-each-other*