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"Coping & Living"

13 March 2003

When I read the various message boards for people with hyperhidrosis, I'm saddened by the number of people who are devastated by the condition. Some people are so upset by their sweating that they can't hold a normal job, won't go on dates, won't leave the house, and some even think about suicide. That's not good, not good at all. We can't let it limit our lives that much.

It seems to me there are two main areas of concern with HH: practical and emotional. Let's look at the practical side first. Sweaty hands drip all over papers when trying to write, sweaty feet ruin shoes, sweaty heads drip into eyes, and sweaty underarms stain clothes. Concerns like these are very valid and real. I think taking measures (treatments) to address them makes sense. If your hands are too sweaty to hold a pen, you're going to be missing out on too many things in life.

The emotional side is another issue. When I see people agonizing over their HH, my heart grows heavy. I've been there, I've done it, but I've also largely learned to cope with my axillary HH. Now I generally wear what I want, color, style, fabric, sweat stains be damned.

I was able to overcome the worries when I learned that no one can control what I think. That's right. Our thoughts are totally under our control. I only feel self-conscious about my sweating if I let myself feel that way. No one else can make me feel that, it has to come from inside.

Doubt that? OK, what about when you are unhappy? Can someone magically make you happy? Oh, they might be able to lift your spirits a bit, but if you are determined to feel unhappy, there is nothing they can do about it. They don't control your emotions, you do.

It works the same way when you feel self-conscious. And, as I'm sure you know, feeling self-conscious is a great way to make youself sweat even more. So, don't do it!

Yes, I know, this is all easier said than done, especially after years of conditioning. If you practice not worrying about your HH, however, you can do it. I've done it. So can you. Actually, I'm still working on it some, but I'm much better than before.

How can you do it? One way is by desensitizing yourself to the problem. I still feel self-conscious if I have visible underarm sweat stains while in a group setting. It used to make me totally avoid situations like public speaking. Now, I don't avoid them, I just dread them. ;-) No, seriously, they are still uncomfortable, but I am able to do them. I'm much better than I used to be.

I desensitized myself to the problem years ago by intentionally immersing myself in a similar situation. What I did was not use antiperspirant and wore a fitted fuchsia color blouse that I knew showed wetness. Then I drove to a mall some distance away, where I was unlikely to bump into anyone I knew. By the time I arrived, there were big dark sweat circles under my arms plainly visible to anyone who wanted to look.

I went into the mall and walked around, and guess what happened? Nothing! No one said anything, no one pointed at me and laughed, no one ridiculed me, nothing happened! By the time I got up the nerve to eat in the crowded food court, the sweat had begun to drip down my sides. The people there did not banish me, or stop me, or say anything. I survived!

Forcing myself into the dreaded situation and seeing that nothing serious happened helped reduce my worries. I had to do it several times, but it really helped. I'm much more accepting of my HH now, and that has helped me to get on with the more important things in life.

For prior stories, see the archives.