This is My Story

Ruwenzori R.
Jamaica
#227
I’ve had hyperhidrosis since I was twelve years old. The first time I noticed it was when I was with friends and they all started laughing at me, but at the time I had thought we were all laughing together, since we were chatting etc. I later found out that there were laughing because of the huge sweat stains that had bled through the armpits of my light colored clothing. Back then, it didn’t really think much of it, though, because I figured it was just a one time thing. But, as I grew older and entered the 7th grade, it started to pose more of a problem to me, because not only were my armpits sweating excessively, but my palms and feet started sweating as well. I recalled at one point it got so bad that my shoes would permanently be odorous and once a classmate of mine stole my shoe and had everyone in the classroom smell it. Which was very damaging to my self esteem. Not only that, but on many occasions I would sweat off my deodorant and it would literally be leaking down my forearms and to my elbows, and It always seemed to happen when I was around other people. So, it wasn’t exactly a confidence booster. It has given me a lot of anxiety, especially in situations where I’ll have to shake someone’s hand. Since nervousness only makes it worse. A notable problem, however, is that I don’t even have to be nervous for it to be triggered. Hyperhidrosis has also impacted me on a daily basis as I am afraid to hold people’s hands, be in social setting or even touch people’s belongings, because I know that within seconds my palms or body will start dripping and probably cause all involved parties discomfort . It also affects my ability to walk somewhat, in the sense that if I wear flip flops or any shoe without straps I’ll slip out of it, which can happen while I’m crossing a road or just taking a stroll, and can even damage my health. It prevents me from wearing the clothes I want to, because of fear of the sweat stains that will be left on the clothing; since I not only sweat from my armpits, palms and feet, but also my arms, the back of my legs and basically anywhere you could imagine. Which leaves me feeling uncomfortable and having to take several baths a day just to feel clean. It also causes me trouble when taking exams or simply doing school work, since sometimes it’s so bad that I am unable to even hold my pencil or pen to write, and even wiping off my hands or sitting in air conditioning doesn’t help. Hyperhidrosis has made me cautious over the years. It has made me overthink many things that people take for granted, even simple things like sitting on certain types of chairs, because I know then when I get up there will be seat stains left behind. Also because of the stigma surrounding the condition. Because of this, I’ve only told a few, select people that I know, one of them being my mother, who is my only family member who knows. Which causes me problems , since everyone else assumes that I’ll be able to do the same things as them and wear the same things as them, etc. but I’m not comfortable telling them, yet, thinking about it upsets me on a daily basis, because it also affects what careers I can choose and how comfortably I will live. I’m 19 now, and even though I’ve been living with it for many years, it has not ceased to cause me discomfort or damage my self esteem when with friends and family or Even when I’m by myself. And it has hardly ever shown any signs of disappearing. So, If I must live with this for the rest of my life, then I at least hope that I’ll be able to find a method of coping with it. But, this is why I’ve chosen to add my voice to the many suffering from Hyperhidrosis, because if I can play my part in raising awareness for a condition that so many suffer from, but is greatly overlooked, then it’s only right that I do so. Many suffer in silence and, from personal experience, knowing that there are more people out there who I can relate to has at least given me a sense of comfort.
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