Whenever a personality is diagnosed with a rare disease or takes career breaks because of the illness, we have the opportunity to gain more knowledge about the cause. This is the case of singer Selena Gomez, who recently announced a break from his career due to Lupus.
The 24-year-old singer was diagnosed with Lupus just over two years ago, but only now decided to stop his tour to address the issue. She had bouts of depression and anxiety due to the disease and declared she needed time to take care of herself.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), popularly known only as Lupus, is an autoimmune disease that affects several organs of the human body, the main ones being the skin, brain, joints and kidneys. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, Lupus being one of the best known. Illnesses like this happen with no apparent or known explanation, but it is usually of genetic principle, when the body attacks itself by mistake, causing a kind of generalized inflammation. Some scientists also risk that environmental factors can trigger the disease in people who already have the genetic predisposition, as is the case with the ingestion of some medications of continuous use.
The main symptoms of the disease are: constant fatigue, fever for no apparent reason, joint pain, stiffness, swelling, chest pain, difficulty breathing, sensitivity to sunlight, skin lesions and the skin rash, the classic butterfly-shaped redness of the face.
Lupus usually attacks women between 15 and 40 years old, and there is no cure, only control with the use of medication. The anxiety and depression crises caused by the singer Selena Gomez are hardly triggered by the disease itself, they arise because of the symptoms and the fact that she has to deal with a chronic pathology for the rest of her life. Many treatments can cause weight gain in addition to disease symptoms that affect the skin and appearance.
With no cure yet found, Lupus patients need to control the disease with anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, continuous sunscreen and adopting a healthier life with balanced diet, physical exercise and constant monitoring by doctors. In advanced cases, the drugs tend to have serious and strong side effects, and constant care is even more necessary.
Social networks can also be great allies in the treatment of the disease. through groups and specific pages, which provide tips and allow people who are fighting the disease to get together. Having someone in the same boat to row against the current always makes the trip more enjoyable and less painful. The page “Lúpus España”, for example, has more than 12 thousand likes and posts tips and reports periodically. The Lupus – Right to Life group has more than 3500 members who also seek information and exchange reports about the disease.
Outside the networks there are also associations that can provide guidance on Lupus. This is the case of Associação Españaeira Superando o Lupus, which promotes events and meetings to overcome the disease. For more information, visit the institution's website. The association's physical headquarters are in São Paulo, in the Tucuruvi neighborhood. If you are from another state, do a quick Google search, several associations from the most different cities will be found. Sometimes we get support much closer than we expect.
If you are a carrier of Lupus or have someone close to you who has the disease, you need to keep in mind that seeking information is extremely important. Do not isolate yourself under any circumstances and seek all the help you deem necessary. Stay positive and follow the treatment that best suits your reality and health. Fighting is necessary, but the result is likely to be rewarding!
Text written by Roberta Lopes from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team
